PEAPACK& GLADSTONE, NJ – More than 300 celebrants gathered for Somerset County Democrats' wildly successful 18th Annual Fall Dinner & Gala at The Mansion At Natirar to celebrate the success of our local elected Democrats, and the coming victories this November 4. The cocktail hour was standing room only, and tables were added for the dinner as the registration line grew through the night.

"Over the past 18 years, Somerset County has gone from a light shade of purple to a bright shining Blue thanks to the hard work and the great governance of the people in this room," said Somerset County Democratic Chair Peg Schaffer. "It was difficult to break through for the first time, but holding our wins has been easy thanks to the leadership of Somerset County's excellent Democratic municipal, county, and state elected officials."

The dinner crowd was stunned by the rousing rendition of the national anthem sung by Tim O'Hara, the prayer led by Minister Shelly Bell, and moved by the impassioned speeches of Commissioner Deputy Director Melonie Marano, Chair Schaffer, our candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Dale Caldwell, and Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta.

"The ideas of freedom, justice, and fairness are worth fighting for," said Kenyatta in his speech, referencing the Edmund Pettus Bridge March. "An economy where you can feed your damn kids, where you can sit down with the people that you love best in the world and look them in their eyes and not be terrified about their future. We can have that in this country. We can have that in New Jersey if you get on the damn bridge."

Schaffer focused on the importance of the 2025 election in the face of the radical MAGA movement attempting to overthrow the gains Americans have made over the past 80 years, and that Somerset County Democrats have made over the past decade.

"Somerset County didn't go for Trump last year, and we're not going for carbon copy Ciattarelli this year either," said Schaffer. "We will send a strong message that America is Great by electing Mikie as governor, Melonie and Liz as Commissioners, Tina as Surrogate, Darrin as Sheriff, and every candidate in every town. The harder we work, the more we win, the stronger the message!"