By Sonia Schenker

A supporter of Brian Varela's primary opponent recently challenged him to "show some proof" of his grassroots organizing. As someone who's worked alongside Brian for a while, I have to ask: where have you been looking?

Let me tell you about the summer day Brian knocked on my door, soaking wet from canvassing to invite Wharton residents to a launch party for the Morris Dems Hispanic Caucus. We got to talking about reviving the Wharton Democratic Committee which had been dormant for a while. I thought he was nuts. Wharton had been solidly red for decades and I had no political experience. But my dog liked him and there was something about Brian that made me believe, so my husband and I trusted him when he said, “Come on, I’ll help you and it’ll be fun”. Within a short time, we met for coffee.

After that initial meeting, Brian reached out to the former members of the Wharton Democratic Committee, and one by one, they returned because of Brian’s leadership. He literally and figuratively held our hands until we had a full Committee and Executive Board. Brian was right when he said it would be fun. We have become a close-knit group; once just neighbors, now a community of friends on a mission to serve our community at large with the goal to return to the values we align with as Americans, and where everyone is welcome.

Fast forward to today: we've flipped two Republican seats in Wharton. Two seats they held for years are now Democratic, and voter turnout was higher than it was for the 2024 Presidential election, because Brian understood that real change starts with showing up consistently, year after year, election after election.

But anyone who thinks Brian's organizing stops at Wharton's borders hasn't been paying attention. I've watched him knock doors across the entire 7th District - not just for his own campaign, but for Democratic candidates at every level. While other politicians show up for photo ops, Brian shows up bringing actual volunteers, enthusiasm, and resources. I've seen him help campaigns with everything from fundraising strategy to infrastructure support - the nuts and bolts work that campaigns desperately need but rarely get from other politicians.

I've watched him at rallies opposing ICE detention policies when no cameras were rolling. I saw him organize a protest against Trump-backed Jack Ciattarelli during the gubernatorial race - literally gathered a group of us to challenge Jack while he was glad-handing at a local diner. While other politicians calculated political risk, Brian saw that race as a signal to the country about whether we'd stand up to Trump and MAGA Republicans like Tom Kean Jr.

And here's something Brian rarely mentions himself: he founded and chaired the Morris County Democratic Hispanic Caucus. While others talk about diversity and inclusion, Brian built the actual infrastructure to ensure Latino voices have a seat at the table in local Democratic politics. Through the Voter Choice coalition, he helped pass numerous resolutions supporting ranked choice voting. And through his childcare centers, he's created over 100 jobs - because apparently creating economic opportunity while fighting for Democratic values is just what Brian does.

So when someone challenges Brian to show "proof" of his grassroots organizing, I have to wonder: have they ever actually worked on a campaign in this district? Have they ever tried to flip a local seat, build a party committee from nothing, or organize a protest when it wasn't politically convenient?

Because if they had, they'd know what those of us in the trenches know: when it comes to actual, on-the-ground Democratic organizing across the 7th District, there's no other candidate with Brian's track record of showing up, doing the work, and delivering results.

The proof isn't in press releases or endorsements - though Brian does have more local endorsements than any other candidate. It's in the fact that Wharton Democrats exist at all. It's in those two flipped seats and the campaigns Brian has helped across our district. That's not just grassroots organizing - that's sustained, strategic organizing that actually builds political power and puts it back into the hands of the people, where it belongs.

And here's why that matters for November: Beating Tom Kean Jr. isn't about having the best debate performance (which he has) or the most polished TV ads (which he will). It's about building the grassroots infrastructure to identify every possible Democratic voter, turn them out on Election Day, and persuade persuadable independents in between.

Brian has already proven he can flip Republican seats - he's done it twice in Wharton and helped other towns do the same. He knows exactly what it takes to beat Republicans where they think they're safe. And unlike his primary opponents, Brian won't have to learn how to organize against Republicans on the fly - he'll hit the ground running with a network he's spent years building and a track record of actually winning.

That should worry Tom Kean Jr.

Sincerely,

Sonia Schenker, NJ07 Constituent

Wharton