Sierra Club Endorses Mikie Sherrill for Governor

MADISON - Anjuli Ramos-Busot mentioned the "joy of nature."

On a sunny day in a nice park that was quite fitting. But this was more than just a late morning respite.

Ramos-Busot is director of the New Jersey Sierra Club and on Friday, the group endorsed Mikie Sherrill for governor in the June 10 Democratic primary.

The club, which is the nation's oldest environmental organization, said Sherrill "best embodies" the club's vision for New Jersey’s future.

Just about all Democrats, generally speaking, support basic environmental positions in regard to clean energy, promoting open space and combatting a changing climate.

So, why Sherrill? And not one of the other five Democratic candidates?

Ramos-Busot said the endorsement was based not on promises or a platform, but on past performance.

She said that since her election to the House in 2018 from CD-11, Sherrill has shown herself to be in line with the aims of the Sierra Club.

She said the congresswoman has brought "millions" of dollars to the district for flood control in addition to working to keep waterways clean, remove lead from drinking water and expand mass transit.

Sherrill had history in mind.

After extolling some of the state's natural attributes - the Shore and the Delaware Water Gap - she told a story about her first run seven years ago.

She said she was told back then that people do not vote with environmental concerns in mind. She didn't buy it, and, of course, won that race.

"We knew people would vote on the environment," she said.

Steve Fulop, who some polls put behind Sherrill in second place, claims to be inching closer.

On this day, however, Sherrill was looking ahead to the general election and Jack Ciattarelli, who is leading the Republican field.

She said Ciattarelli would do nothing to stop the Trump Administration's attempt to rollback the progress New Jersey has made in regard to clean energy and expanding environmental safeguards.

 

MADISON — The New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club today announced its endorsement of Mikie Sherrill for Governor, citing her outstanding record on environmental issues in Congress and her bold vision to tackle these challenges as New Jersey’s next governor. The Sierra Club is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization, and invited all candidates to be considered for this endorsement.

“Throughout her career, Mikie Sherrill has been a critical voice for protecting public health and lowering costs for her constituents. She has fought to preserve America’s public lands, address the root causes of the rise in extreme weather and flooding affecting states like New Jersey, and voted to make the largest ever investment in our environment—helping spark our nation’s manufacturing boom and make energy costs more affordable for families and small businesses. On behalf of the tens of thousands of Sierra Club members and supporters in New Jersey and millions more nationwide, we are proud to endorse Mikie Sherrill and we look forward to doing all we can to help elect her as Governor,” said Ben Jealous, Sierra Club Executive Director. 

“We are proud to officially announce our endorsement of Mikie Sherrill for New Jersey Governor as her campaign strongly aligns with Sierra Club’s vision for our affordable, 100% clean energy future. She is dedicated to protecting our right to breathe clean air and drink clean water, promoting public health and keeping communities safe, defending our public lands, and defending our state against attacks from the Trump Administration. Rep. Sherrill has an excellent track record that has proven her to be an environmental champion, including securing bipartisan funding for clean energy projects and flood protections, supporting the Great American Outdoors Act, the Gateway project, protecting people from toxic PFAS pollution, and more,” said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, Director of the NJ Sierra Club. “This year’s Gubernatorial primary is a critical race to decide the future of our state, and we need a strong leader who can stand up to a potential MAGA Republican to ensure New Jersey communities and our environment are protected. We are proud to endorse Congresswoman Sherrill because we know she will fight for New Jersey’s environment, public health, and economy.”

“The New Jersey Sierra Club is a people power house that is ready and fired up to knock doors, speak out, and elect Mikie Sherrill for the next Governor of New Jersey. The Chapter has historically supported Sherrill’s campaign going back to 2018, when she flipped her Republican district,” said Rich Isaac, NJ Sierra Club Chapter Chair. “Congresswoman Sherrill is such a versatile candidate who has truly shown herself to be a champion for the environment. We are confident that she will protect our state from harmful rollbacks from the Trump Administration at the Federal level to ensure that New Jerseyans are able to access the outdoors, breathe clean air, drink clean water, and continue towards a clean energy future.”

“There’s nothing more important than delivering a better future for our kids. I’m raising four and we have a responsibility to their generation and those that follow to protect our environment and solve the energy crisis facing our state and country,” said Mikie Sherrill. “The Sierra Club was with me back in the early days of 2018 when we flipped a district and I couldn’t be prouder to have them on the team in this race for governor. Together, we’re going to protect our communities from flooding and climate change, lower utility costs with clean, cheap power like solar, and stand up to Trump’s attacks on our planet, our state, and our future.”

Mikie is the candidate for environmental voters — she has also been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters. Her Affordability Agenda includes bold proposals to invest in clean, cheap power like solar to protect our environment and lower utility costs in New Jersey. She has committed to streamlining approvals to bring clean energy online, and holding PJM, our regional grid operator, accountable for connecting the backlog of clean, cheap power to the grid. Mikie has also proposed more investments in community solar, hosting more clean energy on state properties, and collaborating with neighboring states to improve energy infrastructure and battery storage, which will all lower costs for New Jerseyans.

Rep. Sherrill has been an environmental champion in Congress and knows how to deliver on New Jersey’s priorities. She collaborated with municipalities to deliver federal funding for flood mitigation along the Whippany River and, after decades of delays, advanced flood mitigation projects with the Army Corps of Engineers. Mikie has also helped communities in NJ-11 advance lead service line replacement and combat PFAS (forever chemicals). And she has championed efforts to increase the use of native plants at federal facilities in New Jersey and across the country. She will bring that same tenacity and resolve to the governor’s office.

About the New Jersey Sierra Club:

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
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