A coalition of 30 grassroots organizations representing over 25,000 New Jersey citizens is calling on current and potential state leaders to advocate for the state’s communities and prepare to defend New Jersey’s rights in court if necessary.
In letters dispatched in anticipation of the presidential inauguration, the groups urged Governor Phil Murphy, Attorney General Matthew Platkin, and six declared Democratic gubernatorial candidates to adopt a strong stance against potential federal overreach under the incoming administration of President Donald Trump, set to take office on January 20.
Some Garden State Democrats have a weak track record going against Trump.
One gubernatorial candidate— Josh Gottheimer —was known as Trump’s favorite Democrat in Congress during the Republican’s first time in the White House.
Gottheimer, self-described Blue Dog Democrat Mikie Sherrill, and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney are seeking the Democratic nomination despite their close ties with Republicans.
Sweeney was former GOP Governor Chris Christie’s most important ally, whose support was critical to the passage of legislation that shut down Planned Parenthood clinics, overhauled public-employee-health benefits, radically scaled back pensions for state, county and municipal employees, and banned collective bargaining for four years.
After serving as a Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, Sherrill received key political support from war-mongering neoconservatives who worked in the Bush administration and later abandoned the Republican Party following Trump’s failed coup attempt on January 6, 2021.
The only bona fide progressives running in the Democratic primary are Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, and former Montclair mayor Sean Spiller, who leads the New Jersey Education Association.
In their letter addressed to the governor, attorney general, and six Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls, the coalition outlined its concerns regarding federal policies that could undermine New Jersey’s healthcare, infrastructure, public safety, and other critical needs.
The groups cited several anticipated areas of conflict, including reproductive rights, immigrant protections, climate change, and the rollback of Biden-era programs benefitting New Jersey residents.
“We understand elections have consequences,” said Mervyn Turner of OneNJ7, a key organizer of the petition. “Donald Trump won the election, and we hope he will fulfill his duty to serve all Americans. However, there are red lines that cannot be crossed in our state. New Jersey has its own values and laws that reflect our ethical standards, and our leaders must be clear about where they stand.”
Amy Higer of SOMA Action highlighted climate change as a pressing concern, rejecting claims by President-elect Trump that wildfires in Los Angeles were due to civic neglect.
“The catastrophic wildfires are a direct result of climate change, which poses a serious threat to New Jersey and all Americans,” said Higer. “Trump’s climate denial and his cabinet nominees’ positions endanger the Jersey Shore, our economy, and public safety.”
Other issues raised included public education and tax policy.
The potential deportation of 428,000 undocumented immigrants would devastate our economy, stripping away billions in state and local taxes. Similarly, the proposed $2 trillion in federal cuts would threaten critical programs like Social Security, Medicare, and public education, which so many New Jerseyans depend on.
Our state also faces existential threats from climate change, and the federal government’s retreat from environmental protections will only accelerate the damage.
Brad Raimondo of GWB Indivisible praised New Jersey’s public schools and called for state leaders to defend against federal actions that could threaten funding for students with disabilities, undermine civil rights, or weaken public health standards.
The coalition expressed hope that New Jersey’s leaders would uphold the state’s interests and values in the face of anticipated federal challenges.
As Higer said, “We are not opposing every element of Trump’s agenda, but we expect our elected officials to draw clear lines where our state’s integrity and future are at stake.”
Kevin Dougherty of Indivisible Highland Park emphasized the risks posed by the rollback of the Inflation Reduction Act and increased oil and gas drilling, pointing to New Jersey’s vulnerability to intensifying storms and rising sea levels.
Furthermore, the rollback of reproductive rights, including the potential loss of access to safe abortion and emergency contraception, is an affront to the autonomy and dignity of women across the state. And with LGBTQ+ rights under attack nationwide, we must ensure that New Jersey remains a stronghold of equality and inclusion.
None of the public officials or gubernatorial candidates have yet responded to the coalition’s letter, which was endorsed by One NJ7, SOMA Action, Lawrence Citizen Activists, Indivisible Cranbury, Westfield 20/20, Indivisible Central NJ, Indivisible Lambertville New Hope, Indivisible Highland Park, Indivisible Rahway, Long Valley Indivisible, Bergen Indivisible for Democracy, SJNOW Indivisible, Swing Left Indivisible NJ , Indivisible Princeton, Action Together New Jersey, The Visibility Brigade, Cape May County Indivisible, GWB Indivisible , Indivisible NJ 5th District , SWEEP NJ , Trenton Makes Indivisible, Ridgewood JOLT, Indivisible Garden State Values, Jersey Shore Blue, Cooper River Indivisible, We The People NJ-07, Indivisible Wayne, Hackettstown Drinking Liberally, and Summit Area Indivisible.
The text of the letters appears below.
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