The National Troopers Coalition, a powerful national police labor bloc frequently criticized by civil rights advocates for opposing law enforcement oversight and systemic reform, announced a slate of congressional endorsements in New Jersey on Tuesday, including all three incumbent Republicans.
The National Troopers Coalition (NTC) has not included any Black women in its recently announced 2026 congressional endorsements, but it is supporting all three of New Jersey’s GOP congressmen: Reps. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis), Chris Smith (R-Manchester), and AWOL Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) in the hotly contested 7th Congressional District.
The National Troopers Coalition has never endorsed any Black woman in a U.S. congressional race.
Kean faced criticism from the all-Republican council in Roxbury for not joining in the township’s opposition to the ICE center or holding any town hall during his decades in public office.
The endorsement gives Kean, a two-term Republican running against Democratic contender Rebecca Bennett, backing from an organization that opposes measures to reduce official corruption, police brutality and government waste.
Government accountability groups and civil rights advocates view backing from the NTC as a signal of resistance to police accountability.
Nationally, the coalition has consistently lobbied against federal legislation aimed at curbing police misconduct, notably opposing measures like the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that seek to reform qualified immunity—the legal doctrine that protects officers from civil lawsuits over excessive force and constitutional violations.
Reform advocates contend that the NTC’s legislative framework works to shield officers from oversight while placing the financial burden of police misconduct settlements onto taxpayers.
During the summer of 2020, tens of millions of people participated in the movement to denounce police violence against Black Americans, yet even though the vast majority of demonstrations were peaceful, aggressive police responses highlighted the very violence protestors were protesting against.
Beyond qualified immunity, member unions within the coalition have routinely supported Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights statutes, which can enforce interrogation delays after critical incidents, restrict public access to disciplinary records, and mandate private arbitration that often overturns officer terminations.
The NTC even opposed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) proposed ban on flavored cigars. The troopers argued that “flavored tobacco bans would add to the demands on our already strained law enforcement resources.”
NTC Chairman Nate Johnson praised the lawmakers endorsed by the group, comprised of 44,000 state troopers and highway patrol officers across 43 states, describing them as leaders who have shown an “unwavering commitment to public safety, the safety of our citizens, and the needs of law enforcement officers.”
The NTC’s New Jersey slate includes lawmakers from both sides of the aisle: Reps. Donald Norcross (D-1st Dist.), Jeff Van Drew (R-2nd Dist.), Herb Conaway (D-3rd Dist.), Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.), Josh Gottheimer (D-5th Dist.), Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.), Thomas Kean Jr. (R-7th Dist.), Rob Menendez (D-8th Dist.), and Nellie Pou (D-9th Dist.).
Notably, the coalition bypassed two incumbent Democratic representatives, LaMonica McIver and Analilia Mejia, and took no stance in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District race.
New Jersey is home to several NTC executive board members.
Wayne Blanchard, president of the State Troopers Fraternal Association of New Jersey—an NTC member organization—serves as the national coalition’s first vice chairman. Blanchard, who was re-elected to the national leadership role earlier this year, has headed the state union since 2018.
Along with East Coordinator William Legg and Treasurer Dan Olivera of the State Troopers Fraternal Association, Blanchard is one of three executive committee members from New Jersey on the organization’s 11-member board.
The State Troopers Fraternal Association (STFA), an NTC affiliate representing rank-and-file New Jersey State Police officers, faces calls from civil rights groups for deep federal oversight following state-commissioned investigations and lawsuits alleging systemic racism, misogyny, and disproportionate enforcement against minority motorists.
These demands escalated after two state-commissioned investigative reports exposed deep-seated discrimination within the New Jersey State Police.
The findings showed that Internal Affairs routinely tolerated misconduct by favored officers while minority troopers feared retaliation for speaking out. Investigators also documented an “old boys’ club” culture that subjected pregnant troopers to aggressive integrity checks and failed to provide basic facilities for women.
Furthermore, traffic data revealed that troopers disproportionately targeted Black and Hispanic motorists with traffic stops and force.
Critics also highlight the NTC’s resistance to fiscal oversight and military-style police equipment rules.
The coalition continues to support programs transferring surplus military hardware to local and state police agencies, while opposing efforts to restrict civil asset forfeiture—a practice that allows law enforcement agencies to seize cash and property without requiring a criminal conviction.
Civil rights organizations and researchers argue that acquiring and deploying military-grade gear alters the psychological framework of policing, shifting officers from community guardians to an “occupying force”.
Studies cited by critics suggest that increased access to military equipment correlates with higher rates of police violence without producing a measurable reduction in local crime rates.
Neither the Kean campaign nor Bennett’s campaign immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the endorsement.
Discover more from NJTODAY.NEWS
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.