By Ras Baraka For Governor Campaign
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
New Jersey (April 10, 2025) – Thursday, Mayor Ras J. Baraka proudly announced an unprecedented and historic slate of endorsements from a coalition of leading progressive and union organizations across New Jersey, strengthening his position as the leading progressive voice in the Democratic primary race to succeed Governor Phil Murphy.
Members of the coalition include:
- Rutgers AAUP-AFT
- 32BJ SEIU
- New Jersey Citizen Action
- Make the Road Action New Jersey
- New Jersey Working Families Party
- Workers United LDFS Joint Board
This slate of endorsements comes at a critical moment in New Jersey politics following the elimination of the county line system, creating a more democratic primary process. The coalition cited Mayor Baraka’s strong record on affordability, housing, public safety, and his commitment to standing up against harmful federal policies.
In addition, Mayor Baraka and the coalition will rally together in New Brunswick, NJ on Monday morning, highlighting their plans to activate voters across the state to support Mayor Baraka.
Who: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, New Jersey Working Families Party, Make the Road Action New Jersey, New Jersey Citizen Action, Rutgers AAUP-AFT, SEIU 32BJ, Workers United LDFS Joint Board
What: Rally with Ras Baraka for Governor and Coalition Members
Where: Rutgers AAUP-AFT Headquarters
11 Stone Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
When: 12:30 pm, Monday, April 14, 2025
“I am deeply humbled by this historic show of unity from New Jersey’s most progressive labor unions and advocacy organizations,” said Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “This coalition’s endorsement is bigger than any one campaign – it’s a movement to transform our state from the ground up. In the wake of Andy Kim’s campaign toppling the line, we have a once-in-a-generation chance to deliver real, lasting change for working people. That means expanding access to healthcare and working towards a public option, raising wages, putting people to work building green energy and affordable housing, and investing in communities too long left behind. To meet this moment, we must do it shoulder to shoulder. United — not divided — we will fight for working families, challenge entrenched power and build a New Jersey that puts people before politics.”
“New Jerseyans face a grave affordability crisis, with health care, utility, and in particular housing costs continuing to spiral out of control,” said Dena Mottola Jaborska, Executive Director for New Jersey Citizen Action. “Ras Baraka stands as the best choice from a field of talented candidates to address this crisis. His commitment to uplifting working families, to economic reinvestments in hard-hit communities, and to sweeping reforms geared towards revitalizing affordable housing will ensure we build a New Jersey where everyone can thrive, not just the wealthy or politically connected. New Jersey Citizen Action stands ready to help build a coalition that will elect a champion and protector of low- and moderate-income people.”
“We’re proud to be a part of this unprecedented joint endorsement of Ras Baraka for Governor. New Jersey Working Families Party defeated the corrupt county line system, so we know exactly what it takes to win and reshape the halls of power in Trenton,” said Antoinette Miles, State Director of New Jersey Working Families Party. “We’ve worked with Ras since his first Mayoral run, and we’ll be going all in to help him win and deliver transformational policies that will bring down costs for working families.”
“We are inspired and energized to co-endorse Mayor Ras Baraka for Governor of New Jersey alongside a coalition that has the people power, know-how and acumen to win this historic election in November,” Ana Maria Hill, Vice President and New Jersey District Director of 32BJ SEIU, a labor union representing 15,000 essential workers across New Jersey, said. “Mayor Baraka has joined our predominantly Black and brown 32BJ SEIU members on the picket line, stood up to employers who disrespect working families and passed legislation to improve the lives of essential workers struggling with rising costs. While numerous candidates share our values and priorities, this historic moment calls for a united broad-based movement for working New Jersey residents. This race will draw the nation’s gaze and Mayor Baraka has answered the call for fearless leadership and path to victory for working people, our immigrant neighbors and all overlooked residents of this state. We will have boots on the ground to get out the vote for Baraka starting this month, through to November.”
“The Trump administration is disrupting—or canceling outright—life-saving biomedical research, attacking initiatives to promote democratic values, and terrorizing the most vulnerable students and scholars on our campuses,” said Rebecca Givan, executive vice president of the AAUP-AFT union chapter at Rutgers University. “The 6,000 educators and researchers we represent at Rutgers are keenly aware of these dire threats. We know we need a governor who can express our outrage and articulate an alternative that works for working people in New Jersey. We’re convinced Ras Baraka can do this like no other Democratic candidate. Our union is proud to support him for governor.”
“The road to victory in November runs through working class communities and voters of color, said Nedia Morsy, New Jersey director of Make the Road Action New Jersey. “To turn the tides of voter apathy, we need a strong champion. A champion who will uphold the Constitution and won’t hand over the keys to our cities to the Trump administration’s mass deportation machine. A champion who will honor the contributions of immigrants and working families. Mayor Baraka is that champion. He has consistently defended immigrant communities and just last week filed a lawsuit to prevent a private prison corporation from opening a massive new immigration detention facility. He was the first elected official in New Jersey to call for wealthy corporations to pay their fair share. As the cost of housing across New Jersey skyrockets beyond wages, Mayor Baraka has pioneered creative solutions to make housing more affordable and keep families in our state. On behalf of our more than 6,500 members, we are proud to join this historic alliance to endorse Mayor Baraka and begin the work to get him elected as the next governor of New Jersey. Nationally, Mayor Baraka is setting the bar of what it means to be a candidate who represents immigrant communities. This campaign is bigger than any one of us – together, we represent the multi-racial working class coalition that we must build in order to fight Trump’s MAGA agenda and envision a world for all of us.”
These major endorsements come as Mayor Baraka has taken the strongest stance against President Trump’s destructive agenda, with a new ad released last week showing Mayor Baraka’s directly stating: “there is a criminal in the Oval Office.”
