Bipartisan list of candidates selected for their commitment to LGBTQ equality
The Garden State Equality (GSE) Action Fund announced the bipartisan list of candidates it is endorsing for the 2023 general election.
Each election cycle, the GSE Action Fund endorses candidates from across the political spectrum based on their support of the organization’s mission to uplift the diverse voices of the LGBTQ community through education and advocacy, and to advance the movement for equality in New Jersey and nationally.
“On behalf of our 150,000 members, we are proud to endorse nearly five dozen candidates running in pivotal elections up and down the ballot across the Garden State,” Jeannine Frisby LaRue, GSE Action Fund Board Chair, said. “We work closely with leaders not only in the legislature but in city halls and town councils around the state to ensure lived equality for all New Jerseyans.”
“We’ve chosen to endorse a wide slate of candidates based on a combination of voting record, responses to our endorsement questionnaire and the overall commitment they’ve demonstrated to serving and empowering New Jersey’s marginalized communities,” Christian Fuscarino, Executive Director of GSE Action Fund, said. “We look forward to working with these candidates for office in 2023 to find more ways to ensure lived equality for every person who calls the Garden State home.”
The full list of election endorsements:
New Jersey Assembly Endorsements
LD – 1
Damita White-Morris
LD – 2
Assemblyman Don Guardian
LD – 3
No endorsements
LD – 4
No endorsements
LD – 5
Assemblyman WIlliam Moen
Assemblyman William Spearman
LD – 6
Assemblyman Louis Greenwald
Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt
LD – 7
Assemblyman Herb Conaway
Assemblywoman Carol Murphy
LD – 8
No endorsements
LD – 9
Joseph Atura
LD – 10
No endorsements
LD – 11
Luanne Peterpaul
Margie Donlon
LD – 12
Raya Arbiol
Paul Sarti
LD – 13
Paul Eschelbach
Danielle Mastropiero
LD – 14
Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo
Tennille McCoy
LD – 15
Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson
Assemblyman Anthony Verelli
LD – 16
Assemblyman Roy Freiman
Mitchelle Drulis
LD – 17
Assemblyman Joe Danielsen
LD –18
Assemblyman Sterley Stanley
Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak
LD –19
Assemblyman Craig Coughlin
Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez
LD – 20
Assemblyman Reginald Atkins
Assemblywoman Annette Quijano
LD – 21
Chris Weber
Elizabeth Graner
LD – 22
Assemblywoman Linda Carter
Assemblyman James Kennedy
LD – 23
Guy Citron
Tyler Powell
LD – 24
Bharamdai Sharma
LD – 25
Jon Torres
Diane Salvatore
LD – 26
No endorsements
LD – 27
Rosy Bagoli
LD – 28
Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker
Garnet Hall
LD – 29
Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor-Marin
Assemblywoman Shanique Speight
LD – 30
No endorsements
LD – 31
Assemblywoman Angela McKnight
Assemblyman William Sampson IV
LD – 32
John Allen
Jessica Ramirez
LD – 33
No endorsements
LD – 34
No endorsements
LD – 35
Assemblyman Benjie Wimberley
Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter
LD – 36
Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese
Assemblyman Gary Schaer
LD – 37
Assemblywoman Ellen Park
Assemblywoman Shaima Haider
LD – 38
Assemblywoman Lisa Swain
Assemblyman Chris Tully
LD – 39
No endorsements
LD – 40
Giovanna Irizarry
Jennifer Marrinan
New Jersey Senate Endorsements
LD – 1
No endorsements
LD – 2
Caren Fitzpatrick
LD – 3
No endorsements
LD – 4
Assemblyman Paul Moriarty
LD – 5
Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez
LD – 6
Senator James Beach
LD – 7
Senator Troy Singleton
LD – 8
Gaye Burton
LD – 9
Gabriel Franco
LD – 10
No endorsements
LD – 11
Senator Vin Gopal
LD – 12
Brandon Rose
LD – 13
Senator Declan O’Scanlon
LD – 14
Senator Linda Greenstein
LD – 15
Senator Shirley Turner
LD – 16
Senator Andrew Zwicker
LD – 17
Senator Bob Smith
LD – 18
Senator Patrick Diegnan
LD – 19
Senator Joe Vitale
LD – 20
Senator Joe Cryan
LD – 21
Matt Marino
LD – 22
Senator Nick Scutari
LD – 23
Denise King
LD – 24
No endorsements
LD – 25
Christine Clarke
LD – 26
No endorsements
LD – 27
Assemblyman John McKeon
LD – 28
Senator Renee Burgess
LD – 29
Senator Teresa Ruiz
LD – 30
No endorsements
LD – 31
Senator Sandra Cunningham
LD – 32
Assemblyman Raj Mukherji
LD – 33
Senator Brian Stack
LD – 34
Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake
LD – 35
Senator Nellie Pou
LD – 36
Senator Paul Sarlo
LD – 37
Senator Gordon Johnson
LD – 38
Senator Joe Lagana
LD – 39
No endorsements
LD – 40
Jennifer Ehrentraut
Local New Jersey Elections
Robert Gancitano — Town Council — Galloway, Atlantic County
Chris Hillmann — Mayor — Hasbrouck Heights, Bergen County
Joeigh Perella — County Commissioner — Cumberland County
John Capizola — County Commissioner — Cumberland County
Robert Austino — Sheriff — Cumberland County
Kim Stentz — Town Council — Clinton, Hunterdon County
Daniel Benson — County Executive — Mercer County
Ben Finkelstein — Councilmember — West Windsor Township, Mercer County
Stacey Fox — Councilmember — West Windsor Township, Mercer County
Dan Weiss — Town Council — West Windsor Township, Mercer County
Ross Licitra — County Commissioner — Monmouth County
Alison DeNoia — County Commissioner — Monmouth County
Jonathan Sackett — County Commissioner — Morris County
John Kashwick — Town Council — Clinton Township, Morris County
Douglas Singleterry — County Commissioner — Somerset County
Ashley Neuman — Town Council — Borough of Manville, Somerset County
Christine Sokoloski — Town Council — Borough of Manville, Somerset County
Openly LGBTQ+ candidates:
GSE Action Fund believes that it has a responsibility to share with our
members a list of self-disclosed LGBTQ+ candidates, whether or not they received an
endorsement. We encourage our members to support all LGBTQ+ candidates who
support our community.
Robert Gancitano — Town Council — Galloway, Atlantic County
Don Guardian — Assemblymember — LD 2, Atlantic County
Lauren Herman — Town Council — Waldwick, Bergen County
Chris Hillmann — Town Council — Hasbrouck, Heights Bergen County
Diane Scarangella — Town Council — Leonia, Bergen County
Richard Rosen — Board of Education — Voorhees, Camden County
Paul Eschelbach — Assemblymember — LD 13, Camden County
Jason Friel — Board of Education — Bellmawr, Camden County
Dr. Joeiegh Perella — County Commission — Cumberland County
Dean Dafis — Town Council — Maplewood, Essex County
Jo Miller — Councilmember — Woodbury, Gloucester County
Gerald Lyons — Board of Education — Jersey City, Hudson County
John Kashwick — Council — Clinton, Hunterdon County
Daniel Weiss — Council — West Windsor, Mercer County
Gerard Dalton — Board of Education — Ocean Township, Monmouth County
Luanne Peterpaul — Assemblymember — LD 11, Monmouth County
Pamela Renee — City Council — Neptune City, Monmouth County
Len Resto — Borough Council — Chatham Borough, Morris County
Diane Salvatore — Assemblymember — LD 25, Morris County
Raya Arbiol — Assemblymember — LD 12, Ocean County
Ron Naples — Council — Barnegat, Ocean County
Bruce James — County Board of Commissioners — Passaic County
Matthew Cavallo Councilmember — Wayne, Passaic County
Caryl (Chris) Shoffner Town Council — South Bound Brook, Somerset County
Sean Mckenna Town Council Plainfield — Union County
