New Jersey Working Families State Director Sue Altman released the following statement in response to Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg’s announcement that she is retiring:

We would like to thank Senate Majority Leader Weinberg for her tireless support of New Jersey families, and particularly her championing of women, is her decades of service to the people of her district and our state. Senator Weinberg blazed a trail for women in government and was a strong champion of issues, like gun control, that make our communities safer. 

New Jersey Working Families can think of no better person to carry on Senator Weinber’s legacy than Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle. Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle has a deep knowledge of her district as well as a strong commitment to progressive principles. In her time in the Legislature, Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle led the charge against bullying in our schools, has fought for prison reform and has been at the forefront protecting LGBT and women’s rights. The people of the 37^th Legislative District deserve a strong, progressive, woman legislator to serve them in the Senate, and we look forward to fighting for Valerie in the upcoming election.