Amy Kennedy Decisively Wins NJ02 Democratic Primary

Amy Kennedy: “I am ready to fight with you. I am ready to fight for you.
I am ready to take on Jeff Van Drew and turn this district blue again in the Fall!.”

Brigantine, NJ – Tonight, Amy Kennedy decisively won the Democratic primary in New Jersey’s Second Congressional District.  The people of South Jersey have spoken, and they want Amy Kennedy to be their next Congresswoman.

Seven months ago, Amy declared her candidacy on the heels of Jeff Van Drew switching parties and pledging his undying support for Donald Trump.  Upon entering the race, Amy was told that there was no way for her to beat the South Jersey machine, who immediately rolled out endorsements of county party chairs and elected officials for their chosen candidate.

Amy ran a positive campaign focused on serving her community and changing the way politics works in South Jersey.  Amy put forth bold, specific ideas outlining how she will fight for the issues the people of South Jersey care about including rebuilding the economy, access to affordable healthcare, protecting our workers, and fighting for equality and justice.

Amy’s campaign had overwhelming grassroots support from across the district including more than 5000 donors and an army of volunteers.  Amy has also been endorsed by: Governor Phil Murphy, Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, Martin Luther King III, Tanzie Youngblood, End Citizens United, Communication Workers of America, New Jersey Education Association, NJ CD 2 Progressive Democrats, South Jersey Progressive Democrats, NJ Working Families Alliance, Equality PAC and Taking the Hill PAC, among many others.

Governor Murphy said, “Tonight South Jersey sent a strong message that standing for principle matters, and that independence, integrity, and answering to the people you represent matters. At this time in our nation’s history, we need leaders of conscience, not convenience. Jeff Van Drew proved that his loyalty is to Donald Trump and the politics of division. Amy Kennedy will prove that her only loyalty is to the values of South Jersey’s hard-working families.”

Earlier tonight, Amy Kennedy, candidate for New Jersey’s Second Congressional District made the following remarks.

I want to start by saying thank you to my family, my friends, my tireless and amazing staff, my unwavering and unrelenting volunteers, and to every single person in South Jersey who supported me to make your voices heard for change and for a new kind of leadership.

I also want to thank my primary opponents and fellow Democrats who stood up for what they believed in and stood against the hate and rhetoric of Donald Trump and Jeff Van Drew.  I look forward to working together to take on Jeff Van Drew and turn this district blue again in the Fall!!

What the results tonight clearly show is that people here in South Jersey are ready for change.  We are ready for better paying jobs, protection for our workers and access to affordable health care.  We are ready to live in a community where children born anywhere in the district have the same chance of success and where all people, regardless of the color of their skin, have equal access to opportunity and justice.  We are ready to make sure that everyone who works hard still has the right to retire with dignity.

We are ready for leaders with compassion, integrity and the ability to make real change happen. Leaders who serve their communities and not themselves.

Seven months ago, when Jeff Van Drew abandoned the people of South Jersey and pledged his undying support to Donald Trump, I knew I had to step up and do something.

And since he became a Republican, Jeff Van Drew has chosen time and time again to serve Donald Trump instead of serving this community.  He has spent more time raising money for Trump’s re-election campaign than he has doing anything for the people he was elected to represent.  He has co-signed onto Trump’s hateful, divisive, racist brand of politics and doubled down on his pledge.

Now more than ever, here in South Jersey and across the country, leadership matters.  Our country and our community are in crisis because of the devastating impact of COVID-19 and the needless murder of George Floyd, the most recent victim in a seemingly endless string of acts of violence against people of color in America.  We need leaders who will heal when we hurt, listen when we speak, provide direction when we need guidance, and show up when it matters.

So, my message to Jeff Van Drew tonight is – we have had enough and we demand better.  We have had enough division and hate and selfishness.  We have had enough of being abandoned and mistreated and forgotten.  We have had enough of you and Donald Trump.

I am proud of the campaign that we have run.  We stayed true to our Democratic values.  We tried to unite people, not divide them.  We listened and we learned, and we tried to be of service.  We ran a campaign focused on putting forth bold and specific ideas of how we will fight for the people of South Jersey.

My message to everyone here and across the district tonight is that I know you are ready for change.  I know you are ready to fight for a stronger, better and more equitable South Jersey.  I am ready to fight with you.  I am ready to fight for you.  I am ready to fight for the South Jersey that all of our families deserve.

Thank you.