Katie Brennan Launches Assembly Campaign to a Packed House in Jersey City
Katie Brennan Launches Assembly Campaign to a Packed House in Jersey City Supporters rally behind Brennan’s vision for bold leadership in the 32nd District
Jersey City – Amid the cheers and excitement of friends and supporters at a packed restaurant in downtown Jersey City, Katie Brennan officially launched her campaign to represent the 32nd District in the New Jersey General Assembly on Thursday night.
The full house at Ed & Mary’s was a testament to the groundswell of energy surrounding Brennan’s campaign, with supporters squeezing into the venue and prominent community leaders taking the stage to support her independent bid and bold, community-led vision for the state.
“I’m running because I love this city, I love this state, and I know that we deserve leadership that’s as bold and determined as the people who live here,” said Katie Brennan to the crowd at Ed & Mary’s. “And when you love something, you fight for it. You fight to keep the good, and to improve the bad. I’m running because we need leadership that isn’t afraid to act or make real change — leadership that will stop the turf wars and infighting, and start fighting for us.”
Brennan, a long-time affordable housing expert and progressive advocate, has already distinguished herself as a top-tier candidate in one of the state’s highest profile legislative races. In a two month sprint before the end of 2024, her campaign raised $85,000, a testament to the enthusiasm and widespread support for her candidacy.
Speakers throughout the evening highlighted Brennan’s dedication to solving the housing crisis, both through her policy work and her hands-on approach to helping neighbors in need.
“Katie’s the type of person who you can call and she’ll drop everything to help,” said Carol Sainthilaire, Jersey City resident and director of a local housing nonprofit and legal clinic. “I’ve seen it time and time again, where people who are faced with eviction or losing their home call Katie and she connects them with resources and checks in on them. We have a huge housing crisis in our country, in our county, and in our city, and we need Katie in the Assembly.”
Supporters also emphasized her proven track record of taking on tough fights and delivering real results for the community.
“I wrote a list of why I’m supporting Katie. She’s a proven leader, she’s taken on big challenges before and won, but most importantly, she knows this community and will fight for us,” said Beverly Brown Ruggia, Jersey City resident and advocate for consumer finance protections.
With the venue filled to capacity, the crowd buzzed as Brennan laid out her campaign priorities: making housing affordable, improving public transit, fully funding public schools, and bringing transparency to Trenton. She also emphasized her record as a housing advocate and her work fighting for protections for survivors of sexual violence.
“I’m running because I know how to fix broken systems — because I’ve done it before,” said Brennan. “I’ve fought to build more affordable housing, to prevent foreclosures, and to end homelessness. I’ve worked to keep families in their homes and to make cities like ours better for everyone. I’m running on a record of seeing a broken system and not shutting up until we’ve done the work to fix it.”
In her closing remarks, Brennan reminded the crowd why this campaign — New Jersey’s first state legislative race without “the line” on the ballot in decades — really matters.
“Tonight, I’m asking for your support — not just to win this election, but to build the kind of state we can all be proud of,” Brennan said. “Are you ready to fight for that future?”
The crowd erupted in applause.
Photos of the event are available upon request.
For more information about Katie Brennan, visit: www.katiebrennanfornj.com <http://www.katiebrennanfornj.com>
