“New Jersey Spotlight recently released a devastating report on the state of women candidates in New Jersey’s 2021 election. Out of the 4 open State Senate seats in New Jersey, there are 11 candidates running, only one of those candidates is a woman, that woman is Valerie Vainieri Huttle.

And on the heels of this report, the Bergen Record reported that women occupy just 30% of elected positions in New Jersey municipalities and the state legislature. The state of gender equity in New Jersey politics is shameful, we lag behind two dozen states in the nation.

And so, we were understandably stunned and disappointed when during a debate between Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Gordon Johnson, Gordon Johnson dismissed Vainieri Huttle for working to “break the glass ceiling” because the District 37 Senate Seat is currently held by a woman.

Only one woman has ever held the State Senate seat in District 37, Senator Loretta Weinberg, the very elected official who established a working group to prevent sexism and misogyny in New Jersey politics.

For Gordon Johnson to insinuate that the glass ceiling has “shattered” in New Jersey because District 37 has elected just one woman in its history is indicative of a shocking contempt for and a baffling lack of understanding about the experiences of women and the barriers that we experience.

The fact of the matter is, sexism and misogyny are alive and well in New Jersey politics, the glass ceiling is alive and well. We know, we can tell you from experience.”