Steven Fulop Will Now Run Alongside 20 State Assembly Candidates; Latest Candidates Represent Presence in Camden, Passaic, Ocean, Atlantic, Morris Counties Signaling Statewide Structure

The Fulop for Governor campaign is announcing six more Assembly candidates who will run alongside Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steven Fulop in next year’s Primary Election. This brings Team Fulop to 20 recruited Democratic candidates running in districts throughout the state, with more expected soon.

The new candidates include Ron Arnau (Legislative District 40), Steve Barratt (Legislative District 24), Debra Di Donato Legislative District 10), Vonetta Hawkins (Legislative District 4), Rosalee Keech (Legislative District 9), and Bruce Weekes (Legislative District 2). 

“We are continuing to build a campaign that empowers people and grows the Democratic Party,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “The Democratic Party in NJ has been running the same playbook for years, driven by county chairmen who, as lobbyists, are more interested in putting people they can control in office than they are in governing. Next year’s campaign will change how the Democratic Party in NJ does business permanently.”

The six candidates join Brittany Claybrooks (LD-34), Frank Vélez (LD-34), Tamar Warburg (LD-37), Daniel Park (LD-37), Lisa Bonanno (LD-2), Brian K. Everett (LD-4), Rashan Prailow (LD-5), Rebecca Holloway (LD-6), Kevin Ryan (LD-6), Eddie Freeman III (LD-8), Assemblywoman Barbara McCann Stamato (LD-31), Assemblyman John Allen (LD-32), Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez (LD-32) and Assemblyman Julio Marenco (LD-33) in aligning with Mayor Fulop in the 2025 Primary Election. More candidate announcements are expected soon.

More information about each of the candidates announced today is as follows: 

Atlantic County 

Bruce E. Weekes (LD-2) – Previously elected to serve the City of Atlantic City as a Councilman-At-Large, Bruce recently assumed the role of the assistant director of economic development for the City of Atlantic City. Bruce Weekes is a known leader in Atlantic County. He founded the Northside Entrepreneurship Initiative to teach residents how to start and grow small businesses, a proven path to sustainable economic development. He will run on Team Fulop along with Commissioner Coursey, lending the Fulop for Governor campaign a major presence in Atlantic County. Bruce will also run as a team with previously announced candidate Lisa Bonanno LD-2.

Camden County 

Vonetta Hawkins (LD-4) – Vonetta is a longtime community activist and an active part of the South Jersey Progressive movement. She has focused her career on housing issues and breaking down the barriers around home ownership for economically challenged families. Vonetta also played a critical consulting role in NJHMFA down payment assistance allotment increase through a commissioned Princeton University study.  She will be running alongside Brian K. Everett in LD-4 sharing a slogan with Steven Fulop’s gubernatorial campaign.

Ocean County

Debra Di Donato (LD-10) – Currently serving as the Democratic Municipal Chair of South Toms River, Debra became intimately familiar with New Jersey’s healthcare system when she underwent preventative surgeries for breast and ovarian cancer. In response, she became an active member of the NJ Medical Reserve Corps (NJMRC). Partnering with Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE), Debra is a relentless champion for the hereditary cancer community, leveraging her experience and education in healthcare administration to create support systems for those in need and drive substantial policy change.

Rosalee Keech (LD-9) – Rosalee has dedicated her career to protecting women’s rights globally. She currently stands at the forefront of the fight against human trafficking as the United Nations Observer for PACT by ECPAT-USA, where she champions human rights and works tirelessly to empower women in political leadership and eradicate violence against women and girls. Driven by her commitment to this cause, she serves as President of the NGO Committee to Stop Human Trafficking in Persons, Inc. and a member of both the New Jersey Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Task Force and the Business/Regulatory Agencies subcommittee. Previously, she served as Chief Observer to the United Nations for the League of Women Voters of the United States.

Morris County

Steve Barratt (LD-24) – Steve has been an ardent advocate for government reform in New Jersey, most recently working with the leadership of Voter Choice New Jersey to institute rank choice voting throughout New Jersey —a passion and policy objective  he shares with Steven Fulop.. Steve’s career has been in the private sector,he has held numerous management positions across various fields, from information technology through sales and marketing to product development.

Passaic County 

Ron Arnau (LD-40) – A Woodland Park resident with a background shaped by his experiences in The Bronx, Ron has served his community in Passaic County as a Councilman, Democratic Municipal Chair, and board member of the Alfred Baumann Free Public Library, where he co-managed a $3 million renovation. In his 20+ years in Human Resources and as a small business owner, Ron has helped thousands in their career journeys and led the scaling of teams for high-growth businesses.

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