Cumberland County GOP Chairman Mike Testa formally announced his candidacy for the LD1 senate seat this morning on the Harry Hurley Show.

Writes Hurley: “The Democrats are poised to appoint current New Jersey Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczak to fill Van Drew’s soon-to-be-former seat in the New Jersey Senate.”

“For too long South Jersey has been ignored by both Democrat and Republican administrations. Most serving in either house of the legislature couldn’t tell you where the East Point Lighthouse is or the proper pronunciation of the Maurice River, the mouth of which is where the lighthouse is located,” Testa said. “I’m running for state Senate to be a fighter for South Jersey and to ensure we are no longer ignored.”

“The Democrats have the Governor and both houses of the legislature,” he added. “I understand as a newly elected Republican I will be part of the minority, but our system of government was designed to have checks and balances. I will be a Republican legislator fighting to provide the checks and balances to the insane tax policies and the very notion of a sanctuary state propagated by Phil Murphy and his liberal allies. I intend to win this race and join state Senator Chris Brown and join him in fighting for all of the people in South Jersey. That means lower taxes, more jobs and, a project near and dear to my heart, the extension of Route 55.”

Testa chairs the Cumberland County GOP. Active in the community, he is a member of the Greater Vineland Chapter of the NAACP. He is the past Chairman of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cumberland and Salem Counties. Testa has served as the Board President of the Vineland Regional Dance company for several years. He was the 2016 recipient of the South Jersey Cultural Alliance Paul Aiken Encore Award for his dedication to the arts in South Jersey. Testa was the Chairman of the Board of the Vineland Downtown Improvement District/Main Street Vineland from 2006-2008.