Carolyn Rush
Carolyn Rush (Democratic Party) is running for election to the New Jersey General Assembly to represent District 1. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025. She advanced from the Democratic primary on June 10, 2025.
Biography
Carolyn Rush was born in Camden, New Jersey. She earned a bachelor's degree from Montclair State University in 1985. Rush's career experience includes working as an engineer with Lockheed Martin. She has been affiliated with the League of Women Voters, American Promise, South Jersey Democratic Women's Forum, ALS Association, and with the Association of Scientists and Professional Engineering Personnel (ASPEP).[1]
Elections
2025
See also: New Jersey General Assembly elections, 2025
General election
General election for New Jersey General Assembly District 1 (2 seats)
Incumbent Antwan McClellan, incumbent Erik Simonsen, Carolyn Rush, and Carol Sabo are running in the general election for New Jersey General Assembly District 1 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Antwan McClellan (R) | |
 | Erik Simonsen (R) | |
 | Carolyn Rush (D) | |
| Carol Sabo (D) | ||
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 1 (2 seats)
Carolyn Rush and Carol Sabo defeated Brandon Saffold in the Democratic primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 1 on June 10, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Carolyn Rush | 41.5 | 9,985 |
| ✔ | Carol Sabo | 34.8 | 8,381 | |
 | Brandon Saffold | 23.7 | 5,709 | |
| Total votes: 24,075 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 1 (2 seats)
Incumbent Erik Simonsen and incumbent Antwan McClellan advanced from the Republican primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 1 on June 10, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Erik Simonsen | 52.3 | 14,601 |
| ✔ | | Antwan McClellan | 47.7 | 13,295 |
| Total votes: 27,896 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Rush received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
2024
See also: New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024
New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (June 4 Democratic primary)
New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (June 4 Republican primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
Incumbent Jeff Van Drew defeated Joe Salerno and Thomas Cannavo in the general election for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jeff Van Drew (R) | 58.1 | 215,946 |
 | Joe Salerno (D) | 41.2 | 153,117 | |
 | Thomas Cannavo (G) | 0.7 | 2,557 | |
| Total votes: 371,620 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
Joe Salerno defeated Tim Alexander, Carolyn Rush, and Rodney A. Dean Sr. in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joe Salerno | 38.3 | 14,057 |
 | Tim Alexander | 37.1 | 13,613 | |
| Carolyn Rush | 21.3 | 7,836 | |
 | Rodney A. Dean Sr. | 3.4 | 1,235 | |
| Total votes: 36,741 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Brandon Saffold (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
Incumbent Jeff Van Drew advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Van Drew | 100.0 | 41,749 |
| Total votes: 41,749 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Rush in this election.
2022
See also: New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
Incumbent Jeff Van Drew defeated Tim Alexander, Michael Gallo, and Anthony Parisi Sanchez in the general election for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Van Drew (R) | 58.9 | 139,217 |
| Tim Alexander (D) | 40.0 | 94,522 | |
 | Michael Gallo (L) | 0.8 | 1,825 | |
 | Anthony Parisi Sanchez (Not for Sale) | 0.4 | 920 | |
| Total votes: 236,484 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
Tim Alexander defeated Carolyn Rush in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tim Alexander | 61.7 | 17,199 |
| Carolyn Rush | 38.3 | 10,667 | |
| Total votes: 27,866 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Hector Tavarez (D)
- Curtis Green (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
Incumbent Jeff Van Drew defeated John Barker and Sean Pignatelli in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Van Drew | 86.0 | 35,843 |
 | John Barker | 7.7 | 3,217 | |
 | Sean Pignatelli | 6.2 | 2,601 | |
| Total votes: 41,661 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Scott Hitchner (R)
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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You can ask Carolyn Rush to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing Rush4Assembly@gmail.com.
2024
Carolyn Rush did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Rush’s campaign website stated the following:
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ECONOMY The economy touches us all, some more than others, but it affects every South Jersey voter. The combination of technology, globalization and tax policy have combined to increase compensation and wealth for people at the top. CEO’s, entrepreneurs, high paid celebrities and athletes benefit while blue collar workers suffer from depressed wages. We have to have an economy that works for all of us. I support tax policies benefiting the middle class and low income families as well as small business. They provide additional funds to families likely to spend on food, medicine, clothing, and shelter. They provide funds to businesses likely to spend on supplies and merchandise to sell. This helps grow the economy. Conversely, tax policies that provide additional funds to big businesses and the wealthy don’t generally spur economic growth. They are more likely to invest then spend extra income. I’ll prioritize spending on social programs for middle and low-income families. The economy must support training and educational opportunities that lead to good jobs. I support a minimum wage that keeps working people above the poverty line. As a concerned citizen and employee of the nation’s largest defense contractor, I support a strong military. I believe spending money on the military must be balanced with spending money for the care of our citizens. Climate change is the industrial revolution of the 21st Century with the potential to create millions of new, high paying jobs. I’m absolutely committed to curbing the effects of climate change. It’s my firm belief that spending on technological innovations to fight climate change grows the economy by creating jobs in sectors that pay good wages. I fully support infrastructure spending to create jobs and open economic opportunities in much needed areas. I support trade agreements that protect U.S. workers, fair trade more than protectionism! The US can compete with anyone if the trading rules are fair and I will demand fair trade for south Jersey workers. I believe in reducing the Federal Debt. A progressive tax system will help us get there. Millionaires & billionaires can afford to pay the same tax rate they paid in the ‘90’s under the Clinton Administration, one of the best economies ever that produced a balanced budget. IT CAN BE DONE. WE’VE DONE IT BEFORE! The debt ceiling must go. Just like any head of household knows, once you incur debt, you must pay it off. Passing legislation that pays for itself is better than going into debt then deciding later whether or not to pay it.
Climate change is an indisputable global emergency. We have no time to waste in taking action to protect Americans’ lives and futures. If we’re willing to accept the scientific evidence and meet the challenge of saving our planet, we can also create a thriving, equitable, and globally-competitive clean energy economy that puts American workers and communities first and leaves no one behind. New Jersey’s 2nd District is blessed to include quaint, historic communities, lush rural farmlands, busy urban centers, and vibrant seaside resorts with exceptional beaches. Yet, climate change poses an existential threat – not just to our local environments, but to our personal health and economic well-being as well. Our world is warming, faster than it probably ever has. In some cases, predominant weather patterns, climates and natural environments are changing far more quickly than the local wildlife or human societies can adapt. So many of the world’s biggest challenges, from poverty to wildlife extinction, are made more difficult by climate change. And things will only continue to get worse if we do nothing. Thankfully, we can – and must — do something! I hope you will join with me in pursuing public policies and targeted economic investments to build a clean energy economy that will serve as a role model for the world. We have the knowledge and the technology to reduce our impact on the climate, and ease the pressures on the world’s most vulnerable places, people and wildlife. We just need to make it happen. Eliminate Our Reliance on Fossil Fuels. It’s way past time we make the commitment to end our reliance on fossil fuels and adopt alternative, renewable sources of energy. To transition away from fossil fuels, we must impose legally binding emissions reduction targets no later than 2025. We must hold polluters accountable, especially those that endanger vulnerable communities, with both meaningful penalties and economic incentives to comply. Nationally, the time has come to eliminate coal production, institute a carbon tax, ban new fossil fuel permits on our public lands and ensure that fracking is closely regulated. We must ensure that methane leaks are capped and take the leading role in advancing initiatives to achieve a global ban on fossil fuel subsidies. Requiring publicly-traded companies to disclose their climate risks and emissions can help to induce investors to move their money out of fossil fuel companies. Workers in career transition from the fossil fuel and coal industries must be guaranteed training opportunities and new, clean tech jobs. The past seven years have been the hottest in recorded history and the “heat dome” that seared the central plains and Pacific northwest of the US last summer was deemed by NASA to have been the most anomalous extreme heat event ever observed on Earth. By admitting the scientific reality that we must immediately eliminate the use of the fossil fuels that are killing the planet, let’s also admit that we have alternative, sustainable sources of zero-carbon energy, including: hydroelectric power, tidal, geothermal, solar and wind-turbine technologies. A Clean Energy Economy. I support the investments needed to create millions of family-supporting and union jobs in clean energy generation, energy efficiency, clean transportation, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable agriculture across America. In just five years, we can install 500 million solar panels, including eight million solar roofs and community solar energy systems, and 60,000 wind turbines, and turn American ingenuity into American jobs by leveraging federal policies to manufacture renewable energy solutions in America. We can develop and manufacture next-generation technologies to address the climate crisis right here in the United States and do all this with an eye to equity and ownership opportunities for frontline communities. Additionally, all new jobs in the clean energy economy should provide an opportunity to join a union. The clean energy economy must represent the diversity of America. For our economy to thrive, we must invest in the education and training of underrepresented groups, including people of color, low-income Americans, women, veterans, people with disabilities, and unemployed energy workers for jobs in clean energy-related industries. GM’s recent investment of over $6 billion dollars to retool Detroit’s manufacturing base for full-sized electric pickup trucks proves that there’s plenty of room to grow in the EV market for clean-energy innovation and American industrial revitalization. I think the federal government should require 100% clean energy, American-made, zero-emissions vehicles for all new fleet purchases and should commit to partnering with state and local governments to install at least 500,000 public charging stations from coast to coast. One rare point of agreement in our current politics is the worrisome state of our nation’s infrastructure and aging electrical grid. Building a modern electric grid begins by making the investment in interstate transmission projects using advanced grid technologies to power communities with clean electricity using renewable energy sources on public lands. These investments will modernize our nation’s workforce, create jobs in disaster response and climate resilience, and revitalize our over-burdened middle class by providing worker protections, good wages, benefits, training and advancement opportunities. Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions. As an engineer, I agree with scientists and public health experts that the United States and the world must achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, and no later than 2050. To do so, we must reestablish strong standards for clean cars and trucks that consider the most recent advances in technology, and accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in the United States while reclaiming market share for domestically produced vehicles. We must reduce harmful air pollution and protect our children’s health by transitioning the entire fleet of 500,000 school buses to American-made, zero-emission alternatives within five years. We must lead by example in the public sector by transitioning the three million vehicles in the federal, state, and local fleets to zero-emission vehicles. We must increase investments in public transportation, understanding that the United States currently lags behind many other developed countries in the quality and availability of efficient and accessible public transportation. To reach net-zero emissions as rapidly as possible, we must commit to eliminating carbon pollution from power plants by 2035 through technology-neutral standards for clean energy and energy efficiency. We must dramatically expand solar and wind energy deployment through community-based and utility-scale systems, including in rural areas like those here in the 2nd District. By making the American agriculture sector the first in the world to achieve net-zero emissions, we can open up entirely new sources of income for farmers including directly paying farmers to practice techniques to store more carbon in the soil. Finally, we should set a national goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for all new buildings by 2030. This will incentivize tens of billions of dollars in private-sector investment to retrofit four million buildings, including helping local governments save money and cut pollution by weatherizing and upgrading energy systems in hospitals, schools, public housing, and municipal buildings. Building Resilience and Sustainability. It is time to invest in making our water, transportation, building, and energy production infrastructure clean and resilient. We must incentivize our communities to adopt energy-efficient building codes and leverage the federal footprint to model net-zero and 100 percent clean energy building solutions. We must support locally-driven economic development and commit to directing a significant portion of clean energy and sustainable infrastructure investments to historically marginalized communities. This will create local jobs and reduce energy poverty, build resilience to climate change impacts, prepare for disasters, expand access to green space and outdoor recreation opportunities and improve public health. Instead of more tax cuts for the wealthiest among us, here’s a thought: let’s invest in modernizing our freight infrastructure, including ports, rail, and maritime freight, in order to reduce air and water pollution, create jobs, and improve our economic competitiveness. I support policies that will substantially improve water security and ecological health through conservation, protection, and maintenance of our water infrastructure, including clean-water systems for home, commercial, industrial, and agricultural use. We must expand federal programs to help farmers pursue high-productivity, lower-emission, and regenerative agricultural practices in order to help build more resilient local and regional food systems. We must substantially increase investments in voluntary conservation programs, which generate economic and environmental benefits for farmers and their surrounding communities. I will fight for the support of healthy coastal communities and marine ecosystems to sustain and enhance our economic well-being, including in the fishing, tourism and clean energy industries. I wholeheartedly support the Governor Murphy’s proposed Atlantic Shores’ wind turbines for the generation of clean, carbon-free energy but will fight to ensure that they are moved further offshore and out of sight of our shorelines to the Hudson South Call Area. (Please visit the SaveLBI.org website to read more about the proper placement of these wind turbine towers.) Protecting Workers and Ensuring Environmental Justice. Every American has the right to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live without fear of exposure to toxic waste. Like so many crises now confronting the US, the impacts of climate change are not evenly distributed in our society or our economy. Communities of color, low-income families, and Indigenous communities have long suffered disproportionate and cumulative harm from air pollution, water pollution and toxic sites. The severity and impacts of climate change are being felt across the country and the American people are paying the price. I believe we should commit to reducing climate risks and take advantage of the opportunity to rebuild after natural disasters and climate-fueled catastrophes in a resilient, green, and socially-just manner. Although the youngest generations of Americans have contributed the least to this calamity of climate change, they stand to lose the most as they suffer from the impacts of runaway carbon pollution for decades to come. I applaud the organizing efforts of our young people, union workers, and communities of color and I join them in their efforts to mobilize voters and make the climate crisis a top priority. Put simply, I believe the scientists: the window for unprecedented action is closing, and closing fast – we must act now! I reject the false choice between growing our economy and combating climate change; we can and must do both at the same time. By targeting relevant investments with the goal of delivering 40 percent of the overall benefits to our disadvantaged and frontline communities. These investments will be directed toward industries that offer clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit and public transportation and affordable and sustainable housing. We must mobilize a new generation of young, skilled workers to conserve our public lands, deliver new clean energy, and address the threats of our changing climate. This new workforce will include pre-apprenticeship opportunities, joint labor-management registered apprenticeships for training, and direct-hire programs that put good-paying and union jobs within reach for more Americans. The creation of an environmental justice fund could be used to make historic investments aimed at eliminating legacy pollution, which disproportionately causes illness and premature death in communities of color, low-income communities, and Indigenous communities. We must protect our children’s health by replacing lead water-service lines and remediating lead paint in homes and schools; remediate Superfund and other contaminated sites; and ensure that housing and schools have adequate plumbing and safe wastewater disposal systems. We must empower local communities to become more resilient to the impacts of the climate crisis. We must prioritize disaster preparedness for low-lying vulnerable communities who struggle most to cope so that they can become more resilient to extreme weather events. Black, Latino, and immigrant workers are often on the front lines of disaster relief work with limited worker protections. We must rectify the inequities and inefficiencies of disaster response and ensure the enforcement of worker’s rights. Finally, I will fight to increase federal levels of support for restoring wetland areas that are critical for protecting our communities from sea level rise and storm surge and also act as natural carbon sinks. Now is the time to make smart investments to reduce the loss of life and property, prevent flooding and adapt to increasingly costly climate impacts. Restoring American Preeminence in Global Leadership. As the old adage goes: “elections have consequences,” and I am so pleased to see the US rejoining the Paris Climate Accords and stepping back into its traditional role of global leadership in the fight against climate change. At the recent summit in Glasgow, Scotland, the United States and European Union have swayed more than 100 countries into supporting deep cuts in emissions of the highly potent greenhouse gas methane. The United States has taken part in a coalition to fight deforestation which is destroying the world’s carbon sinks. Further, the U.S. delegation helped convince other nations to halt financing for the construction of foreign coal plants, a pact that includes Japan, South Korea and China, all major funders of such projects. As Democrats, we recognize that climate change poses extremely serious risks to our national economy and the global financial systems as well. We must advance policies that require public companies to disclose climate risks and greenhouse gas emissions in their operations and supply chains and to hold polluters and corporate executives accountable for intentionally hiding or distorting information that adversely affects the health and safety of workers and their communities. To restore U.S. leadership on climate change, I will work to advance the Biden administration’s efforts to encourage other countries to make their Paris climate targets even more ambitious, while working here to push for US ratification of the Kigali Amendment to phase out hydrofluorocarbons and promote clean energy exports.
The single-most-effective best way to reduce the number of abortions performed in the United States is to decrease the number of abortions requested – and the single-most-effective way to achieve that goal is to provide women with reliable access to birth control and women’s health services. Being forced to carry a pregnancy to term can never be acceptable. The decision to have a child, is among the most profound and personal choices imaginable; if a woman chooses to terminate a pregnancy, it is and must always remain her choice – not the government’s! I am a proud mother of five. Each time I got pregnant it was because I wanted to be pregnant. Pregnancy is a momentous life-event and childbirth can be difficult, if not brutal, on a woman’s body and her long-term health and well-being. When I gave birth, I was at a point in my life where I was both ready and excited to make the considered choice to start a family and I am also very grateful that my circumstances were such that I was able to experience the ineffable joy that comes from carrying each of my children to their healthy, long-awaited deliveries. To preclude other women of the same opportunities to organize and manage their lives as they choose seems unconscionable. Family planning is important, not only because of the sheer number of American women who use contraception but for economic and societal reasons as well. Women’s ability to control their fertility through preventive care in the short term has long-lasting and far-reaching consequences. Whether through reducing the cost of unintended pregnancies or enabling women to advance their education and careers, family planning provides women with greater independence to make crucial life decisions on their own terms — decisions that affect not only their lives but also the greater society. When women have reliable access to birth control, they are less likely to experience unwanted pregnancies. Historically, poor women and young women have had limited access to birth control and the passage of the landmark Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated insurance providers make birth control available at no cost. Unfortunately, many well-funded “religious” and “pro-life” organization who fought to get the birth control provision of the ACA overturned now continue to fight fiercely in States nationwide to impose roadblocks and inhibit women’s ability to access vital, legal family planning services. By limiting women’s access to family planning, Pro-Lifers paradoxically escalate to the number of unwanted pregnancies thus increasing the demand for abortions. Sadly, the most-ardent proponents of the rights of the unborn seem far more concerned about forcing their beliefs on others than in actually reducing unwanted pregnancies. According to Alina Salganicoff, Director of Women’s Health Policy for the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, “If your priority is to reduce abortions, one of the best things you can do is make sure that women have access to high-quality, affordable and effective methods of birth control.” Legislatively constructing impediments to accessing women’s health care and family planning services, or worse, returning the US to a time where medically-safe abortion procedures are illegal – even in cases of incest, rape or the life of the mother — will not stop abortions. Unwanted pregnancies always have and always will continue to be terminated dependent on a woman’s dire-circumstance or desperation. Rich women will seek out and find competent doctors willing to perform the procedures, poor women will get butchered. There’s no nobility in such injustices.
All Americans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, must be treated equally under the law. Fairness and equality are core American values, and it is time we finally fully end discrimination against LGBTQ Americans.” This is a quote from the current Representative of NJs 2nd District and I could not agree more! Why, then, did he vote against the Equality Act? H.R.5, the Equality Act, passed in the House of Representative on February 25, 2021 – but without the support of Jeff Van Drew. This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. Specifically, the bill defines and includes sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation. Via the NJ Law Against Discrimination (amended in 1991 to include sexual orientation; amended in 2006 to include gender identity), residents of NJ already have legal protection from discrimination related to sexual orientation. It’s time to provide the same protection to all resident of the United States. In too many states, it’s legal to fire employees simply for who they are or who they love. Several of the people I love most in the world are members of the LGBTQ community. They deserve the same rights as their non-LGBTQ counterparts. Let’s treat all our citizens fairly.
The United States, the wealthiest nation in the history of civilization, ranks dead last among the West’s 11 highest-per-capita income countries as the worst-performing nation in terms of delivering health care to its population. This is unacceptable. We can – and must – do better. I’ll fight to expand Medicare coverage by lowering the eligibility age to 55, expand the range and scope of health services offered — and fight for legislation that will allow the Federal government to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. This will offer new and or more affordable health care coverage to all New Jersey residents. My health insurance is provided by my employer. Although I may sometimes complain about co-pays, rising deductibles, outrageous prescription drug costs and unforeseen out-of-pocket medical expenses, I realize just how fortunate I am. If, however, you’re an employee of a small business, or worse, you’ve lost a job as a result of the economic distress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, chances are you’re out of luck. If it were not for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), you (and your dependents) would be completely on your own. Those among us who can least afford it would have to pay the outrageous cost of private insurance or, as is often the case, go without it. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the number of uninsured Americans in 2020 approached 31 million and as the Covid pandemic forced shutdowns of large segments of the global economy, these numbers have only increased. I have a family member battling cancer. The cost of her care and treatment is astronomical – but thankfully, she is covered for most of these costs by her husband’s employer-provided insurance. But, if she and her husband were suddenly to find themselves unemployed, would I be watching her die without her desperately needed treatment? Why is her life – or anyone’s for that matter — tied to the serendipity of employment? In the America of the early 1900s, medical science and technology were fairly primitive, health care services and hospitalizations were unregulated, and medical insurance was virtually nonexistent. Physicians practiced and treated patients in their homes and most Americans paid their modest medical fees out-of-pocket, often being far more concerned about the wages they would lose if illness kept them out of work than about the cost of their medical care. During the 1920s, the cost of medical care in the US rose dramatically due to growing demand and higher quality standards for physicians and hospitals. Over the following decades, advances in medical technology and the growing acceptance of medicine as a science led to the emergence of hospitals as credible centers for treatment. They were now modern scientific institutions that valued antiseptics and cleanliness and used medications for the relief of pain. Citizens who could afford to, began to purchased their own private health insurance. During World War II, inflation was on the rise. The 1942 Stabilization Act, which was meant to combat inflation during wartime, limited employers’ ability to raise wages. This meant employers could not offer higher salaries to attract employees. Employers began to offer pre-tax health insurance coverage as “fringe” benefits instead. Suddenly, employers were in the business of providing health insurance and the modern era of employer-sponsored health insurance began. To this day, employer-based health benefits are the most common form of health coverage. In 2017 approximately 167 million Americans under 65 relied on employer-based healthcare. In 2021, through no fault of their own, too many of our fellow citizens are unemployed and don’t have employer-sponsored health insurance. What are they supposed to do when they get sick? We can and must provide affordable health care to all New Jersey residents. When I get to Congress I will make that one of my highest priorities.
There is no denying that gun violence is a huge problem in the US and, sadly, more so than anywhere else in the world. It’s time for more than just “thoughts and prayers.” I support common-sense gun-control legislation that begins with the need to ban assault rifles, high-capacity magazines, closing gun show loopholes, and requiring universal background checks on all gun purchases. We’ve all heard a great deal about the Constitution’s 2nd Amendment clause in recent decades, more often than not in the aftermath of another dreadful mass-shooting event like Columbine, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, or Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School. But what exactly did the Framers intend when the Constitution was being ratified during a time when there was not yet any semblance of a “US Military” in the world: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” This is the 2nd Amendment in its entirety. A bit vague, but best understood in the context of the time when it was written: an era where our economic output was driven by a flourishing slave trade and our young Republic had neither an Army or naval assets to defend American territory or sovereignty. In the late 1780s, keeping and bearing “Arms” was simply tacit acknowledgment that, for the time being, our national security required using citizens with their own muzzle-loading muskets, flintlock pistols and bayonets. But much has changed in the United States during the intervening 230 years. We now maintain national security with the largest, most-powerful military in history. No one’s trying to change the constitution here nor take away their muskets – but we do need to apply some contemporary common sense to interpreting the 2nd Amendment. I believe that starts with requiring universal background checks for any gun purchase and reinstating the federal ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004. About 20 years ago, I served as a juror on a murder trial in which a gun had been used in the commission of the crime. During the voir dire process, I was asked by the judge how I felt about gun control. It was something about which I had not given a lot of thought, so, I said I was satisfied with the laws that were on the books. Fast forward 20 years, and my position has changed drastically. Maybe it’s because gun violence is in the news each and every day with so young people and innocent bystanders being wounded or killed. Maybe it’s because mass shootings have become so common place that they no longer even shock us. After the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Florida I was so moved by the passion and activism of the students that I joined them in DC for the March for our Lives. I thought for sure our legislators would do something about gun violence. How could they possibly listen to these passionate young people and not be moved to take action? Sadly, all we got, once again, was “thoughts and prayers” – not a shred of meaningful legislation. A 2019 Politico poll found that 70% of Americans support an assault weapons ban. That includes 86% of Democrats and 54% of Republicans. An NPR / PBS Newshour conducted in September of 2019 found that 83% of Americans believe Congress should pass legislation requiring background checks for gun purchases at gun shows or other private sales. It is clear to me that the legislative initiatives with the strongest public support include more funding for mental health screening and treatment, mandatory background checks and licensing for gun purchases, and passage of a national “red-flag” law, which would give a judge authority to order the removal of guns from a person who poses a risk to themselves or others. These are precisely the sort of sensible solutions we so desperately need – and I will work to bring about legislation that truly addresses the uniquely American tragedy of gun violence.
Our veterans put their lives on the line to serve us. But when they return from the military and re-enter civilian life, too often the transition is not a smooth one. It’s time for us to serve them better! Veterans typically experience unemployment at twice the national rate. This is not acceptable. Our government needs to incentivize private industry to employ our veterans and put their valuable skills to good use. It is estimated that veterans make up 10% of the homeless population. This is a disproportionate amount. Many homeless veterans, approximately 50%, are disabled. Most of the homeless veterans, approximately 75%, suffer from mental health issues. Much of the disability and mental health issues are service-related. Our government needs to help them with their physical and mental disabilities. The saddest statistic of all is that veterans represent 20% of all suicides in the US. My conscience will not allow me to do nothing about that. Congress MUST do more to help Veterans ~ things like strengthening their financial security, stabilizing their housing, increasing access to mental health care for them, improving safe storage practices for firearms and medicines, promoting community engagement, and identifying and intervening with those most at-risk. As your representative, I will introduce and fight for legislation to serve those who have served their country.
The stability of American Democracy is under threat like no other time in our nation’s storied 245-year history. In response, HR 1, The For the People Act is historic legislation that responds to the twin crises now confronting us: the “Big Lie’s” ongoing attacks on our democratic institutions manifested by the January 6th assault on the Capitol and the subsequent flood of voter suppression bills across the country — and the urgent, imperative demand for racial justice. I strongly support HR1, The For the People Act of 2021 and will fight in Congress to ensure that our exemplary American tradition of conducting free, fair and inclusive elections. A summary of HR 1, the For the People Act can be found below. Simply put, democracy is a form of government in which the people have the authority to choose their governing legislators. “We” are the people. “We” chose our governing legislators by voting. H.R.1, For the People Act of 2021, is meant to protect your right to vote. H.R.1 will prohibit states from putting laws into place that abridge, deny or deprive any citizen’s right to vote. As a member of Congress, I’d vote YES to H.R.1! Jeff Van Drew voted NO. Our hard-earned right to vote as American citizens is repeatedly guaranteed in the US Constitution: 15th Amendment, Section 1 states: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” The 15th Amendment sought to enshrine the voting rights of African American men after the Civil War and was adopted into the U.S. Constitution in 1870. Despite the amendment, however, by the late 1870s discriminatory practices were widely used to prevent Black citizens from exercising their right to vote, especially in the southern states. 15th Amendment, Section 2 states: “The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” The 19th Amendment guarantees a woman’s right to vote would be adopted into the U.S. Constitution. The 19th Amendment’s ratification in 1920 was made possible by a long line of advocates dating back to the Founding of the nation. 24th Amendment, Section 1 states: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax.” 24th Amendment, Section 2 states: “The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” 26th Amendment, Section 1 states: The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age. 26th Amendment, Section 2 states: “The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” Following the Civil War in 1868, the adoption of the 14th Amendment gave black men full citizenship and promised them equal protection under the law. Blacks now voted, won elected office, and served on juries. However, within 10 years the federal troops safeguarding these Constitutional protections fully withdrew from the South returning it to local white rule – and the Jim Crow era of segregation was upon us. “Jim Crow” was a derisive slang term for a black man. It came to mean any state law passed in the South that established different rules for blacks and whites. Jim Crow laws were based on the theory of white supremacy and were a reaction to Reconstruction. In the depression-racked 1890s, racism appealed to whites who feared losing jobs and civic authority to blacks. Southern states began to limit the voting right to those who owned property or could read well, to those whose grandfathers had been able to vote, to those with “good characters,” or to those who paid poll taxes. A poll tax is defined as a tax of a fixed amount per person levied on adults, often linked to the right to vote. The Constitution makes it illegal to levy a poll tax. Adding onerous and unfair steps to voter registration is a modern-day form of a poll tax. After the 2020 presidential election, at least 63 lawsuits were filed contesting the elections in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Lawsuits were even filed with the US Supreme Court. The baseless lawsuits were rejected. However, those who want to reduce the votes that get counted are now introducing legislation at the state level to make it harder to vote. For our fellow citizens who are poor, having to track down and pay for the citizenship documents may be an insurmountable obstacle. If you can’t find your documents and don’t know how to or can’t afford to obtain them, you can’t vote. Many of our poorest citizens will not know this until they are turned away from their polling place. No one should denied their right to vote because they are too poor to have the internet or a smart phone or a television. Taking away their right to vote because they can’t afford the luxuries that many of us take for granted is unconstitutional. The 14th Amendment explicitly states that “no State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Once again, Section 2 of this Constitutional Amendment authorizes Congress to use it’s power “to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” H.R.1, For the People Act of 2021, is meant to do exactly that. Key provisions of H.R.1 are summarized below: Summary of H. R. 1 “This bill addresses voter access, election integrity and security, campaign finance, and ethics for the three branches of government. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls. The bill requires states to establish independent redistricting commissions to carry out congressional redistricting. Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including sharing intelligence information with state election officials, supporting states in securing their election systems, developing a national strategy to protect U.S. democratic institutions, establishing in the legislative branch the National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions, and other provisions to improve the cybersecurity of election systems. Further, the bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices. The bill addresses ethics in all three branches of government, including by requiring a code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices, prohibiting Members of the House from serving on the board of a for-profit entity, and establishing additional conflict-of-interest and ethics provisions for federal employees and the White House. The bill requires the President, the Vice President, and certain candidates for those offices to disclose 10 years of tax returns. As NJ District 2’s member of Congress, I’d vote YES to H.R.1!
Police reform can’t be achieved by “defunding” – instead, we must retool our approach to criminal justice, impose accountability and reprioritize spending. I fully support the police, appreciate the difficulties and sacrifices of the occupation and am grateful for the protection they provide our communities every day. I also believe that it is time for meaningful police reform in America. Meaningful reform will require the adoption of national standards of police accreditation, a national registry of police misconduct, and the forging of permanent working relationships with mental health experts in close collaborations with our local communities and civic organizations. HR 1280 – the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act will do just that. I strongly support the passage and adoption of H. R. 1280 the “George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021.” Jeff Van Drew voted against this bill. A full summary of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act can be found below. I support the police and always will. Police have one of the toughest jobs imaginable and I am grateful for the service and protection they provide every day. You can support HR 1280 and still support the police – they are not mutually exclusive. I have heard police say, “Nobody hates a bad cop as much as a good cop does”. Good cops have nothing to fear from this law. This legislation makes it more difficult to be a bad cop! In addition to Justice in Policing, we need Reform in Policing. Instead of “Defunding the Police” we need to “Reallocate Funding” for the Police. I will introduce a bill to develop national de-escalation standards. The bill will include funding for law enforcement agencies to grow their de-escalation expertise and enforce the new de-escalation standards. With de-escalation in use, difficult behavior is dealt with in the safest, most effective way possible. We have seen too many cases where police resort to the use of deadly force before employing de-escalation techniques. According to the American Bar Association, “at least 25% of people who are shot and killed by police officers suffer from acute mental illness at the time of their death.” I believe mental health professionals need to be part of the law enforcement team. I believe 911 calls should be funneled through a regional call center where a team of health and law enforcement experts determine if the appropriate dispatch is law enforcement, social workers or both. Summary of H. R. 1280 “This bill addresses a wide range of policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. It increases accountability for law enforcement misconduct, restricts the use of certain policing practices, enhances transparency and data collection, and establishes best practices and training requirements. The bill enhances existing enforcement mechanisms to remedy violations by law enforcement. Among other things, it does the following: Lowers the criminal intent standard — from willful to knowing or reckless — to convict a law enforcement officer for misconduct in a federal prosecution, Limits qualified immunity as a defense to liability in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer, and Grants administrative subpoena power to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in pattern-or-practice investigations. It establishes a framework to prevent and remedy racial profiling by law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels. It also limits the unnecessary use of force and restricts the use of no-knock warrants, chokeholds, and carotid holds. The bill creates a national registry—the National Police Misconduct Registry—to compile data on complaints and records of police misconduct. It also establishes new reporting requirements, including on the use of force, officer misconduct, and routine policing practices (e.g., stops and searches). Finally, it directs DOJ to create uniform accreditation standards for law enforcement agencies and requires law enforcement officers to complete training on racial profiling, implicit bias, and the duty to intervene when another officer uses excessive force.”
Middle East violence is always simmering just below the surface, ready to boil over. Lone wolf attacks of innocent Israeli citizens are often seen as predictable responses to long-held frustrations by Palestinians with their leadership’s inability to negotiate meaningfully with the Israeli government. Also, predictably, thousands of police and army reinforcements are deployed throughout Israel, the occupied West Bank, and across the border with the besieged Gaza Strip in response. The tragic cycle continues. Given the setbacks to the peace process introduced by the incoherence of Trump & Kushner’s Mideast policies, it’s essential for US leaders to have a clear understanding of the realities facing Israelis and Palestinians. It’s the only way we can work together toward a better future. I’ve chosen to align my campaign with J-Street. J-Street bills itself as a “political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans who want Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the Jewish people.” In Congress, I’ll advocate for policies that advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish and democratic values that will lead to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. David Ben Gurion’s vision for Israel has been undermined for years by Likud’s persistent efforts to entrench occupation, to build and bulldoze their way to permanent, undemocratic control of the West Bank. Not only does such aggression violate Israel’s founding values, it denies Palestinians basic human rights, codifies social injustice and continues to put lives on both sides at risk. I count myself among the growing number of Americans who believe a new direction in American policy is needed to advance U.S. interests in the Middle East and promote real peace and security for Israel and the region. J-Street’s aim is to promote American leadership to end the Arab-Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts peacefully and diplomatically. By contrast, AIPAC is funded primarily by mega-donors like Sheldon Adelson who sink vast sums into the US political process to impose their own personal priorities. Common-sense and human decency, not misguided nationalism, will build a viable community that best expresses a shared pro-Israel, pro-peace diplomatic movement that achieves justice and self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians alike. The 2022 midterms and maintaining control of Congress are vital to whether we will be able to stand up for those values against anti-democratic forces here at home, the pro-occupation right in Israel, or global autocrats like Putin. I believe the path forward is not funding more military conflict abroad, it is to avoid bloodshed through diplomacy by upholding human rights and fighting to preserve democratic freedoms here and around the world. Let’s give peace a chance. As always, I’m interested in what you have to say. Please feel free to email me and let me know … etc, etc.
Yes … and no. The amendment to the NJ State Constitution legalizing the recreational use, cultivation, processing and retail sale of marijuana for persons age 21 and older took effect on January 1, 2021. While additional state-regulatory details are still being finalized by the NJ legislature, however, at the Federal level, marijuana remains classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic – the very same classifications as drugs like heroin and methamphetamines. I believe that recreational marijuana should be removed from the Federal criminal legal system and carefully regulated for adult use, with equity, social justice, and community reinvestment at the core. Marijuana is approved for medical use in 36 states and is fully legal in 13 states, including NJ. So, if you want to use recreational marijuana in NJ you can, right? Not so quick! At the federal level, possession, use, sale and cultivation of marijuana remain criminal offenses. But there’s hope. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act is making its way through congress. This bill decriminalizes marijuana. It should pass – but will it? There is more public support for marijuana law reform than ever before with recent polls showing more than half the country is in favor of legalizing marijuana. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act proposes “removal of marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana.” Vitally, this legislation will establish a trust fund to support programs for those impacted by the war on drugs, funded by a 5% federal tax on cannabis products. It also establishes a process to expunge convictions and conduct sentencing review hearings for federal cannabis offenses and directs the Government Accountability Office to study the societal impact of cannabis legalization. Here are some facts published by Britannica ProCon.org, a reliable, non-partisan organization: More than half of US adults have tried marijuana, even though its illegal under federal law. As of 2018, nearly 600,000 Americans were being arrested for marijuana possession annually – more than one person per minute. Public support for legalizing marijuana went from 12% in 1969 to 66% today. The legalization of recreational marijuana in 2012 in Colorado and Washington cost Mexican drug cartels an estimated $2.7 billion in profits. Legalizing recreational marijuana could add billions to the US economy, create jobs, free up police resources, and stop the racial disparities in marijuana enforcement. Legalization will take business away from the drug cartels, and make marijuana use safer through required testing, labeling, and child-proof packaging. Revenues collected from the legal sale of marijuana will go to support a variety of important public programs. Following decades of research, it’s clear that marijuana is far less harmful than alcohol and tobacco, two highly-addictive drugs that are already legal. Like alcohol and tobacco, however, consumption may not be good for your health, but should the government have the right to tell adults what they can put in their own bodies? I don’t think so!
Now is the time for Democrats and Republicans to find common ground and get infrastructure legislation passed. I will fight to get the funding needed to fix the deteriorating South Jersey infrastructure that impedes our ability to compete in an increasingly global marketplace. If we are serious about achieving an infrastructure system fit for the future, critical steps must be taken, beginning with increased, long-term, consistent investment. The improvements to the quality of life that result from reduced travel time, cleaner water, better access to health care and recreation, or safer streets are shared broadly among us all. Investments in infrastructure will grow our local economy, create good-paying jobs, and make New Jersey’s economy more sustainable, resilient, and just. The benefits of infrastructure investments are shared among everyone — individuals as well as businesses. The same road improvement that reduces shipping costs reduces the time workers spend commuting and families spend driving to school or the grocery store. President Biden recently unveiled The American Jobs Plan. It is “an investment in America that will create millions of good jobs, rebuild our country’s infrastructure, and position the United States to out-compete China.” Infrastructure is defined as the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society. Everyone can agree that good infrastructure is key because it impacts nearly every aspect of our lives. Infrastructure includes pipes that deliver drinking water, airports/railroads/waterways that allow for the transportation of the goods we need, roads that allow us to get where we need to go, power grid that keeps the lights on and our devices charged, bulkheads/seawalls/dams/levees that protect our properties from floods, and the broadband connectivity that brings the internet into our homes, schools and businesses. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), founded in 1852, is the country’s oldest national civil engineering organization. It represents more than 150,000 civil engineers in private practice, government, industry, and academia who are dedicated to advancing the science and the profession of civil engineering, and protecting public health, safety, and welfare. A quick look at the map reveals that District 2 would benefit immensely from the expansion of rail transport within the State! The citizens of the 2nd District have been shortchanged and remain disconnected from the major cities in and around NJ and the entire Northeast Corridor. According to the ASCE’s 2021 Report Card, NJ’s infrastructure earned a “C-minus“ – consider the following statistics: NJ Drivers incurred an average of $713 per year in cost due to damage caused by driving on NJ roads in need of repair. It is estimated that 7.8% of bridges in NJ are deemed structurally deficient. To get NJ’s drinking water up to standard will cost approximately $8.6 billion. NJ Residents experienced 910 outages between 2008 and 2017. About 229 dams are considered to be high-hazard potential. Additionally, NJ’s schools have an estimated $1.58 billion gap in necessary capital expenditures. To successfully encourage NJ drivers to switch to all-electric vehicles, many more charging stations are needed! Below is a list of the critical issues facing NJ based on NJ Spotlight News: Combined Sewer Overflows The problem is probably one of the toughest to solve when it comes to preventing pollution in waterways and fouling beaches at the Jersey Shore. When it rains, especially when it pours, these systems, some more than a hundred years old, are unable to properly handle wastewater, resulting in untreated sewage being spilled into the state’s rivers and bays. Some estimate that the cost of fixing those systems could range up to $9 billion. Unhealthy Air Quality New Jersey has never met the federal health-quality standards for ground-level ozone, more commonly known as smog, which envelops parts of the state during hot summer days. Smog causes respiratory problems among the young, the elderly, and those with heart and lung conditions. The state has taken aggressive steps to deal with the problem, but pollution from neighboring states continues to cause problems. Protecting Open Space and Farmland After years of pushing for a stable source of funding to preserve these lands, conservationists successfully lobbied and voters approved a constitutional amendment to dedicate money to that effort. However, the Christie administration diverted 25 percent of the $80 million dedicated to that purpose, most of which would go to pay salaries, maintenance, and operation of state parks and wildlife management areas overseen by the Department of Environmental Protection. In the past, up to $200 million a year would be used to buy open space, farmland, and develop urban parks. Stopping Sprawl This aligns with preserving open space, but it also means diverting scarce state resources to areas already developed, instead of building on land that needs new roads, sewers, and other infrastructure. The Christie administration revamped the state’s primary land-use plan early in its first term, but the new blueprint, dubbed the Strategic Investment Plan, has yet to be adopted. Cleaning up the State’s Waterways Most of the state’s rivers, bays, and other waterways fail to comply with the federal Clean Water Act’s mandate to be “fishable and swimmable.’’ The problems range from dioxin-contaminated fish in the Newark estuary to contamination of shellfish beds at the Jersey Shore. That said, the state has made big strides in cleaning up discharges from wastewater-treatment plants discharging into waterways. Cleaning up the Legacy of Toxic Waste Dumps At one time, the number of sites contaminated with pollutants ranged above 20,000, but thousands have been cleaned as a result of a new program allowing companies to hire private consultants to design remedies. It is a program applauded by some business interests, but opposed by environmentalists who are worried the cleanups are not as effective as those the state would require. Converting the State to a Cleaner-running Fleet of Vehicles Unlike most other states, New Jersey’s transportation system is the biggest source of greenhouse gases — not power plants. The state’s efforts to develop alternative-fueled-vehicles, however, are spotty at best, according to clean-energy advocates. The proponents, particularly want the state to promote electric vehicles. Making the Jersey Shore More Resilient to Extreme Storms, such as Hurricane Sandy: This was a big focus of the Christie administration, as well as federal authorities. Rebuilding homes damaged by the storm to prevent further storm-related damage is a priority, but not without controversy among homeowners and businesses. Can Barnegat Bay be Saved? Perhaps the toughest problem, given the troubles afflicting this valuable recreational resource. Overdevelopment has caused huge difficulties for the bay, a popular destination for many boaters, fishermen, and others. The state has adopted a number of steps to address problems in the bay, but the jury is still out on how effective they will be. Developing Cleaner Sources of Energy In a state long recognized as having air pollution problems, New Jersey has struggled to find cleaner ways to produce electricity. The state has been highly successful in developing solar systems, but has fallen far short of goals to promote offshore wind farms off the Jersey Shore. |
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| —Carolyn Rush’s campaign website (2024)[3] | ||
2022
Carolyn Rush completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rush's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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With a degree in Computer Science from Montclair State University, I’ve worked as an engineer in the Intelligent Transportation and Defense Industries on state and federal contracts. I hold a US-government issued classified security clearance. As an engineer, I honed my problem-solving skills. As a manager, I honed my people skills. Since DC tribalism makes it almost impossible to pass meaningful legislation, these skills are needed in Congress.
With a knack for explaining things, I encourage better listening from my audience breaking complicated issues into basic elements helping people understand all sides, facilitating dialogue. I am persuasive. I bring people around to my point of view. I’ll encourage Democrats to find the “good” in Republicans’ bills and Republicans to find the “good” in Democrats’ bills. Where there’s disagreement, I’ll encourage compromise. Where compromise isn’t possible, I’ll work to remove portions where agreement cannot be found. I’ll work tirelessly to pass the “good” parts, not letting pursuit of the perfect be the enemy of the good. I will not let good ideas wither on the vine!- Bipartisanship is critical. Passing legislation through the House with votes from only one party is never good. With 60 votes needed in the Senate, bipartisan ship is necessary.
- Representatives must always remember to keep the interests of their constituents first. Representatives cannot allow themselves to be beholden to their biggest donors and lobbyists. They may foot the bills but they are not who Representatives are working for when sent to Congress.
- Representatives must keep in touch with their constituents. Monthly Townhall meetings are critical to understanding the needs of the people served. They also allow the representative to explain to constituents why they vote the way they vote on issues that matter to the constituents. Two-way dialogue is necessary!
> Honestly> Enlightenment
> Intelligence
> Leadership
> Compassion
> Transparency
> Humility
> A good work ethic
> A passion to learn
On April 4, 1968, I was six years old. I remember being very confused about why this happened. I remember thinking he was a good man trying to do good things. I didn't understand why anyone would want he to die.
"Just Mercy" had a profound impact on me. I see our criminal justice system very differently than I did prior to reading this book. It instilled in me a desire to fight for justice for all!
That same child also suffers from alcoholism and dependency disorder. Quite often, these conditions go hand-in-hand.
I believe my problem solving skills and my interpersonal skills make me a uniquely qualified individual to be a representative. I am a leader. I am intelligent, rational, compassionate, determined and committed. I will look for mentors in Congress to help me ramp up quickly so I can become an effective legislator as quickly as possible.
My biggest concern about the two-year timeframe is that the next elections cycle starts as soon as the current election finishes. This makes fundraising an over-sized part of being a Representative. Being constantly consumed by raising money for the next election takes away from the Representative's necessary focus on legislation.
I believe the best solution to that is not to change the two-year timeframe but rather to pass campaign finance reform. If less time was spent on financing the next election, more time could be spent on doing what the representative were sent to Congress to do - pass legislation to help their constituents!
When I get to DC, I will look for common ground. I will encourage Democrats to find the “good” in Republicans’ bills. I will encourage Republicans to find the “good” in Democrats’ bills. Where there’s disagreement, I will use my persuasive skills to encourage compromise. Where compromise is not possible, I will work to remove only the portion where agreement cannot be found. I will work tirelessly to pass the “good” parts. I will not let pursuit of the perfect be the enemy of the good. I will not let good ideas wither on the vine!
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 17, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Carolyn Rush’s campaign website, “On The Issues,” accessed May 31, 2024
