Roger Quesada
Roger Quesada (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders to represent District 8 in New Jersey. He lost in the Democratic primary on July 7, 2020.
Quesada completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Quesada attended the New Jersey Institute of Technology. His professional experience includes working as an eCommerce marketing professional.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Hudson County, New Jersey (2020)
General election
General election for Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders District 8
Incumbent Anthony Vainieri Jr. won election in the general election for Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders District 8 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Anthony Vainieri Jr. (D) | 99.5 | 18,877 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.5 | 90 | ||
| Total votes: 18,967 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Francis Bruno (R)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders District 8
Incumbent Anthony Vainieri Jr. defeated Roger Quesada in the Democratic primary for Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders District 8 on July 7, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Anthony Vainieri Jr. | 81.4 | 5,959 | |
 | Roger Quesada | 18.4 | 1,350 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 10 | ||
| Total votes: 7,319 | |||
| = 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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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders District 8
Francis Bruno advanced from the Republican primary for Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders District 8 on July 7, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Francis Bruno | 99.7 | 705 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 2 | ||
| Total votes: 707 | |||
| = 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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2019
See also: New Jersey General Assembly elections, 2019
General election
General election for New Jersey General Assembly District 32 (2 seats)
Incumbent Angelica Jimenez and incumbent Pedro Mejia defeated Ann Carletta and Francesca Curreli in the general election for New Jersey General Assembly District 32 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Angelica Jimenez (D) | 40.5 | 14,575 |
| ✔ | Pedro Mejia (D) | 39.0 | 14,051 | |
| Ann Carletta (R) | 10.3 | 3,711 | ||
| Francesca Curreli (R) | 10.2 | 3,676 | ||
| Total votes: 36,013 | |||
| = 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 New Jersey General Assembly District 32 (2 seats)
Incumbent Angelica Jimenez and incumbent Pedro Mejia defeated Mahmoud Mahmoud and Roger Quesada in the Democratic primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 32 on June 4, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Angelica Jimenez | 43.7 | 7,378 |
| ✔ | Pedro Mejia | 41.1 | 6,935 | |
 | Mahmoud Mahmoud | 7.6 | 1,290 | |
| Roger Quesada | 7.5 | 1,265 | |
| Total votes: 16,868 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 32 (2 seats)
Ann Carletta and Francesca Curreli advanced from the Republican primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 32 on June 4, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ann Carletta | 51.2 | 881 | |
| ✔ | Francesca Curreli | 48.8 | 839 | |
| Total votes: 1,720 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2020
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released April 15, 2020 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Roger Quesada completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Quesada's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- Hudson County needs to reach its fullest potential - create beautiful parks, promote the arts, promote educational opportunities for all ages & create affordable healthcare.
- We have less than 11 years to act boldly on climate change, the time to act is now. We need Hudson County to plan for environmental resiliency.
- People come first, not political bosses. We need to defend our teachers and public employees from political coercion.
We need to free our public employees from coerced political work, so they can be free to perform their duties as teachers, municipal workers and all the other respectable and necessary jobs that keep our county great. We need a Freeholder who will not just bend the knee, but be a true representative of the people. We need a Freeholder who will consult with and listen to his/her constituents and use our hard-earned tax dollars wisely and transparently.
The Freeholder Board approves all county contracts and gives advice and consent to the County Executive's appointments of department heads, and appointees. After receiving the proposed county budget from the County Executive, it is the duty of the Board to review, make appropriate changes, and then vote on the budget (this is your tax money). They also approve county contracts (this is where a lot of corruption reportedly happens), and make appointments to public offices (this is where the patronage and nepotism typically occur).
Hudson County has a $374 Million Dollar Annual Budget.
This budget is often riddled with waste, abuse and patronage. I'm running to make this budget work for you and pass progressive policies that will help us all.
By and large they control the county parks (like North Hudson aka James J. Braddock Park), roads (like Boulevard East & JFK Blvd West) & prestigious schools (like High Tech High School). Many people may not realize the important role County Government plays in our daily lives, with responsibilities and programs in such critical areas as the Judicial System, Law Enforcement, Education, Environment, Open Space, Job Training, Economic Development, Housing and support of our individual communities.They have tons of power, but not many know who they are or what they do.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Roger Quesada completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Quesada's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
My number one priority is being a voice to emphasize the urgency of Climate Change action, followed by championing Universal Healthcare and addressing Affordable Housing issues in my district.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I'm passionate about progressive policies in general, but most importantly - the most important crisis facing Americans today is the issue of climate change. NJ is continuing to allow permits for the continuation of fossil fuel infrastructure projects like the North Bergen Liberty Generating (natural gas-powered plant) that not only increases greenhouse gases in NJ and makes us more dependent on non-renewable resources, but 100% of the power goes to New York City. This is environmental racism at it's core, since about 80% of North Bergen residents are latinx and many do not speak English or are engaged with politics.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
I look up to the courage and tenacity of Bernie Sanders and Nina Turner. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Omar Ilhan, Rashida Talib, Deb Haaland and Lauren Underwood are all amazing congressional freshman that also inspire me tremendously for their courage and their conviction. I wish them the best in their years of service to come!
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
I can't really say there is, because my political ideology is very nuanced and has taken me my entire life full of various influences to develop. To sum it up all, I'd probably look to Bernie Sanders lifetime of achievements for what sums up my philosophy - people first.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Honesty, integrity, transparency and a people-first attitude toward policy. We need changemakers and people who are willing to not do things in the established ways. We need disruptors.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I am a leader, eloquent, driven, passionate and I have a huge heart. I want to help people and I will be honest about what I can and cannot achieve.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
To be honest to the people they represent and keep an open line of communication, always. You have to work toward building consensus and bridge divides. You should never take opportunistic political shots and instead always focus on the people and the issues.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I would like to ensure that NJ has the framework to take on climate change with a renewable energy infrastructure, and I think with our progressive governor - that is 100% achievable.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
9/11. This impacted me so deeply. It was the first time I started questioning everything.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
I've had dozens of jobs in my lifetime, but my first job was working in my uncle's accounting office in West New York, NJ. It wasn't very fun, but I learned how to work in an office, how to be organized and be detail oriented.
What happened on your most awkward date?
I was way too into him and he wasn't that into me. It happens to us all!
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
Halloween for obvious reasons! It's the most magical time of the year.
What is your favorite book? Why?
I really enjoyed the Da Vinci Code. I love the problem solving and mystery. I imagined myself as the main character trying to solve all these clues and it was so thrilling.
If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?
Captain Planet! I would love a team to awesome superheroes that go around saving the planet!
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
My dog, because the best thing about getting home is getting attacked by smelly kisses by my miniature schnauzer. I love her to pieces.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Just today I was playing back Bruno Mars Finesse. I just felt all suave on my commute to NYC this morning.
What is something that has been a struggle in your life?
Money. I've always struggled financially since I was a child, a son of Cuban immigrants. Money gives me major anxiety, so bad that it's the cause of arguments sometimes in my personal life. I've come now to the point where that's not so much an issue. I've reached a level of success I'm proud of and I plan to now take this gratitude and give back to the world.
Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?
The best thing about American government is the distribution of powers, even within the legislature. Power is more consolidated in the senate, but you still need the assembly to get things done.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
Not at all. In fact, in the specific case of New Jersey, that's actually a bad thing because of all the allegiances. I rather have an allegiance to the people than to a party boss.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
The politics and the egos behind them.
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
Open transparent discussion that is driven by the facts and not by politics.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Absolutely. We need to build a progressive coalition throughout the state of NJ to promote a Democratic platform that works for everyone, not just very wealthy donors.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
All government processes should be more transparent and democratic.
If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?
I would like to be part of the environmental and healthcare committees.
If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?
Absolutely, but I will want to earn that leadership role after being elected.
Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
Not in NJ that I'm aware of, unfortunately.
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
It's possible, but I want to continue to focus on my career as I provide a reasonable commitment to the people of New Jersey.
Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?
Yes, the issue of the North Bergen Liberty Generating plant and the lack of awareness of my community is something that I'm deeply saddened by. So many people have lost hope claiming "there's nothing we can do" or "they're going to do whatever they want anyway". I want to restore hope and wipe away the apathy from their eyes. We need to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
I believe we need to return to our founding principles of "a government BY the people, FOR the people". We need a people-driven political system. Is there anything you would like to add? I realize this is an uphill battle, but it is a righteous one and I'm proud to be running with Mahmoud Mahmoud. [2] |
” |
| —Roger Quesada[1] | ||
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
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