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Will Cunningham (New Jersey)
Will Cunningham (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on July 7, 2020.
Cunningham completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Cunningham graduated from Brown University and the University of Texas School of Law. Before running for office, Cunningham worked for Teach for America, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.)'s office, and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020
New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (July 7 Republican primary)
New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (July 7 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
Incumbent Jeff Van Drew defeated Amy Kennedy, Jenna Harvey, and Jesse Ehrnstrom in the general election for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jeff Van Drew (R) | 51.9 | 195,526 |
 | Amy Kennedy (D) | 46.2 | 173,849 | |
 | Jenna Harvey (Justice Mercy Humility Party) | 1.1 | 4,136 | |
 | Jesse Ehrnstrom (L) | 0.8 | 3,036 | |
| Total votes: 376,547 | |||
 = 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
Amy Kennedy defeated Brigid Callahan Harrison, Will Cunningham, John Francis III, and Robert Turkavage in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on July 7, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Amy Kennedy | 62.1 | 43,414 |
 | Brigid Callahan Harrison | 22.3 | 15,560 | |
 | Will Cunningham | 12.8 | 8,946 | |
| John Francis III | 1.5 | 1,061 | ||
| Robert Turkavage | 1.3 | 938 | ||
| Total votes: 69,919 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
Incumbent Jeff Van Drew defeated Bob Patterson in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on July 7, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Van Drew | 82.4 | 45,226 |
 | Bob Patterson | 17.6 | 9,691 | |
| Total votes: 54,917 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- David Richter (R)
- Brian Fitzherbert (R)
2018
General election
General election for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
The following candidates ran in the general election for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Van Drew (D) | 52.9 | 136,685 |
 | Seth Grossman (R) | 45.2 | 116,866 | |
 | John Ordille (L) | 0.7 | 1,726 | |
 | Steven Fenichel (Time for Truth Party) | 0.4 | 1,154 | |
 | Anthony Parisi Sanchez (Cannot Be Bought Party) | 0.4 | 1,064 | |
 | William Benfer (Together We Can Party) | 0.3 | 868 | |
| Total votes: 258,363 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
Jeff Van Drew defeated Tanzie Youngblood, Will Cunningham, and Nathan Kleinman in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Van Drew | 57.0 | 16,901 |
 | Tanzie Youngblood | 18.5 | 5,495 | |
| Will Cunningham | 16.2 | 4,795 | |
 | Nathan Kleinman | 8.3 | 2,467 | |
| Total votes: 29,658 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Sean Thom (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2
Seth Grossman defeated Hirsh Singh, Samuel Fiocchi, and Robert Turkavage in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 2 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Seth Grossman | 39.0 | 10,215 |
 | Hirsh Singh | 30.5 | 7,983 | |
 | Samuel Fiocchi | 23.3 | 6,107 | |
| Robert Turkavage | 7.1 | 1,854 | ||
| Total votes: 26,159 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- James Toto (R)
- Brian Fitzherbert (R)
- Mark McGovern (R)
Campaign themes
2020
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released January 8, 2020 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Will Cunningham completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cunningham's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
Since 2016, I have worked in the House of Representatives as a Chief Investigator for the late Chairman Elijah Cummings. As an Oversight Investigator, I held pharmaceutical companies accountable, called out unethical price gouging, probed predatory for-profit colleges, and fought against corporate greed that endangered the public health.
I am running for Congress because I believe that those who understand the struggles of their community should be the ones to represent them. I have never forgotten where I came from and I want to help the families and children of New Jersey's Second Congressional District to achieve their dreams just as I, with their help, was able to do not so long ago.I am a progressive and unapologetic black candidate who is ready to win this election and help to make this government one that operates by and for the people. In this Democratic primary, I am the only candidate who embraces the progressivism necessary to reshape our systems and govern for the 21st century. For too long, our elected leaders have been beholden to special interests. I am here to break this chain and usher in bold, transformative leadership for the everyday working families of South Jersey.
For me, I understand that policy intimately affects everyone. In Congress, I hope to help the families and children of New Jersey's Second Congressional District achieve their dreams through compassionate, data-driven, and progressive policies like Medicare for All, the Green new Deal, marijuana legalization, and a $15 minimum wage.
- America's strength has always been its diversity-but that diversity can only flourish if all Americans are treated equally by those serving to protect. America is even stronger when everyone has the same rights and opportunities to thrive in our country. I will fight to make sure that's the case.
I care deeply about ensuring racial, social, and political equality in our society. This can only happen through compassionate, progressive policies that invest in our hardest-hit communities. I support Medicare for All because adequate universal healthcare is a right, not a privilege. In South Jersey, we've all seen the devastating effects climate change has caused on our communities and our state economy. Thus, I am a huge proponent of the Green New Deal on a national level. As well, we must expunge the records of non-violent drug offenders. This means we must fight for marijuana legalization. We need true criminal justice reform that does not treat prisoners as commodities. Once Americans have paid their debt to society and reformed their lives, they should be afforded the same rights and privileges as their fellow Americans. These policies are only a start. In Congress, I will fight establishment politics and work for true, transformative reform.
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.
2018
| “ |
Will almost didn’t step into this race. Then he learned the business as usual Democratic machine had already picked their winner, and that 'winner' wouldn’t be a win for the people of South Jersey. He couldn’t stand by while the establishment decided it was their job, not the job of the people of New Jersey, to choose a candidate. Will would keep his promise to himself, as he always had. He would not stand by as a candidate who had already cast votes against the interests of hardworking South Jerseyans was anointed. Will would run. He would offer the people of New Jersey a real choice. Will knew he faced an uphill battle against the powers that be. But he had overcome great odds before, and he would do it again. The people of his beloved home state deserved more than the same old politics, and the same old predictable and ineffective voices. New Jersey deserves new solutions, not a coronation. If you believe in...
And if you believe you deserve a choice and that it’s time for real change. Vote for Will Cunningham on June 5th.[2] |
” |
| —Will Cunningham for Congress[3] | ||
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Will Cunningham for New Jersey, "Home," accessed March 7, 2018
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Will for New Jersey, "Home," accessed March 7, 2018
