Assembly 2025 June 10 Primary Elections LD IHRA Analysis by LD – LD 11 Thru 20
The following is a review of LD 21 – 20 NJ Assembly races for now focusing on the primaries and considering options for the general elections. The analysis will go further and we hope to engage with voters in these LD’s who can help with the strategies to defeat attempts to codify fascist IHRA laws in NJ. Please enter your information on the form below if you are interested in candidacy or in working together with the LD teams to motivate a favorable outcome: the defeat of IHRA in NJ!
LDs highlighted in this article:
Go to LD11 LD12 LD13 LD14 LD15 LD16 LD17 LD18 LD19 LD20
Jump to LDs highlighted outside this article:
Go to LD1 LD2 LD3 LD4 LD5 LD6 LD7 LD8 LD9 LD10
NJ LD 11 VOTERS ADVISED URGE ASW PETERPAUL TO REMOVE FRON IHRA CO-SPONSORSHIP, ASK DONLON TO DISCLOSE POSITION ON IHRA, CONSIDER ONE OR TWO INDEPENDENT ASSEMBLY CANDIDATES TO PROTECT FREE SPEECH.
There is no Democratic Primary contest, just the two incumbents running, one of whom, Asw Peterpaul, is on the IHRA bill. The position of the other, Asw Donlon is unknown to this editor. Running one or two independent assembly candidates could impact the results of this race since these seats could be in play. Voters are advised to let Peterpaul know that she is losing support your support given her support of IHRA and urge incumbent candidate Donlon that your support for her is contingent on her making it clear she is opposed to IHRA. Use form to help oppose IHRA in this district.
| LD | Name | Party | Incumbent | Slate | IHRA Position |
| 11 | Margie Donlon | D | y | ||
| 11 | Luanne Peterpaul | D | y | On bill | |
| 11 | Jessica Ford | R | |||
| 11 | Andrew Wardell | R | |||
| 2023 margin | 7406 |
NJ LD 12 VOTERS ADVISED TO CONSIDER CANDIDATE TAEB’S OPPOSITION TO IHRA AND ASK CANDIDATE DINEEN TO ANNOUNCE A POSITION
There is no Democratic Party primary contest – there is one Fulop candidate and an apparent regular candidate. This LD is strong republican and unlikely to flip given the 10K plus margin republicans had in 2023. A bright spot, Freshta Taeb is reportedly opposed to IHRA – FightBackBetter is seeking further documentation. Kyler Dineen’s position is unknown. Advice to voters is to reach out to Freshta Taeb for additional information and to seek engagement with candidate Dineen to see if they can join Ms. Taeb in unity in opposition to IHRA. Given the strong Republican position in LD 12, independent candidates would be unlikely to impact the IHRA fight and the election outcome. Use form to help oppose IHRA in this district.
| LD | Name | Party | Incumbent | Slate | IHRA Position |
| 12 | Freshta Taeb | D | Fulop | Reportedly opposed to IHRA – Seeking further info | |
| 12 | Kyler Dineen | D | |||
| 12 | Rob Clifton | R | Y | On bill | |
| 12 | Alex Sauickie | R | Y | ||
| 2023 margin | 10294 |
NJ LD 13 VOTERS ADVISED TO ASK CANDIDATES CORLEY AND GEORGE TO ANNOUNCE A POSITION AND CONSIDER POSSIBLE INDEPENDENT CANDIDACY
Republicans had a sizable 8K plus margin in 2023. It is possible that this LD could be in contention if the Trump administration continues to misfire – things could go the other way as well. Advice to LD13 voters is to seek engagement from the two Democratic Party candidates and urge them to declare a position opposing IHRA. If that can not be accomplished – pressure could be put on them through potential of independent candidates. Use form to help oppose IHRA in this district.
| LD | Name | Party | Incumbent | Slate | IHRA Position |
| 13 | Jason Corley | D | |||
| 13 | Vaibhav George | D | |||
| 13 | Vicky Flynn | R | Y | On bill | |
| 13 | Gerry Scharfenberger | R | Y | On bill | |
| 13 | Rich Castaldo | R | |||
| 2023 margin | 8034 |
NJ LD 14 VOTERS ADVISED TO TELL DEANGELO AND MCCOY KNOW THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE NO SUPPORT OVER THEIR IHRA CO-SPONSORSHIP. VOTERS SHOULD CONSIDER AND INDEPENDENT FREE SPEECH CANDIDATE CHALLENGE
There is no Demcoratic Party challenge in the primary – just the two incumbents both of whom are on the IHRA bill. Voters are urged to communicate non-support for them. If they do not come off the bill sponsorship, voters should consider fielding independent candidates. Use form to help oppose IHRA in this district.
| LD | Name | Party | Incumbent | Slate | IHRA Position | |
| 14 | Wayne DeAngelo | D | Y | On bill | ||
| 14 | Tennille McCoy | D | Y | On bill | ||
| 14 | Marty Flynn, | R | ||||
| 14 | Alisha Ferenczi | R | ||||
| 2023 margin | 8958 |
NJ LD 15 VOTERS ADVISED TO TELL REYNOLDS-JACKSON AND VERELLI THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE NO SUPPORT OVER THEIR IHRA CO-SPONSORSHIP
There is no primary and not even a general election contest here. There are no republicans even running. Both democrats are incumbents and on the IHRA bill. Voters are advised to communicate non-support over their IHRA support. An independent candidacy could be useful as a show of force but it would not influence the outcome of the LD 15 race. Use form to help oppose IHRA in this district.
| LD | Name | Party | Incumbent | Slate | IHRA Position |
| 15 | Verlina Reynolds-Jackson | D | Y | On bill | |
| 15 | Anthony Verrelli | D | Y | On bill | |
| 2023 margin | 16951 |
NJ LD 16 VOTERS URGED TO CONSIDER MAHMOUD DESOUKY’S OPPOSITION TO IHRA, TO REJECT DRULIS AND FREIMAN AND TO CONSIDER FIELDING INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES
This one is a challenge to write given that I took one act to declare candidacy and was immediately falsely subjected to a false police accusation of a felony that was sent up to the NJ Attorney General’s office and it hung over my head threatening me with a life endangering felony for 3 weeks. The action by Assemblyman Roy Freiman to bring the false charge paralyzed the support I had immediately received after announcing candidacy as nobody wanted to end up accused of a felony. While I am still in contention – the climate of legal terror has made my petitioning thus far impossible.
For the primaries, there is one promising beam of light, In the final week before the petitions were do, Mahmoud Desouky collected 530 petition signatures to challenge Drulis and Freiman who are both on the IHRA bill and this editor has been told opposition to IHRA is an objective of his campaign.
LD 16 voters are advised to consider candidate Desouky’s opposition to IHRA and to reject the candidacies of IHRA supporters Freiman and Drulis. It is advised that Desouky supporters write in a second candidate’s name or vote for only 1 candidate. There is a mathematical disadvantage of running singular against partnered up candidates so either emphaisis on “bullet voting” – voting for only one candidate or doing a write in for the second candidate can alleviate – although not eliminate that disadvantage.
As for my candidacy – I would prefer to petition for one or two other candidates and I do not believe I would be supported in LD 16 at this time given the false and defamatory legal cloud hung over me by the underhanded false police report of smear artist and IHRA supporter Roy Freiman. However I am still in the race but I need to assess if a petition under my name can be successful after the legal harm brought to me by Drulis / Freiman. Use form to help oppose IHRA in this district.
| LD | Name | Party | Incumbent | Slate | IHRA Position |
| 16 | Bob Witanek | FSU | |||
| 16 | Mitchelle Drulis | D | Y | On bill | |
| 16 | Roy Frieman | D | Y | On bill | |
| 16 | Mahmoud Desouky | D | Opposed | ||
| 16 | Scott Sipos | R | |||
| 16 | Catherine Payne | R | |||
| 2023 margin | 7065 |
NJ LD 17 VOTERS URGED TO COMMUNICATE NON-SUPPORT TO EGAN AND URGE CANDIDATES DANIELSEN AND RIVERS TO ANNOUNCE A POSITION OPPOSING IHRA
Fulop allied candidate Loretta Rivers is challenging incumbents Asm Danielsen whose position on IHRA is unknown and Asm Egan who is ON the fascist IHRA bill. Advice to LD17 voters is to seek engagement from the Danielsen and Rivers and urge them to declare a position opposing IHRA and to communicate to Egan non-support over his support for IHRA fascist repression. The LD is fairly solidly Democrat dominated so independent candidacies might not be most tactical approach. Use form to help oppose IHRA in this district.
| LD | Name | Party | Incumbent | Slate | IHRA Position |
| 17 | Joe Danielsen | D | Y | ||
| 17 | Kevin Egan | D | Y | On bill | |
| 17 | Loretta Rivers | D | Fulop | ||
| 17 | Susan Hucko | R | |||
| 17 | Patricia Badovinac | R | |||
| 2023 margin | 12293 |
NJ LD 18 VOTERS URGED TO COMMUNICATE NON-SUPPORT TO KARABINCHAK AND STANLEY AND URGE CANDIDATE BINETTI TO ANNOUNCE A POSITION OPPOSING IHRA. CANDIDACY COULD BE FRUITFUL ALSO TO SEND CLEAR MESSAGE.
There is a primary contest between the two incumbents Karabinchak and Stanley, both unfortunately ON the IHRA bill. They are challenged by an Italian civil rights supporter Christopher BInetti. Voters are urged to communicate non support to the incumbents and seek a conversation with candidate Binetti to see if he supports free speech. It is a strong Democrat LD voting wise but an independent candidacy might my be fruitful if the incumbents stay on the bill. Use form to help oppose IHRA in this district.
| LD | Name | Party | Incumbent | Slate | IHRA Position |
| 18 | Robert Karabinchak | D | Y | On bill | |
| 18 | Sterley Stanley | D | Y | On bill | |
| 18 | Christopher Binetti | D | Italian Ethnic Defender | ||
| 18 | Melanie Mott | R | |||
| 18 | Eugene DeMarzo | R | |||
| 2023 margin | 9375 |
NJ LD 19 VOTERS URGED TO COMMUNICATE NON-SUPPORT TO LOPEZ AND URGE CANDIDATE BURWELL TO ANNOUNCE A POSITION OPPOSING IHRA. CANDIDACY COULD BE FRUITFUL ALSO TO SEND CLEAR MESSAGE PARTICULARLY TO SPEAKER COUGHLIN
The primary contest includes a single challenger to incumbent Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin who is NOT on the bill and incumbent Yvonne Lopez who IS on the bill. Coughlin is a powerful Assembly member and his say can lead to the vote taking place on the fascist bill. He has not pushed the bill for an immediate vote and the goal is to keep it that way. Voters are urged to communicate non support to the incumbent Lopez and seek a conversation with candidate Burwell to see if she supports free speech. Coughlin should be warned that if he wants support he should announce opposition to IHRA and that if the vote occurs and passes before November he will be opposed. Democrats had a healthy 6K+ margin in 2023 but things can be closer this year so if possible to field one or two independent candidates – this would be a strategic LD where IHRA opponents could have impact. Use form to help oppose IHRA in this district.
| LD | Name | Party | Incumbent | Slate | IHRA Position |
| 19 | Craig Coughlin | D | Y | ||
| 19 | Yvonne Lopez | D | Y | On bill | |
| 19 | Michelle Burwell | D | |||
| 19 | Maria Garcia | R | |||
| 19 | Marilyn Colon | R | |||
| 2023 margin | 6758 |
NJ LD 20 OTERS URGED TO COMMUNICATE URGE ALL 4 DEMOCRAT PRIMARY CANDIDATES TO ANNOUNCE A POSITION OPPOSING IHRA. INDEPENDENT CANDIDACY SHOUJLD BE CONSIDERED
There is a primary contest. The positions of the 4 candidates on IHRA are unknown. Incumbent Quijano is not on the bill. There are challengers from a Union County slate. Voters are urged to encourage all 4 candiates to oppose IHRA and to consider options if any opposition is identified. If possible to develop independent candidacies, should none of the Dems step forward to protect free speech, we should consider it. Use form to help oppose IHRA in this district.
| LD | Name | Party | Incumbent | Slate | IHRA Position |
| 20 | Sergio Granados | D | |||
| 20 | Annette Quijano | D | Y | ||
| 20 | Eduardo Rodriguez | D | UC Dems Mtg Moment | ||
| 20 | Walter Wimbush | D | UC Dems Mtg Moment | ||
| 20 | Carmen Bucco | R | |||
| 20 | Richard Tabor | R | |||
| 2023 margin | 7724 |
Please complete this form if you want to assist in strategies for a positive outcome (stopping propposed IHRA laws in NJ from passing) in your Legislative District.
