Supporting Fresh Faces and Independent Thinkers
Princeton – June 8, 2011 –The newly formed Lincoln Club of New Jersey wasted no time in jumping into the debate for New Jersey’s future by announcing its support for three challengers in the 2011 legislative elections, all of whom are first-time candidates for statewide office. Club President and 2010 Congressional candidate in NJ-12, Scott Sipprelle, said,” We cannot solve a problem by re-electing the problem. The time has come for a new breed of public servant, connected to the people, committed to problem-solving and willing to make the honest and difficult decisions required to restore our sickly state to health.”
Sipprelle continued, “There is a large void in American politics for new entrants, people who choose to enter the arena despite having limited resources and few political connections. The Board of Directors of the Lincoln Club has decided to provide support and assistance during this election cycle to send to Trenton three fresh faces committed to serving the public good. We strongly believe that these independent-thinking New Jerseyans, if elected, will work courageously to challenge the broken status quo.”
Lincoln Club Focus Candidates
Richard Kanka for Senate in District 14
Rich is a member of the Plumber and Pipe Fitters trade union and a member of the Hamilton Township School Board. Rich and his wife Maureen set a powerful example of problem-solving in the face of tragedy after their seven-year old daughter Megan was abducted and killed nearly two decades ago. The Kankas fought to enact a new law that required sex offenders to register with law enforcement and subsequently created the Megan Nicole Kanka Foundation to provide background checks to organizations that hire employees that work around children. Rich Kanka and his family are deeply committed to improving the quality of life in their community and state. Rich often says that he “likes to fix things” and has been successful in getting things done on the Hamilton school board without asking -or even knowing- whether his fellow members were Republicans or Democrats.
Marcia Silva for Assembly in District 18
Marcia is the former Assistant Prosecutor for Middlesex County, where she spent seven years taking dangerous criminals off the streets. She currently has her own law practice in her hometown of South River and she takes pride in providing pro bono legal assistance to local veterans groups. Marcia has witnessed first-hand the struggles of small businesses and the ideal that we call the American Dream. Her father immigrated from Brazil to New Jersey, where he labored as a factory worker until he was able to start his own small business. Starting with a small masonry operation, he eventually built a successful real estate company. Marcia is a single mother of two young children.
Shane Robinson for Assembly in District 19
Shane recently graduated from Sacred Heart University only to return to his home state of New Jersey to find, like many other young people, a distressingly unattractive job environment. Shane is the son of the Rev. Winston Robinson of Faith Fellowship Ministries, a large ministry in his hometown of Sayreville. As a young, underemployed African-American, Shane represents multiple different constituencies that have been hard hit by the economic downturn and which are also strikingly under-represented in the state legislature. His presence in Trenton would bring a fresh and youthful perspective to addressing the ills affecting our state. Shane serves on the Sayreville Board of Health and has remained active in politics as he continues to pursue employment opportunities.
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About The Lincoln Club of New Jersey
The Lincoln Club of New Jersey is an independent political club engaged in ideas and actions for a better governance in New Jersey. More information at www.LC-NJ.org.
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Posted: June 8th, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Lincoln Club, NJ State Legislature, Press Release | Tags: Lincoln Club of New Jersey, Marcia Silva, Scott Sipprelle, Shane Robinson | 4 Comments »