NJ Elections Voters Guide: 1st Legislative District
New Jersey’s 1st Legislative District is the southernmost in the state. Its boundaries changed slightly during last year’s redistricting. It now covers Cape May and parts of Atlantic (Corbin, Estell Manor and Weymouth) and Cumberland (Bridgeton, Commercial, Downe, Fairfield, Lawrence, Maurice River, Millville and Vineland) counties.
This has been a swing district over the last decade, but may had turned red for the foreseeable future. Currently represented by Republicans, GOP registrants outnumber Democrats. About a third of registered voters are Republicans, compared with 30% Democrats. The unaffiliated outnumber, comprising about 36% of registrants.
The district is represented by Sen. Michael Testa Jr., a Vineland attorney and rising star in the state GOP. He faces Democratic. candidate Charles Laspata, a union electrician from Millville. Both were unopposed in the primary.
The Republican Assembly incumbents are Erik Simonsen, director of athletics at Lower Cape May Regional School District and former mayor of Lower Township, and Antwan McClellan, who works for the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office and is a former Ocean City councilman. The Democratic candidates are Damita White-Morris, director of an early learning center in Bridgeton, and Eddie Bonner, a former police officer who now manages a private security firm and lives in Vineland.
Editor’s note: All candidates for state legislative seats were contacted multiple times for the NJ Decides 2023 voting guide Q&As. Click on a candidate to see who responded and any answers provided. More information about the project, including the full text of the questions, is available.
The candidates
SENATE
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The candidate did not respond to the questionnaire.
ASSEMBLY
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Age: 59 Hometown: Bridgeton Occupation: District manager (armed school security) Personal background: I was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey, to Willie Bonner and Carol Forman. I have five brothers and one sister. I completed schooling in Bridgeton from elementary through high school. I attended Lincoln Technical Institute, where I received a diploma in architectural drafting/mechanical drafting and CAD. After school I decided I wanted to be a police officer so I joined the Bridgeton Police Department and completed my training at the New Jersey State Police Academy in Sea Girt. I retired from the Bridgeton Police Department and right after I gained employment at Southwood State Prison in Bridgeton as a substance abuse counselor. Political background: I am a novice in the political arena as this is my first venture into politics Why are you running for office? It’s time for common-sense leadership. It’s time for someone to speak for the people and not just for themselves. Key election issue: Education is paramount. Increased funding to hire educators and keep them from leaving. Example of a successful project: N/A Example of a challenge faced: My biggest challenge was learning how to engage with people from all walks of life and I overcame this challenge by committing myself to always having a position in a public service capacity On NJ’s gun laws: I believe New Jersey’s gun laws to be strict and some need to be relaxed. I would introduce legislation to do just that. On the Murphy administration’s climate change proposals: I do not believe you people should be compelled to convert to electric vehicles. If we are truly concerned about climate change, how are the minerals used to make the batteries for these electric vehicles going to be mined? I do not wholly support the initiative. On housing affordability and property taxes: Rent should be controlled. People are deciding whether to pay rent or to eat or to buy medicine.
The candidate did not respond to the questionnaire.
The candidate did not respond to the questionnaire.