While NFIB members and small business owners enthusiastically supported pro-Main-Street candidates for the New Jersey legislature and nearly 80% of those running with the endorsement of NFIB New Jersey PAC were victorious, there were some setbacks for free enterprise on Election Day. Unfortunately, labor-backed candidates, particularly in South New Jersey, showed increased strength from two years ago, leaving the state Senate breakdown unchanged at 25-15, while in the Assembly the balance widened to 52-28.
All told, despite losses in some key races in which NFIB and its members were active, such as Legislative District 4, small business scored a successful election effort. NFIB made 53 endorsements for the state legislature of which 42 won, a 79 percent win-rate for the bipartisan slate of pro-small-business candidates.
The NFIB political program propelled get-out-the-vote activities to educate NFIB members and New Jersey voters ahead of this year’s legislative midterm elections, including: the NFIB member-exclusive Voter Guide (New Jersey Early Voting Ends Nov. 5th, Election Day is Nov. 7th; Empower the Small Business Vote with NFIB’s Voter Guide), targeted digital ads highlighting endorsed candidates and early voting, and Road Team (NFIB Road Team Prepares Small Businesses for the Elections).
Said NFIB NJ State Director Eileen Kean, “NFIB members and small business owners can be proud of the efforts we made together in this election. NFIB helped elect and reelect pro-small-business candidates across the state from both parties. Though disappointed by some of the losses, I am optimistic that our message was heard, and that we can work for bipartisan, common-sense policies next year.”
