Citizen Watchdog Political Action Committee Endorses Assemblywoman Linda Stender for US Congress
Pledges to Activate Thousands in the DistrictNewark, NJ -- Citing the candidate's starkly differing positions from Representative Mike Ferguson on top consumer concerns, New Jersey Citizen Action's Political Action Committee announced today that it has endorsed Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-22) to represent the 7th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.

As the state's largest citizen watchdog coalition, representing 60,000 family members and more than 100 community, labor, senior, religious and civic organizations, NJCA pays careful attention to the major issues facing the state's residents at the state and federal level, and finds Assemblywoman Stender's record in the state Assembly and position on various federal and state issues consistent with NJCA members and New Jersey voters.

"Linda Stender has been a leader on issues that NJCA cares about since her days in the Fanwood Borough Council," said Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, NJCA Executive Director. "Since then, she has represented voters in the 22nd legislative district well by fighting for meaningful policies as a member of the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee, Tourism and Gaming Committee, and Vice-Chair of the Transportation and Public Works Committee. She has proven that she will fight for the kinds of policies and reforms that New Jersey voters care about at the federal level, including protecting Social Security from privatization, a woman's right to choose, energy independence and fixing President Bush's disastrous Part D prescription drug program. She will represent the constituents of the 7th Congressional district well by helping Congress re-prioritize its agenda."

New Jersey Citizen Action also announced its field campaign to educate voters and Get Out the Vote on November 7th. NJCA offices in Highland Park, Newark, Princeton, and Camden have been hosting phone banks where volunteers have contacted more than 7,000 voters in the 7th Congressional district. NJCA will be mailing more than 78,000 pieces of literature to voters to educate them on candidate positions on key issues. This includes the NJCA "Special Election Edition Newsletter" which will be mailed to 30,000 NJCA members statewide, including 4,000 members in the 7th district.

The organization will also be coordinating with Women's Voices Women Vote to conduct robo-calls to 23,000 voters in the state to educate them on the importance of the election. NJCA also announced that its field canvass will knock on 26,000 doors throughout the state by Election Day, providing voter information and getting out the vote. The field canvass and volunteers will focus the Election Day Get Out the Vote effort in the 7th district, making as many contacts as possible to make sure that voters take a stand for New Jersey and America and get to the polls to vote.

"This year, access to quality health care, the protection of Social Security from privatization, the federal budget, and campaign finance reform top the list of issues our members and the public at large care about," said NJCA PAC Chair Mitchell Kahn. "NJCA's PAC has endorsed and will work to elect Linda Stender to Congress and make sure our representatives in Congress put the needs of Garden State residents before corporate profits."

Since 1982, NJCA has engaged in different kinds of electoral activities including non-partisan voter registration, voter education, issue advocacy and PAC endorsements. "The Board of Directors and PAC weigh our involvement in many ways, including whether we can reward an ally, punish an opponent, make a difference or elect one of our own," said Ev Liebman, NJCA Program Director.

In a six-page questionnaire, NJCA surveyed candidates about their positions on a variety of issues. Liebman said the PAC also researched the positions of those candidates who did not respond in races where the PAC considered an endorsement.

Kahn explained, "There are close races, especially in the 7th district, where NJCA's support and activities, including neighborhood canvassing, leafleting, press events, mailings and phone calls, can make a real difference. This is where the other candidate has truly bad record on our major issues, or the endorsed candidate has an especially good history with our members."

The PAC evaluated the candidates' support for specific Congressional actions on quality health care, social security, fair banking and housing, women's reproductive freedom, campaign finance reform, energy policy, education as well as domestic and international security. The PAC only considers endorsements for those candidates who returned surveys. She noted that not every candidate who asked for an endorsement received one, as the PAC wanted to make a targeted effort in the places where it can be most effective.

Liebman said the group has posted voter guides on its website, www.njcapac.org. All major party candidates were mailed and faxed the survey, and were contacted by phone to submit their responses, but not all responded. She noted that NJCA will only post voter guides in races where at least one major party candidate returned a survey.

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