OPINION: DeSilvio, Gonzalez, and Clark for LD4

The path to a Republican State Senate runs through South Jersey. Following legislative redistricting, Legislative District 4 was made significantly more Republican – Governor Murphy lost this redrawn district by 5 points – and, in the redrawn district, the Republican candidates for State Senate and even County Commissioner would have won.

It’s yet another competitive seat in ever-reddening South Jersey, where we’re leading the charge in fighting back against Phil Murphy’s tax-and-spend agenda. We’ve replaced Democrats in Districts 1, 2, and 3 over the last 3 election cycles, and we’re coming for LD4 this year.

It’s a district that gave Donald Trump 47% of the vote in 2020, and a district where Donald Norcross’s 20:1 spending advantage allowed them to capture a smaller than expected victory. It’s a district where voters are so hungry for Republican leadership that Democrats are switching parties, and the dinosaurs who choose to stay Democrats are being discarded by their political patrons.

I’m proud to roll out a strong ticket that reflects South Jersey – hardworking, middle class, blue collar – and one that reflects the changing face of Republican politics. On the national level, Republicans have been gaining support among blue collar workers, and they took back Congress by running candidates who were veterans, minorities, or women.

Here in South Jersey, we have a slate of candidates that reflect the common sense values of the district, who will fight for South Jersey. Our ticket is led by Nick DeSilvio, an IBEW journeyman who served as a Naval Nuclear Operator during Desert Storm, and who first ran and won a seat on the Board of Education to advocate for his special needs daughter. He’s a fighter who defended our country and fought for the rights of special need students, and he’ll be a champion for South Jersey in the legislature. Nick is a proven vote-getter, having won Gloucester County as a Commissioner candidate, where voters came out in support of him in an overwhelming majority in the LD-04 portion of the county.

For Assembly, we have Denise Gonzalez, a Latina IBEW electrician and cybersecurity expert who served in the Marine Corps as an Integrated Maintenance Manager, as well as Michael Clark, a small businessman and pastor at Solid Rock Baptist Church in Berlin. Denise is a single mother who is running to make sure her children inherit the same New Jersey that gave their family a chance to thrive. Michael’s calling to serve his community is powerful, and we need younger leaders in Trenton fighting for a better future.

Our diverse ticket – Nick, Denise, and Michael – exemplifies the best of South Jersey – no-nonsense dedication, hard work, and a willingness to get their hands dirty and get the job done. That’s why they’re going to win in November.

Jacci Vigilante
About Jacci Vigilante 1 Article
Jacci Vigilante is chairwoman of the Gloucester County GOP.