Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R, NJ-02) started the Midterm cycle on offense today, reacting to an announcement from Atlantic City Electric (ACE) that intends to work with Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill towards energy cost reductions.
“I hope ACE and Governor-elect Sherrill are serious about lowering energy costs because families in South Jersey are hitting their breaking point,” said Congressman Van Drew. “People cannot keep paying these sky-high bills every month. Freezing the current rates is not enough. We need to actually cut costs, starting with lowering delivery fees and making sure utility companies are held accountable for every dollar they charge.”
New Jersey ratepayers experienced double-digit electric bill increases this year. Sherrill has yet to explain how a “freeze” would work as she promised on the campaign trail, and even outgoing Governor Phil Murphy initially scoffed at the idea as unworkable.
“The State of New Jersey has the authority to control and adjust these rates, and it is time they take that responsibility seriously,” added Van Drew. “At the federal level, we have already cleared the way to build new nuclear reactors to help strengthen our energy supply, and New Jersey should get started on that immediately. I will work with anyone—Republican, Democrat, or Independent—if it means getting relief for the hardworking men and women of South Jersey. Families deserve affordable, reliable energy, and I will keep fighting until they get it.”
A close ally of President Trump, Van Drew famously left the Democrat Party in 2019 over the first impeachment debacle; he’s been reelected three times since as a Republican in his sprawling South Jersey district which spans most of South Jersey’s land mass. None of Van Drew’s campaigns were close, but Sherrill’s relatively strong performances in Atlantic, Cumberland and Gloucester counties could give rise to a more serious challenger past cycles.
