Christine Clarke of Jefferson is running for the state Senate in District 25 as a Democrat. (Photo by Derek Boen)
Christine Clarke of Jefferson has announced her candidacy for the state Senate in District 25, which covers 19 towns in Morris and Passaic counties, including West Milford.
The district now is represented by Sen. Anthony M. Bucco, a Republican elected in 2019 after serving nine years in the state Assembly.
Clarke, a Democrat, is an environmental activist, grassroots organizer and mother of four who ran for the Assembly in 2019 and Senate in 2021.
She said she is running to build the clean energy economy, improve health care, protect clean air and water, and lead with empathy and common-sense fiscal responsibility.
As a working-class mother, she has focused on making New Jersey safer and more equitable for working families.
“The times we live in call for servant leaders who put the needs of the district before personal ambition,” she said. “We need people in Trenton who do the correct thing because it is correct and who will be consistent in standing up publicly and behind-the-scenes as necessary to get good work done.
Clarke has been working with broad coalitions on fighting climate impacts, defending women’s rights and making politics more accessible for working families for years.
She brought together Democrat and Republican leaders in her town to create an annual bipartisan Pride event.
She is a Climate Reality Leader, a steering committee member of the Jersey Renews coalition, and a member of the NJ NAACP Environment and Climate Justice team via Morristown Local 2092.
She was on the 2018 steering committees for the state March for Science and the New Jersey People’s Climate Movement.
She is a former environmental director at Action Together New Jersey and was an early organizer with NJ 11th for Change.
She is serving a second term as the elected municipal chairwoman of the Jefferson Township Democratic Committee.
Clarke has lived in Jefferson for 18 years with her husband and four children.
Her campaign has been endorsed by New Jersey State Democratic Chairman Leroy Jones, Morris County Democratic Chairwoman Amalia Duarte and Passaic County Democratic Committee Chairman John Currie.
”Christine Clarke is a strong advocate and grassroots organizer who if elected to the Senate will put our working families front and center and work towards a brighter and better future for all of New Jersey. I’m proud to support her candidacy in LD25,” Jones said.
Duarte said, “Christine is running for state Senate because she has a deep commitment to improving the lives of residents in LD25. She is a fighter and a hard worker who won’t just show up for photo ops but will also show up to serve constituents.
“LD25 deserves leadership with a vision for the future, and that’s what Christine brings to this campaign.”
Currie said, ”Christine Clarke is a hard worker and will be a great public servant. I am proud to endorse her candidacy.”