News ARTICLE
New Jersey’s Activist-In-Chief Wants To Flip A Swing Seat
When Democrats talk about what draws them to Altman, they often describe her as someone “smart,” who simply puts in the work to win their votes.
“When I went to hear her speak, I was thinking, ‘We’re not going to win this one with a Working Families person,’” said Sharon Glover, a homemaker from Tewksbury, who attended the county convention as a delegate. “But once I heard her speak, I’m like, she’s really smart. She really understands our community. She wants to listen and we don’t always get that.”
News article
Planned Parenthood backs Altman for Congress
Planned Parenthood Action Fund has endorsed Sue Altman for Congress, signaling that the group plans to spend money in New Jersey’s 7th district painting the freshman Republican incumbent, Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield), as having an “anti-choice” record.
Altman said the endorsement comes “at a time when far-right extremists attempt to ban abortion nationwide, even here in New Jersey.”
news article
AFSCME New Jersey backs Altman in NJ-7
The New Jersey branch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) announced today that it is supporting Democratic congressional candidate Sue Altman in her race against freshman Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield).
“We’re proud to endorse Sue Altman, who has shown time and again she will fight for New Jersey’s working families,” AFSCME’s New Jersey executive director, Steve Tully, said in a statement. “We look forward to helping send Sue to Washington, where she will continue to champion the interests of our members and fight back against an extremist Republican agenda aimed at dismantling organized labor’s progress across the country.”
News article
Altman Outraises Vulnerable Republican Tom Kean Jr. in First Quarter of 2024
Sue Altman’s campaign for Congress has hit the ground running, outraising vulnerable freshman Republican Tom Kean Jr. in the first quarter of 2024.
This is “the first time Kean has been outraised by Democrats” since 2022. Altman was recently added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s ‘Red to Blue’ list and cleared her primary field in early February. Now, she is racking up endorsements and shaking up the political system in New Jersey.
op-ed
Tom Kean’s Cowardice on Ukraine
He’s given no floor speech on Ukraine, nor convened a meeting of his subcommittee to discuss it. He’s issued no statement, not even a Tweet, and he’s done nothing to help fellow Republicans in New York and Pennsylvania who have signed a discharge petition seeking to force Speaker Mike Johnson to allow a vote on aid to Ukraine. He answers no questions on the topic.
That’s the problem with Kean. He lacks conviction. He is a party loyalist who meekly does what he’s told, and his first rule is to keep his mouth shut. He’s held no town hall meetings in his 7th District to discuss his votes, on Ukraine or anything else.
news article
Altman raises $580k in Q1 for campaign against Kean
Sue Altman, the presumptive Democratic nominee for New Jersey’s closely watched 7th congressional district, raised more than $580,000 in the first three months of the year and has more than $910,000 on-hand for her race against Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield).
“These fundraising numbers demonstrate the growing strength of our grassroots campaign in what will be the most critical race in New Jersey this year, and we’re just getting started,” Altman said in a statement. “All eyes are on NJ-07 as we look to take back the House Majority and defeat Tom Kean, Jr. – an empty suit and rubber-stamp for extremism. As we continue to build this grassroots movement, I’m confident we’ll have the resources necessary to engage and mobilize voters across the district.”
NEWS ARTICLE
Andy Kim endorses Sue Altman for Congress
Nearly six years ago, Sue Altman was serving on the leadership board of South Jersey Women for Progressive Change, a grassroots group formed after Donald Trump won the presidency. From that perch, she worked hard to help Andy Kim, a former Obama White House staffer and first-time candidate, oust a two-term Republican congressman in a South Jersey district Trump had carried by six points.
Now Kim, the likely Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, is returning the favor and endorsing Altman’s bid to unseat Rep. Thomas Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) in New Jersey’s 7th district, one of the most competitive congressional races in the nation.
NEWS ARTICLE
Booker endorses Altman for Congress
Sue Altman, the presumptive Democratic nominee for Congress in the competitive 7th congressional district, announced an endorsement today from U.S. Senator Cory Booker.
“I’m proud to endorse my friend Sue Altman,” Booker said in a statement. “I’ve long respected her tenacity in fighting for New Jersey values and families. I look forward to continuing to fight with Sue to turn NJ-07 blue and regain the House majority.”
news article
DCCC adds Altman to ‘Red to Blue’ list for top House candidates
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has added Sue Altman to its “Red to Blue” program for top-tier House candidates, the clearest indication yet that national Democrats intend to heavily target Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) this year.
News article
Five N.J. House members back Altman for Congress
Five members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation are endorsing Sue Altman, the presumptive Democratic nominee for New Jersey’s highly competitive 7th congressional district.
Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair), Donald Payne Jr. (D-Newark), Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson), and Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) all said this morning that they’re supporting Altman, who has no Democratic primary opponents in the race to take on freshman GOP Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield).
NEws article
In New Jersey, some see old-school politics giving way to ‘spring’ amid corruption scandal
“It’s a New Jersey spring,” said Sue Altman, a progressive candidate for Congress, one of many Democrats who crowded into the courtroom. “I would say I think people in New Jersey are ready for change.”
News article
New Jersey’s Sue Altman, breaking with progressive allies, expresses support for Israel
Sue Altman’s background as a progressive organizer and former leader in New Jersey’s Working Families Party raised questions early in her campaign for the seat in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District about how she might approach Israel policy, given the national party’s criticism of Israel and support for conditioning aid to the Jewish state.
But in a position paper shared with Jewish Insider, Altman — now the presumptive Democratic nominee — distanced herself from the hard left on Israel, expressing a personal connection to and affinity for Israel and separating herself from the national WFP’s positions.
NEWS ARticle
How Donald Trump, Joe Biden and grassroots liberals could upend Democratic politics in one of the country’s bluest states
“The (Democratic newcomers) thought they were on the right team here and thought because they were Democrats, they had the ability to stand up and say proudly that they’re the party for democracy, especially in light of Trump being president,” said longtime progressive activist Sue Altman, a Democratic candidate for the state’s 7th Congressional District. But that initial optimism was blunted when “they found out that at the local level or the city level or the county level or the state legislative level, that their own beloved Democrats were not practicing ‘little d’ democracy,” Altman said.
NEWS ARTICLE
Democrats are campaigning on protecting democracy. In N.J., what that means is complicated.
“It would make the campaign much easier and much more straightforward if we could stand up tall and proud and say, ‘Yes, at every level Democrats are the party of democracy and have the receipts to back that up,’” Altman later added. “But right now in New Jersey that’s difficult to do.”
NEWS ARTICLE
Altman wins Morris Dem line, her sixth and final party endorsement
Morris County Democrats officially selected Sue Altman as their organization candidate for Congress in the 7th congressional district today, completing Altman’s uncontested sweep of county conventions.
news article
Warren County Democrats endorse Sue Altman
Sue Altman, the presumptive Democratic nominee for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th district, won her party’s organization line in Warren County today as she prepares to take on freshman Rep. Thomas Kean, Jr. (D-Westfield) in one of the nation’s premier House races.
news article
Altman wins Democratic convention in Sussex County
7th congressional district candidate Sue Altman won Sussex County’s Democratic convention uncontested this morning, putting Altman one step closer to becoming the Democratic nominee against Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) in his highly competitive district.
NEWS ARTICLE
Stolen Valor Scandal: Altman smacks Hayden, tells him to resign
Democratic congressional candidate Sue Altman is slamming Sussex County Commissioner Bill Hayden for allegedly lying about his military record and is calling on him to resign.
News article
Hotel Trades Council backs Sue Altman
The Hotel and Gaming Trades Council (HTC) announced today that it will support Democrat Sue Altman in New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, putting another union in Altman’s corner for her contest against Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield).
Altman officially wins her first county line
Sue Altman has won the Hunterdon County Democratic endorsement for the 7th congressional district, her first official county line in her campaign against Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield).
Op-ed
Improving police and community relations key to improving public safety
Now more than ever, at both the local and national levels, support for American institutions- especially those responsible for law enforcement – is critical. We must stand up for law and order and public safety in a way that is both effective and consistent with our American values, especially those which undergird a dynamic and diverse democracy. We must not cede the issue to those who are willing to prey on people’s very real fears to sell them a hate-filled agenda that helps no one and privileges the very few. We need a vision for public safety that is effective, inclusive and keeps our communities safe, and when we are in power, we must play by the rules.
News Article
Kean Retreats to ‘Hiding Hole' with Speaker Johnson
“You get to go to Congress – the honor of a lifetime. … And yet, you go to Washington and you never come out of your little hiding hole. You never come to meet your constituents.”...it is also true that dating back to the 2022 campaign, Kean has avoided most interviews with the press and public interactions of just about any kind.
NEWS ARTICLE
EMILYs List Backs Altman In NJ-7
Sue Altman, the likely Democratic nominee against Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) in New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, was endorsed today by EMILYs List, a major national group for pro-choice female Democratic candidates.
NEWS ARTICLE
Altman endorsed by Malinowski, further consolidating support in NJ-7
Sue Altman’s campaign for New Jersey’s 7th congressional district received an endorsement today from former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes), the most recent Democrat to hold the highly competitive seat – a strong sign that Altman is a near-lock to become the district’s next Democratic nominee.
Blazakis withdraws, Altman is presumptive nominee vs. Kean
Jason Blazakis is dropping out of the race for the Democratic nomination for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th district, clearing the field for Sue Altman to take on freshman Rep. Thomas Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) in one of the most closely-watched House races in the nation.
NEWS ARTICLE
Altman gets endorsement from Vartan, her former primary rival
Summit Councilman Greg Vartan announced today that he’ll back progressive activist Sue Altman in the Democratic primary for New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, a primary in which he was a candidate until two weeks ago.
news article
Altman gains local establishment endorsements in bid to take on Kean
A group of eight local elected officials and seven Democratic municipal chairs in New Jersey’s 7th district have endorsed Sue Altman for Congress, a show of establishment support that could be helpful as she enters the organization line convention season.
New Jersey Globe: Congressional Progressive Caucus endorses Altman, hardening NJ-7 battle lines
The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) PAC has endorsed former New Jersey Working Families Party director Sue Altman for Congress in the competitive 7th congressional district, giving Altman a powerful set of allies in the left-leaning corners of Washington.
Insider NJ: Make the Road Action endorses Sue Altman for Congress in NJ-7
Lambertville, New Jersey — Today, Make the Road Action announced their support for Sue Altman’s campaign for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th district, the most competitive Congressional race in New Jersey and one of the most competitive across the country. Make the Road Action – NJ, based in Union County, engages tens of thousands of voters of color each year in door to door outreach, organizing and civic engagement.
Insider NJ: SEIU 32BJ endorses Sue Altman in NJ-7 campaign against Rep. Tom Kean Jr.
Lambertville, NJ – Sue Altman, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, has received the endorsement of Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ, one of the largest labor unions in New Jersey. This comes shortly after Altman received the endorsement of the Communication Workers of America and announced over half a million dollars in the first few months of the campaign, cementing her as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary to take on Rep. Tom Kean Jr.
New Jersey Globe: New Jersey Citizen Action backs Altman for NJ-7
Sue Altman, one of three Democratic candidates running in New Jersey’s highly competitive 7th congressional district, unveiled an endorsement today from New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA), a prominent progressive advocacy group.
Insider NJ: Sue Altman Blasts Tom Kean Jr for tossing LGBTQs Under the Bus (again)
Advocates and allies gathered on a misty grey day in Lambertville to protest Congressman Tom Kean Jr’s vote for Mike Johnson to be Speaker of the House. Mr. Johnson, who spent his career tossing LGBTQs under the bus, is now second-in-line to succeed the President.
Insider NJ: Sue Altman calls for expulsion of Sen. Menendez
Lambertville, NJ – Sue Altman, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, released the following statement in response to reporting that Sen. Menendez acted as an unregistered foreign agent.
New Jersey Globe: Altman raises $283k in Q3, breaks $500k since entering NJ-7 race
Sue Altman raised $283,000 in the 3rd quarter of 2023, and has raised $500,000 since entering the race in May – a strong total that puts her in a solid position in the Democratic primary to take on Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) in the 7th congressional district.
New Jersey Globe: Altman gets backing from CWA, first union to wade into NJ-7 primary
Former New Jersey Working Families Party director Sue Altman’s Democratic campaign for the 7th congressional district was endorsed this morning by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), one of New Jersey’s most prominent unions and a major player in state progressive circles.
New Jersey Globe: Altman files formal ethics complaint against Kean over stock trade disclosures
Democratic congressional candidate Sue Altman has filed a formal complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics against Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) over Kean’s belated reporting of his family trust’s stock trades, putting the issue of stock trading front-and-center once again in the 7th congressional district.
Insider NJ: Altman Sees Kean ‘Chipping Away’ at Abortion Rights
Prior to the vote referenced above, the House also voted on various amendments to the bill, including one to reverse the Pentagon’s post-Roe policy of reimbursing women service members who need to travel to another state to receive abortion services. Kean voted “yes” on that as well. So did the state’s other two Republicans in the House, Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew. All nine House Democrats from New Jersey voted “no.”
New Jersey Globe: Sue Altman raises over $200k in first month as NJ-7 candidate
Democrat Sue Altman raised over $200,000 during her first month as a candidate for Congress in hugely competitive New Jersey’s 7th district, a fundraising haul that exceeds the amount national Democratic groups and funders wanted to see as they look at the field of candidates to take on freshman Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) in 2024, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.
New Jersey Globe: Altman gets new wave of NJ-7 endorsers, including two top labor leaders
Former New Jersey Working Families Party director Sue Altman’s Democratic campaign for the highly competitive 7th congressional district picked up seven new endorsers today, including two top labor leaders: Communication Workers of America state director Franceline Ehret and 32BJ SEIU state director Kevin Brown.
New Jersey Globe: Altman raises over $100k in first week as NJ-7 candidate
Since announcing her candidacy for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th district last week, Sue Altman raised $102,083 in her first seven days, an enormous sum that cements her contention that she’s the right candidate to take on freshman Rep. Thomas Kean, Jr. next year, the New Jersey Globe has learned.
The New York Times: The District Gained Republicans. Could a Liberal Democrat Take It Back?
New Jersey’s Seventh Congressional District was redrawn last year specifically to boost the chances of Republicans. It worked. Now, Democrats are trying to win back the seat. But rather than turn to a centrist who mirrors the conservative ethos of the region, the party appears to be coalescing around a candidate who for four years has been the face of New Jersey’s progressive left: Sue Altman.
Insider NJ: Sue Altman Promises Victory in CD-7 over Tom Kean
Sue Altman today announced her CD-7 candidacy via Twitter. “Game on!!! Proud to announce I am running for Congress in my home district of CD-7. It’s time to fight… and we will win!!”
Insider NJ: Congressman Tom Kean Jr. versus (which Democrat?) in 2024
Ms. Altman might be best-equipped to hammer home the “Tom Kean Jr. is a lapdog” narrative by highlighting Kean’s fealty to the self-serving men who run his party such as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and former NJ Governor Chris Christie.
Politico: Progressive activist Altman helping to organize ‘Moderate Party’ efforts
If the effort to create a “Moderate Party” in New Jersey succeeds, it will have been brought about, in part, by one of the state’s most high-profile progressive activists.
Politico Pro: Christie touts his 'Fairness Formula' school funding plan amid questions, protest
In typical Chris Christie fashion, the governor engaged in an animated back-and-forth with a member of the public who challenged his school funding proposal during an education forum Tuesday. Camden resident Sue Altman asked Christie how he would reconcile giving the school district $6,599 per pupil — the same amount he’s proposing for every district in New Jersey — when it should cost thousands more to educate a child facing extra hardships.