The Hudson County Young Democrats hosted a relaunch event at the River Street Garage in Hoboken last night, with U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez serving as their keynote speaker.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The first goal is, some of you may have experienced this and I’ve heard folks talk about this, is, when I moved to Hoboken about a decade ago, I reached out to some local politicians, went on the Hoboken Democrats website and I just really wanted to find a lane to get involved,” recalled HCYD President Matt Hayden.
“There were some events happening here and there, but they were mostly centered around the election and I just really, really wanted to get involved and I kept hitting roadblocks pretty much every time. So we want the Hudson County Young Democrats to be that central organization that people can come to, can educate themselves, and advocate, and then give back to the community.”
The crowd of roughly 120 people included several mainstays of the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO): Chair Craig Guy, also the county executive, state Senator Raj Mukherji (D-32), County Board of Commissioners Chair Anthony Romano (D-5), as well as West New York Commissioner Adam Parkinson and Marielka Diaz.
Democratic 32nd Legislative District Assembly nominee Katie Brennan also came out to show her support for the cause, as did Hoboken 1st Ward Councilman Paul Presinzano and Councilman-at-Large Joe Quintero.
“The politics on a national level are chaotic, but you know, sometimes the politics on the local level are chaotic too. But we cannot let that be divisive, we cannot let that discourage you guys from being part of the process, right?” Guy began.
“You guys needs to be part of the process. The apathy in voters of all ages, it’s a struggle from one end of the county to the other, from one end of the country to another.”
He also commended Hayden and his executive board for making the effort to relaunch the local young Dems chapter, which he said could be critical in the November 4th gubernatorial race that pits U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11) against Jack Ciattarelli.
Mukherji echoed that sentiment.
” … You’re building a firewall against the normalization of chaos … that is becoming normalized because nothing sticks to this guy [President Donald Trump]. I’ll tell you why it is so incredibly important for young voters to play a role and mobilize in time for this November’s gubernatorial election,” the state senator declared.
“Because otherwise, we are going to see someone whose out there leaning into Donald Trump, rather than away from it, elected as the next governor.”
He also encourage young Democrats not to sit around and wait their turn, instead telling them to go for it when they feel it is their time to step up and lead.
Menendez, who was re-elected to his second term in the House last year, spoke directly about engaging younger voters.
“In terms of engaging people that are a younger demographic, right, we always say when we look at polling, we look at turnout, we say that younger folks aren’t turning out and we say ‘why don’t they care?’ They all very much care,” he asserted.
“We have a youth advisory council of high school students: They very much care. I just went to an eighth grade graduation, they very much care about the future of their country. What our obligation is to tell them what we’re doing to enhance their future. We can’t expect people to show up if we’re not showing what our vision is, if we’re not telling people our idea of what a better, more inclusive country is.”
He continued by calling Trump “the worst of the worst” who is “wrong for this country,” but for the most part, Democrats are divided while Republicans are united.
The congressman also spoke out against Trump’s deportation policies, as well as taking rights away from the LGBTQ+ community.
“Everyday, I would go back to Delaney Hall if I can because what’s happening there, and at the Elizabeth Detention Center, is unjust. We are not going after criminals, we are going after families. Most people, most people in this country have been here for over 15 years, the have given so much to our communities no matter where you live in Hudson, no matter where you live in the state,” Menendez exclaimed.
“We need to speak up for them. We need to speak up for the LGBTQ+ community. It’s insane that the National Access Team, Mental Health Hotline, is severing ties with the Trevor Project. That is unacceptable because we only make it harder for LGBT youth to live their true lives and we’ve made it exceptionally hard trans youth to live their authentic life and we should not back away from it!”
New Jersey Young Democrats President Fatima Heyward also attended, revealing during her remarks that she will be running for a spot on national young Democrats board.
Nothing is more on brand for the HCDO than to have its YDs have their keynote speaker be a man who owes his entire career to his now-incarcerated father and soon-to-be incarcerated stepmother.
A better name for them would be Future Cronies of Hudson County
Good points, What fine examples. Considering the fact that Rob Menendez has not said a disparaging word about his father’s disgusting conduct AT ANY TIME since he was indicted OR since he was convicted OR since he reported to prison, would the younger Menendez sell his own office, in a manner of speaking, to Trump, by voting with the GOP on that ‘big, beautiful bill’, for example, in exchange for Trump’s pardon of his father?
was there – good time good energy
Funny that Presinzano who is neither young nor actually a Democrat was there.