Baptist minister endorses Lisa McCormick for County Surrogate

Progressive champion Lisa McCormick has picked up a valuable from endorsement in her campaign to win the Democratic nomination for Union County Surrogate, an obscure government office concerned with wills and adoptions.

Rev. Tracey Brown, a well-known community advocate who is pastor at Ruth Fellowship Ministries and a former Plainfield City Council member, said she is planning to vote for Lisa McCormick on Column C in the June 4 Democratic primary election.

McCormick was introduced at Ruth Fellowship Ministries and she spent much of the day meeting Plainfield Democrats, who told her they remain concerned about crime and violence in the city.

"As Union County Surrogate, it would be my job to protect widows and orphans from unscrupulous lawyers who might cheat them while they are grieving lost loved ones," said McCormick. "People want to know they can rely of government to provide security and justice, which are vital to our liberty and prosperity. The Union County Surrogate's office is a key part of that protection, but it has lapsed into complacency and even corruption."

McCormick earned a reputation as a corruption fighter whoen she garnered 159,998 votes statewide against Senator Bob Menendez in the 2018 Democratic primary. She is now a part of the Democrats United for Progress slate on Column C in the June 4 election and she is challenging incumbent James LaCorte.

Joining McCormick on the Democrats United for Progress team are Carlos Rivas and Mark Lighten, who will face Assemblyman James Kennedy and Assemblywoman Linda Carter in the 22nd legislative district primary race.

Plainfield school board member Wilma Campbell, Linden economic development chief Alex Lospinoso, and former Roselle city councilwoman Sylvia Turnage are running for freeholder on the Democrats United for Progress ticket, which will appear in Column C on the June 4 ballot.

Incumbent Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski, Sergio Granados and Rebecca Williams are on the regular political organization slate. Also running for re-election on the regular political organization line is LaCorte, who has had the job for 20 years and is the son of the last Republican mayor of Elizabeth.

Legislation sponsored by state Senator Nick Scutari, a political boss who is backing the regular organization line, increased the salary of the surrogate from $165,000 to $189,000.