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USA Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump stumps for GOP's Jack Ciattarelli: What to know about New Jersey governor primaries
Trump stumps for GOP's Jack Ciattarelli: What to know about New Jersey governor primaries Show Caption Hide Caption New Jersey governor signs bill making book bans illegal Governor Phil Murphy signed the Freedom to Read Act which will prevent arbitrary book banning in the state. President Donald Trump put his full weight behind New Jersey's leading Republican candidate for governor, telling voters in a June 2 telephone rally saying he 'is the most experienced and battle-tested' to win despite the Garden State businessman's past criticisms of Trump. Trump, who noted he often stays in Bedminster, supported Jack Ciattarelli for his pledges to cap property taxes at 1% and to fight illegal immigration. Trump encouraged voters to head to the polls for the first day of early voting June 3, ahead of election day June 10. 'Jack has what it takes to win. He has my complete and total endorsement,' Trump said during a five-minute speech. 'It's being watched all over the world because New Jersey is ready to pop out of that blue horror show.' New Jersey is one of two states to host a high-stakes gubernatorial election this November that could go a long way to determining which party has the political momentum heading into the 2026 midterms. Trump's virtual appearance came on the eve of early voting in the state's primary elections and where the two-term president's own fortunes are very much reliant on sustained GOP wins at the ballot box. New Jersey is guaranteed to see a fresh face leading the state after this year: Democratic Gov. Philip Murphy is term limited. But while the East coast state typically tilts blue, the general outcome is far from settled. Both parties have crowded candidate fields heading into the primaries on June 10, though Republicans can claim to have a slightly clearer frontrunner in Ciattarelli. Spending this year in the Garden State has shattered previous primary election records. Between all 11 names on the ballot in 2025, candidates raised about $59 million and shelled out more than $43 million of that as of May 12, according to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. Trump backing his former critic Trump first announced his support for Ciattarelli, a former New Jersey general assembly member and now three-time candidate for governor, via Truth Social. 'Jack Ciattarelli is a terrific America First Candidate running to be the next Governor of a State that I love, NEW JERSEY!' Trump wrote in a post on May 12. 'Jack, who after getting to know and understand MAGA, has gone ALL IN, and is now 100%' Ciattarelli in 2015 labelled Trump a 'charlatan,' 'out of step with the Party of Lincoln' and 'not fit to be President of the United States.' And in 2021, running his second campaign for governor, the former state legislator kept Trump at arms-length. Past statements appear to be old news, though, with Trump spending time before the primary lauding Ciattarelli's candidacy. Ciattarelli was the leading candidate among Republicans before receiving the president's support. His main opponent, former radio host Bill Spadea, has painted himself as a Trump loyalist. In a new ad, Spadea said he was 'disappointed' by the president's endorsement decision. 'Jack Ciattarelli did more than disagree with the president — he disrespected him,' Spadea said in the direct-to-camera commercial. 'Me? I've been a supporter of President Trump since he came down the escalator. Other names on the GOP ballot are state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac and Burlington County contractor Justin Barbera. Democrats to duke it out Among Democrats, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a congresswoman representing a district in north New Jersey, has the edge. A former Navy pilot, Sherill is currently serving her fourth term in the U.S. House and has built a reputation as a moderate. She's locked down her own major endorsements, including from tennis icon Billie Jean King and Democratic political action committee EMILY's List. She faces five other candidates in a far-from-decided primary contest. Another Democratic member of Congress, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, is right behind Sherrill in polling, along with Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller. Rounding out the field is former state Sen. President Steve Sweeney. Trump focuses on beating Democrats rather than GOP rivals Trump focused on contrasting Ciattarelli with Democrats rather than rival Republicans in the primary by saying he would fight to lower taxes and crack down on violent criminals. Trump said Ciattarelli, a former Somerset County commissioner and state assemblyman, would stand up to 'crippling regulations, rampant corruption' and 'radical teachers' unions.' 'I can't do any better than that, Jack,' Trump said. 'So get out there and win.' Ciattarelli thanked Trump for the endorsement and said his first executive order would be to eliminate so-called 'sanctuary cities' that limit cooperation with federal enforcement of immigration laws. 'We'll work together to keep our country safe and, of course, New Jersey safe,' Ciattarelli said. 'I'm honored and I will not let you down.' It's either party's game A poll by Emerson College and The Hill found Ciattarelli leading the Republican pack with 44% of voters' support, to Spadea's 18%. Sherrill was ahead among Democrats at 28%, with Fulop, Baraka and Gottheimer next at 11%. Regardless of who comes out on top June 10, the general race for governor is expected to be a competitive battle and possible bellwether for the country. New Jersey has a history of flipping between parties when picking their top state official. Former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, served two terms from 2010 to 2018. He was succeeded by current New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat. Murphy, now term-limited, faced Ciattarelli when running for reelection in 2021 and eked out a three-point win – much closer than his 15-point victory four years earlier. Former Vice President Kamala Harris won New Jersey in the 2024 presidential election. However, her six-point margin of victory was also a drop from Joe Biden's 16-point win in the Garden State in 2020 against then-President Trump.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill to protect RI libraries from book bans moves forward
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Legislation aimed at protecting libraries from book bans and affirming free speech in Rhode Island is now headed to the House. The Senate advanced the Freedom to Read Act on Tuesday. If passed, the bill would promote access to information and freedom of expression by prohibiting censorship of library materials. BACKGROUND: RI leaders, advocates push for 'Freedom to Read' bill at State House State Sen. Mark McKenney introduced the legislation, which seeks to safeguard the rights to free speech, free inquiry, and opinion—protections outlined in both the U.S. and Rhode Island constitutions. In recent months, state leaders, residents, and advocates have weighed in on the issue. Some agree with McKenney, who believes materials should not be banned, removed or censored, emphasizing that 'reading is a gift.' Meanwhile, others have expressed strong opposition to the measure, arguing that children should be shielded from 'offensive material' and libraries should be stocked with 'age-appropriate' rather than 'age-relevant' items. MORE: RI lawmakers consider 'Freedom to Read Act' According to the Rhode Island Library Association, every New England state except Rhode Island currently has legal protections in place for librarians, teachers, and museum employees against civil or criminal charges related to their collections. If enacted, the bill would direct the commissioner of elementary and secondary education to create policies for library collection development, including criteria for selecting and maintaining materials and protections against censorship efforts. 'Public libraries are the repositories of free thought, and librarians are the guardians of those principles,' McKenney said. 'It should be the policy of every state to guarantee that libraries remain a place of free and open exchange of ideas without any partisan or doctrinal pressure.' The proposal also asserts that, 'Authors, creators, and publishers have a right to communicate their ideas to anyone who is interested in receiving them. Students and library patrons of all ages have a corresponding right to encounter them without government interference.' The Rhode Island Freedom to Read Act Coalition applauded the Senate's decision to pass the legislation. 'Rhode Islanders care deeply about the freedom to choose the books they and their familiesread,' said Cheryl Space, co-chair of the Rhode Island Library Association Legislative ActionCommittee. This is the third year the Freedom to Read Act has passed in the Senate, according to the coalition. 'There is broad support for this bipartisan bill both within the House of Representatives andaround the state,' said Padma Venkatraman, co-chair of Rhode Island Authors Against BookBans. 'We are eager to see it voted into law.' Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Commentary: Before they open a book: the politicization of Orange County's public libraries
The Huntington Beach Public Library is a community paragon and is expected to unveil its 50th anniversary plaque this month — a plaque that has sparked controversy with its politicized messaging. Emblazoned with the MAGA acronym and slogans from previous presidents, the plaque is one of many ways politics have infiltrated Orange County libraries, especially the children's sections. Politicization through book bans, extremely partisan city councils and physical signage has skewed our youngest readers' perception of literature. To combat literary politicization, the state of California recently chartered the Freedom to Read Act, restricting book banning in state-funded facilities. Will this be enough to protect Orange County children's right to read? Every new parent is urged to create avid readers for a reason. Reading is key to a child's development. It is known to improve children's critical thinking and concentration, develop their senses of empathy and creativity, and introduce them to different cultures and experiences. Orange County public libraries support families' reading goals with their children's sections and events such as story time, reading challenges and family book clubs. Yet our public libraries have faced roadblocks to free access in recent years. According to the American Library Assn., book bans have been on the rise in the last few years, and nowhere is this clearer than in Huntington Beach. Although free access to literature is considered a protected 1st Amendment right under free speech, Huntington Beach officials have been among those who believe children's sections should be monitored. Just last year The Huntington Beach City Council ordered its central library to move books with 'sexual content' out of the children's section. The 'sexual content' in question? Books on potty training, puberty, and anatomy — subjects integral for children's development. The state of California seeks to reduce such instances of book banning. The Freedom to Read Act, AB 1825, dictates that by Jan. 1, 2026, all state-funded libraries must write and publish a collection development policy. Collection policies cannot allow the removal, relocation, or restriction of books based on political, LGBTQ+, or racial content, topics that frequently justify book bans. This act would especially affect children's sections, cementing diverse stories on children's shelves. Supporters view this act with optimism toward a bipartisan state library system, especially for littles; in contrast, some municipalities, including Huntington Beach, expressed contempt for AB 1825 and seek to fight against it. Book bans are not the only conduits of library politicization; city councils and infrastructure are politicized as well. While AB 1825 aims to reduce politicization of public libraries, it only focuses on library content. Despite librarians, volunteers and patrons alike voicing concerns about the presidential slogans on the Huntington Beach Public Library's 50th anniversary plaque, the City Council unanimously approved the design. When the plaque is unveiled, families will encounter politicized messages from both the left and the right before even cracking open a book. Despite its best efforts, AB 1825 will not eliminate politicization by a long shot. Orange County citizens are responsible for protecting the integrity of our libraries, especially for our children. Community members can directly support public libraries by simply going to their local library and taking out a library card. This increases the library's door count and card count and can dictate its allocated resources. Advocate for children's free, bipartisan access to literature in public libraries by voicing concerns at city council meetings and reaching out to representatives. Relatives of school-age children can attend school board meetings and defend librarians and teachers. Parents should discuss what content their children should and should not be reading at their age while encouraging curiosity on diverse stories. Orange County public libraries have encouraged both proper development through reading and love for books in thousands of children; it is up to its citizens to protect the libraries from politicization so thousands more can experience the benefits of free access to literature. Meredith Starkenburg is a lifelong Orange County resident who studies education and English at the College of William and Mary.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Freedom to Read Act' filed in TN legislature would overturn ‘Age Appropriate Materials Act' of 2022
NASHVILLE, Tenn (WKRN) — A bill filed by a Knoxville Democrat aims to return books to classroom libraries and to repeal a newer state law affecting them. Knoxville's Rep. Sam McKenzie (D) has filed HB 1051, also known as the 'Freedom to Read Act,' which would repeal the state's Age Appropriate Materials Act of 2022 while still ensuring books available in school libraries are appropriate for students. Specifically, the bill requires materials in a library collection or school classroom to be 'suitable for the age and maturity levels' of the students at the school; prohibits materials from being excluded because of the origin, background, or view of the creator or because of 'partisan, ideological, or religious disapproval' of it; and requires each local school board and charter school to adopt a policy outlining how to review items in library collections. The review procedure must be 'uniform' and allow the district to 'receive and review feedback' from a student, a parent or guardian, or a school employee. The bill would also remove the state's Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission's authority to issue guidance on schools reviewing library materials, assist districts in evaluating the materials for 'appropriateness' or responding to feedback, complaints or challenges to materials in collections, establishing a timeline for appeals of decisions made by school districts, and making its own determination of any materials in school libraries if the district chooses not to review a title. Since it was enacted in 2022, the Tennessee Age Appropriate Materials Act has been used to catalog all available titles in school libraries to determine whether or not they are appropriate for students. TBI raided law firm investigating 61-page complaint filed against MNPD: CRB Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union have called the bill an act of censorship. 'This misguided and overly broad ban on certain materials could result in the censoring of education materials on biology, history, literature, and health,' the ACLU of Tennessee said in an informational flyer on a 2024 amendment to the Act. That amendment to the Act revised the definition of a book deemed unsuitable for children in K-12 schools to include anything that 'in whole or in part contains nudity, or descriptions or depictions of sexual excitement, sexual conduct, excess violence, or sadomasochistic abuse.' ⏩ Several school districts have used the law to ban more than 1,100 books across the state since the law was enacted, according to the Tennessee Association of School Librarians. Wilson County Schools banned more than 400 books in October of 2024, including a Dr. Seuss book titled 'Wacky Wednesday.' Rutherford County Schools declared several titles 'sexually explicit' in September in a bid to remove them from the school libraries. If passed, the law would take effect July 1. The bill was set to be discussed in the House K-12 Subcommittee, but was cut for time. The next meeting of the subcommittee is Wednesday, March 26, at 1:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
RI lawmakers consider ‘Freedom to Read Act'
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Dozens gathered at the R.I. State House Wednesday evening to share their thoughts on a proposal that would ensure access to books in libraries across the state. The R.I. Senate Education Committee heard testimony from those both for and against the proposal Wednesday night. The 'Freedom to Read Act' would develop library collection policies in order to provide standards for the selection and curation of library material. It would also establish criteria for the removal of existing school library material and provide protection against censorship attempts. 'We can decide what books we want to check out from the library, and we can decide what our own children read or don't read,' said Sen. Mark McKenney, who introduced the legislation. 'But what we can't do is decide what everyone else gets to read or what other people's children get to read or not read.' RELATED: RI leaders, advocates push for 'Freedom to Read' bill at State House 'Reading is a gift, and it is so important that we stay protective of the gift of reading and that when someone wants to take it away, whether by banning books directly or by launching lawsuits attempting to intimidate libraries, schools and librarians because of a book they have on their shelves, we fight,' he continued. The proposal would also protect librarians, teachers and museum employees from civil and criminal charges over the materials in their collections. Rhode Island is the only state in New England that doesn't provide these protections, according to the Rhode Island Library Association. 'Children are naturally curious about their world, and our goal should be to ignite their passion for learning, giving them the tools to address their questions and leave them wanting more,' Community Libraries of Providence Director Cheryl Space said. 'In order to inspire reading, our youth need to see themselves in the books on our library shelves.' 'Librarians have a professional responsibility to provide a diversity of materials in our collection that reflect all of the people in our American society,' she continued. Space urged lawmakers to pass the legislation 'and let all Rhode Islanders know that they are valued and that their history, their point of view and their stories will be protected in our library collections.' '[The legislation] is supported by our youth, who stand to be the most affected by restricted access to library materials blunting their abilities to read factual information about their health and history,' Space testified. But not everyone is on board with the proposal. 'We shouldn't have to feel the need to hover over our children when they're at the library,' Ramona Bessinger testified, arguing that children may unintentionally stumble upon 'offensive material' while browsing a library's collection. '[The proposal's] objective is to give librarians sole authority in stocking library shelves with age-relevant items instead of age-appropriate items,' Moms of Liberty's Amy Rodriguez added. McKenny's proposal has been held for further study. The Senate so lawmakers can review the written testimony that was submitted. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
