Republican New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli was endorsed by the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) 825, which represents over 7,000 members throughout New Jersey.
Greg Lalevee, the business manager of IUOE 825, expressed in a statement that New Jersey was “at a crossroads,” and was facing “an affordability crisis” and a lack of common sense, the New Jersey Globe reported.
Lalevee added that Ciattarelli, who won the state’s Republican primary for governor in early June, “understands New Jersey” and knows “what needs to be done to fix” the state.
“New Jersey is at a crossroads,” Lalevee said. “We face an energy crisis, an affordability crisis, and a crisis of common sense. The solutions are basic but may not be politically popular. We need a Governor who will tackle our challenges and not cave to the fringe political voices.”
Lalevee continued: “Jack Ciattarelli understands New Jersey and what needs to be done to fix our great state.”
IUOE 825, which is headquartered in Springfield, New Jersey, “has 7,500 members,” according to the union’s website.
Union members “operate heavy equipment” such as cranes, forklifts, excavators, bulldozers, and backhoes.
Lalevee also noted how Ciattarelli was open to creating “jobs by supporting projects involving natural gas,” and criticized Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), the Democrat gubernatorial candidate, for having advocated for solar projects in order to address “the state’s energy needs.”
Lalevee cited Ciattarelli’s willingness to create jobs by supporting projects involving natural gas and panned the Democratic nominee, Mikie Sherril, for “banking on solar” as a solution to the state’s energy needs.
“The notion that we can do this without natural gas is insane,” Lalevee told the New Jersey Globe. “We can’t get there just on solar. That’s impossible.”
In a piece written in the NJBiz, Sherrill wrote that under her leadership, “New Jersey will build a clean, resilient energy future that lowers costs.” Sherrill added that under her leadership, she would tap “into clean and affordable energy like never before” by “expanding community solar projects on warehouses and commercial” spaces.
“Solar fields on landfills, brownfields, parking lots, and quarries will transform underutilized space into affordable power sources,” Sherrill continued.
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