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Trenton, NJ (April 21, 2025) — Food & Water Action, a leading national organization that advocates for safe food, clean water and a livable climate, has endorsed Loretta Rivers in the upcoming primary election for New Jersey’s 17th Assembly District. Rivers joins a slate of candidates that have demonstrated a tireless commitment to safeguarding our environment, building a transparent and accountable political system, and rejecting corporate control over New Jersey politics.
Rivers, a nonprofit director at Habitat for Humanity and mother of three, is a longtime advocate on environmental, education and housing issues. As a legislator, she is committed to passing the NJ Climate Superfund Act, instituting an immediate moratorium on all new fossil fuel infrastructure, accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources and protecting public health.
For over a century, NJ politics were dominated by party bosses who used the county line ballot to entrench their power and shield incumbents from real competition. But after years of activism — and a boost from Andy Kim’s insurgent Senate run — a federal judge struck down the party line as unconstitutional. This year’s primary is the first without it, empowering new voices and forcing lawmakers to be more responsive to voters. Polling commissioned by Food & Water Action shows large majorities of likely Democratic primary voters in LD17 remain undecided, signaling a wide-open contest and real opportunities for new voices and leadership.
“Loretta Rivers is a bona fide champion for New Jersey. Thanks to her deep community ties and history of frontline advocacy, she is clear-eyed about the challenges facing our state and the structural solutions needed to address them,” said Matt Smith, New Jersey State Director at Food & Water Action. “For far too long, New Jersey’s political establishment has made it all but impossible for independent, grassroots candidates to break into state politics. As a result, our policies have lagged far behind peer states, while machine politicians remain beholden to corporate interests and unaccountable to voters. This undue corporate influence makes our state less affordable and less responsive to the needs of working families. June's primary election is our first chance to begin breaking that status quo, and we’re thrilled to throw our support behind Loretta in her effort to help New Jersey finally turn the page.
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