By Shaim Akhtar
Staff Writer
In the coming weeks, New Jersey voters will have the opportunity to vote for their chosen representative for the state senate, including the 15th district encompassing the College and Ewing. As the elections approach on Nov. 7, two prominent contenders have emerged in representing the 15th district in the senate: incumbent Shirley Turner and businessman Roger Locandro.
The election of a state senator is pivotal in influencing state public policy, appointment of officials and the state budget.
In response to the upcoming election, Locando released a statement on his election bid, stating “If you feel that Trenton doesn’t represent you or your family values, vote for me and other conservative candidates in November. If you think taxes are too high, federal tax credits should be for homeowners, energy is better produced at the source with customer opportunity and education needs parents involved in it vote for me in November.”
On the other hand, Turner, as of the current moment, has not issued any formal statement regarding her bid for reelection through any of her social platforms, yet is confirmed to be on ballot for the senate election of the 15th district.
In terms of political experience, both candidates have diverse and varied backgrounds in New Jersey and beyond.
Turner grew up in Dover, New Jersey, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from the College and obtained a Masters of Arts in Guidance and Counseling from Rider University. After completing her education, Turner began her career as a teacher in Trenton's public school system and served as an associate director at Rider University. Subsequently, Turner was elected to the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders, serving as the freeholder vice president. In 1993, Turner secured a political office in the state elections, assuming the position of an assemblywoman for two terms. Four years later, Turner continued to advance her political career by winning in the state election, becoming the new and current state senator for the 15th district.
As state senator, Turner serves on the Education, Economic Justice and Equal Employment, Economic Growth and State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation committees, working on bills aimed at improving the education environment and reducing inequality in the state. Notably, during the summer, Turner successfully passed legislation designed to protect younger students from being harmed by restricting pesticide use in school grounds.
Locandro, on the other hand, grew up in New Brunswick, New Jersey and earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics and Masters of Public Administration from Rutgers University. After completing his education, Locandro became the owner of Punkin Hollow Farms and the managerial owner of Energy Smarts Mechanical. Entering the political realm in 2009, Locandro served as the environmental commissioner for Delaware Township for seven years. Since 2018, Locandro has been on the Board of Trustees in Raritan Valley Community College.
Over the summer, Locandro won the Republican nomination for the state senate of the 15th district, advocating for improvements in the areas of education, affordability and workforce development and growth. To emphasize, one of Locandro's prominent advocacy points involves a combination of freedom of choice and increased parental involvement in the state's public education system.
As election day approaches, Turner appears increasingly likely to retain her position, considering the last time a Republican won the 15th district was in 1993, whom Turner defeated for her first term. Moreover, Turner has consistently won in each reelection campaign, often winning by a landslide of approximately 30% more votes than her opponents. In the last election, she achieved her largest reelection margin to date, securing about 50% more votes than her opposition.
Though very unlikely, if Locandro were to manage a victory or lose by a narrow margin in the upcoming election, it would signify a substantial shift in the political landscape of the 15th district, representing the College and Ewing.
