Democrat Brian Varela’s campaign for New Jersey’s 7th congressional district has picked up its first endorsements from Warren County, a red county where prominent Democrats are few and far between.
Tom Palmieri, who chaired the Warren County Democratic Party from 2014 until 2024, endorsed Varela today; so did Belvidere Councilman-elect John Johnson, who will become one of the only Democrats in elected office anywhere in the county when he takes office next year.
“Brian has the grit and business success to fight for working families who feel left behind in Warren County,” Palmieri said in a statement. “He’s building a grassroots campaign all across the district, including here in Warren County where Democrats are often overlooked.”
“Too many families are leaving our small towns because costs are skyrocketing, and Brian will fight to lower costs for working families,” Johnson said. “Brian knows what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck and he’s exactly the kind of Democrat who can win in communities like Belvidere, where Trump won by a large margin.”
Varela’s campaign to take on Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) has been earning local endorsements for months, far outstripping any of his Democratic rivals in that regard; he now has at least one endorsement from five of the 7th district’s six counties.
