| Candidate
Information
Professional
Background: Mrs.
Stender is a full-time legislator. She previously served
as the foundation director and volunteer coordinator at
Runnells Hospital.
Education:
Mrs. Stender worked her way through college. She
received a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Communications from
The American University in Washington, D.C.
Family
Life: The candidate is a
lifelong resident of Fanwood, New Jersey. She and her husband Richard currently live one block away from the house where she grew up as a child. They have been married for 28 years and have three
children; they just celebrated the birth of their first
grandchild.
Government
Experience:
Mrs. Stender is now serving her third term in the New Jersey General Assembly representing the 22nd Legislative District. She is
vice chairwoman of the Transportation and Pubic Works Committee and is also a member of the Health and Senior Services Committee and the Tourism and Gaming Committee. This past November,
she came within 1 percentage point of defeating an incumbent congressman in the heavily Republican 7th Congressional
District. Previously, she served on the Fanwood Borough Council,
was the mayor of Fanwood and then was a Union County freeholder. Major
Campaign Issues:
a. Global Warming - Mrs. Stender wrote the recently signed Global
Warming Response Act, championing New Jersey’s effort to curb
dangerous global warming emissions from all sources. The act established
the strictest and most extensive mandatory limitations on global warming
emissions in the nation. b.
Stem Cell Research - Mrs. Stender strongly supports stem
cell research to find treatments. In the General Assembly,
she pushed for laws to make New Jersey a national leader
in stem cell research through the construction of stem
cell research facilities. Through her leadership, these
facilities will be paid for with cigarette tax
securitization bonds. c.
Homeland Security - she has worked to provide first
responders with the tools they need; she
created a Fire Service Resource Deployment Program in New
Jersey for which she was honored as Legislator of the Year
by the NJ Deputy Fire Chiefs Association. She is pressing
Congress to pass a law so state and local law-enforcement
personnel can utilize gun information that the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) compiles
and maintains as a firearm is manufactured, sold and
distributed. She has fought for increased security at
ports. She believes strongly that the recommendations made
by the 9/11 Commission regarding inspection of cargo
should be universally adopted to thwart any potential
threats. Her other major campaign issues
include protecting children from drugs and explicit
material, issues of women's safety and health, lowering
property taxes, pedestrian safety and other transportation
improvements, showing appreciation to servicemen and
women, and other environmental issues.
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