As county Democratic organizations in the 7th congressional district prepare to make their endorsements, Megan O’Rourke announced a new set of supporters today consisting of current and former local elected officials from all corners of the district.
Among O’Rourke’s backers are former Washington Borough Mayor Ethel Conry, who was perhaps the single most prominent Warren County Democrat in elected office until she lost re-election in 2024, and Mendham Borough Councilman Chris Neff, who last year became the first Democrat elected to his town’s governing body in five decades.
“In my race, I saw the benefit of reaching new voters and those who typically don’t vote for Democratic candidates,” Neff said in a statement. “Megan is the candidate who can grow our voter base, fight for our values, and give a voice to everyone in the 7th congressional district in Washington.”
Also on O’Rourke’s new list of endorsers: two school board members in Blairstown, where she lives; former local elected officials in Frenchtown, Washington Borough, Montgomery, and Hunterdon’s Franklin Township; and Phil DeStefano, last year’s Democratic nominee for Sussex county commissioner.
O’Rourke, a climate scientist and former USDA official, is one of six Democrats running for the competitive 7th district, where Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) is seeking a third term in office.
At the Hunterdon Democratic convention earlier this month, O’Rourke came in fourth place, though the 21% of the vote she received in the first round was higher than some expected. As the only candidate to hail from the district’s northwestern corner, she may be positioned to do better at the upcoming Sussex and Warren conventions; Sussex Democrats will award their endorsement on March 14.
Full list of endorsements
• Mendham Borough Councilman Chris Neff
• Former Washington Borough Mayor Ethel Conry
• Former Washington Borough Councilwoman Josephine Noone
• Former Montgomery Township Committeeman Brad Fay
• Former Franklin Township Committeeman Dan Connor (also the 2023/2024 Democratic nominee for Hunterdon county commissioner)
• 2025 Democratic nominee for Sussex county commissioner Phil Destefano
• Former Frenchtown Councilwoman Holly Low
• Blairstown school board members Jeremy Cook and Karen Klein
• North Warren Regional school board member Kristy Cook
• Former Roselle Councilwoman Janna Williams and former Roselle school board member Naima Ricks (both members of O’Rourke’s campaign staff)
