
Tom Malinowski
New Jersey 07
Incumbent
2020 margin: 1.2%
Biden\Trump margin: 9.9%
Cook: Lean R
Sabato: Lean R
to Tom's Campaign
“I served our country under two presidents, defending the freedom and rights of workers and women, cracking down on corruption, and standing up to dictators…
Since you elected me to Congress, I’ve been just as relentless standing up for the people of our district–helping pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill to fund the Gateway Tunnel, bringing manufacturing and supply chains home to America, and winning real progress on health care costs, gun safety and the environment.
In these uncertain times, I am working to deliver for my constituents, while calling out the extremism and toxic partisanship that divide and enrage so many of us today. We are all Americans, bound together by respect for each other and for our democratic institutions, and dedicated to restoring a sense of community in our country.” (Webpage)
“I grew up in Central Jersey, going to public schools, playing baseball, and hoping that someday I could give something back to the country that gave me my freedom. I got that chance while serving President Clinton on his National Security Council working to end some of the 20th Century’s bloodiest humanitarian crises, as the chief advocate for Human Rights Watch, leading a bipartisan effort to end the Bush Administration’s use of torture, and as an Assistant Secretary of State under President Obama, standing up to dictators like Putin and Kim Jong-Un.’ (Webpage)
EXPERIENCE
Tom Malinowski and his family immigrated from Poland when he was six years old. He was Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor in the Obama administration and worked for Human Rights Watch. He served on President Bill Clinton's National Security Council, focusing on conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s. A vocal opponent of Donald Trump,
Malinowski was first elected to Congress in 2018, defeating Republican incumbent Leonard Lance by five points. Before his election, the district had been represented by a Republican since 1981. He was reelected in 2020 by a narrower margin against New Jersey Senate Minority Leader Thomas Kean Jr who is his opponent now.
ON THE ISSUES
• “…we need a comprehensive, long-term answer to our health care challenges. … I will champion a Medicare Option for All. … If every American had the option to buy into Medicare through their employer or the individual market, with support for those who need it, the result would be more competition and lower costs, as well as a pathway to decent health care coverage for all." (votesmart.org)
• "We must maintain a strong military to deter potential adversaries, but also strong diplomacy so that we don't have to use our military all of the time. I will support our State Department and our front-line diplomats, making sure they have the funding they need to do their jobs." (votesmart.org)
• "As a member of Congress, I will have no more urgent priority than securing the investments we need to build and maintain the roads, bridges, railways and tunnels … to preserve our quality of life and competitiveness." (votesmart.org)
• "It's time to pass common sense gun safety laws, reinstate the assault weapons ban, and get gun money out of politics." (Facebook)
Malinowski’s website details his priorities as a legislator:
-
Make the economy work for all
-
Build a fair tax structure
-
Ensure quality, affordable health care for all
-
Protect women’s rights
-
Advocate for seniors
-
Invest in 21st Century Infrastructure
-
Protect our kids
-
Fight corruption
-
Protect our environment
• “I believe the United States must continue to stand by Israel, and that we should work with our allies to maintain pressure on Iran to dismantle its nuclear program, while increasing pressure to stop Iran's support for terrorism and missile development...." (votesmart.org)
POLITICS IN NEW JERSEY
From Tom Malinowski: "In 2020, I won my competitive re-election bid in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District against one of the Republican Party’s top national recruits, State Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr, by just 1.2%. With the help of my supporters, I was able to keep a seat that the GOP had held for over 30 years - allowing us to hold on to a seat that represents 1/4th of our narrow House majority. …my race is expected to once again be a battleground against a well-financed and well-known GOP opponent — one that could decide whether we keep or lose our House majority in the middle of President Biden’s first term.”
Since 2020, the 7th district was redrawn to become substantially more Republican –a tradeoff Democratic mapmakers made in exchange for shoring up other Democratic incumbents.
Partisan polls, as recently as August 11th have Kean leading by 6-8 %. However, the Malinowski campaign has countered with a more optimistic vision “We are confident based on rigorous, unbiased polling conducted for our campaign that this race will go well for us,” said Naree Ketudat, a spokesperson for the Malinowski campaign. “We would caution everyone to be suspicious of partisan polls, especially when issued by organizations that can’t even spell Congressman Malinowski’s name correctly, and that apparently pitted him against ‘Tom Kean,’ whom most New Jerseyans remember as our highly respected and moderate former governor, instead of Tom Kean Jr., who has pledged to have Donald Trump’s back ‘no matter what.'”
COMMITTEES
+ CAUCUSES
• Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Subcommittee on Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism
• Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
• Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
• Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
• Committee on Homeland Security
• Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism
-
LGBT Equality Caucus
-
New Democrat Coalition
-
End Corruption Caucus
-
Problem Solvers Caucus (2nd term only
ENDORSEMENTS INCLUDE:
Planned Parenthood Action Fund
End Citizen’s United
Giffords- Courage to fight Gun Violence
Brady United against Gun Violence
Newtown Action Alliance
AFL-CIO
New Jersey Carpenters Union
New Jersey Professional Firefighters Association
Jewish Democrat Council of America
J Street
Foreign Policy for America
Clean Water Action