Election Profile: 21st District Assembly Candidate Liz Graner

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Voters in Westfield, Summit, Cranford, Garwood, and several other towns in Union, Somerset, and Morris counties can vote this coming Tuesday in primary elections for one state Senate candidate as well as two Assembly representatives to represent the Democrats or Republicans in the upcoming 21st District election.

Three people are running on Tuesday to try to get the Republican nomination to vie for two seats in the November state Assembly race.

They are incumbent Nancy Muñoz and candidates Jennifer A. Makar and Michele Matsikoudis. Only two can get the Republican party nomination to face two Democrats in November.

On the Democratic side, Elizabeth A. Graner and Anjali Mehrotra are seeking the nominations to run for Assembly in fall. They are unopposed in Tuesday's primary race.

All candidates were given the option to submit profiles to Patch, so that voters would have more information for Tuesday and also for November.

Here is the candidate profile that Democratic candidate Elizabeth Graner submitted to Patch:

Elizabeth Graner — 21st District Assembly Candidate

Age (as of Election Day)

50

Party Affiliation

Democratic

Family

Son: Patrick, 18. He will begin pursuing a political science degree at Union College in the fall.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BA, English Lit (Anthropology minor) - Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN
MA in Teaching, Marygrove College

Occupation

Teacher, Rahway Public Schools, 2001-present

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

https://winld21in21.com/

Why are you seeking elective office?

I have been moved by the inequities and structural problems highlighted by the pandemic to
make a positive change so that I can help make New Jersey more accessible to all New Jerseyans.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

We need to emerge from the challenges of the past year to imagine and build a better New Jersey -- I want to do so by reining in taxes, addressing the quality of education from district to district, improving access to mass transit, healthcare, childcare, eldercare, and higher education, and working to protect our environment, which includes focusing on innovation to create a new energy economy that will create new jobs.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

In order to build a better future, we need to elect legislators who have determination, commitment to Democratic ideals, and the ability to work collaboratively with those across the aisle.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

After this past year, I think it has become clear that moms can do anything.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My favorite professor told us to "Leave it better than you found it."

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I believe that we can move forward together, regardless of party affiliation — we need to accomplish important things in Trenton rather than put up road block and barriers. Our future and the future of generations to come depend on it.

To contribute candidate information, suggestions, and more, email: caren.lissner@patch.com.

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