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Erik Simonsen

Erik Simonsen is a New Jersey Assemblyman representing the 1st Legislative District since 2020. A lifelong educator and former mayor of Lower Township, he brings experience in local governance and school administration. Simonsen currently serves on multiple Assembly committees, including Education and State and Local Government. With a background in special education and community leadership, he emphasizes conservative fiscal policy, public safety, and support for small businesses and families in South Jersey.

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Rating Explanation

Erik Simonsen

Assemblymen Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan are more accessible than many local candidates in Cumberland County, regularly attending Republican breakfasts and occasionally participating in meet-and-greet events—an effort that puts them above average compared to the regional status quo. However, their official communication channels still fall short of delivering clear, publicly accessible policy positions.

Their joint bio/platform on the Cumberland County Regular Republican Organization website is vague, offering broad themes without detailed explanations or legislative priorities. A link meant to highlight their voting history instead redirects to general NJ Legislature pages, requiring voters to piece together records themselves rather than reviewing curated summaries or forward-looking plans.

While they technically remain reachable for those deeply involved in local politics, the barrier to meaningful platform clarity remains high. Compared to Democratic challengers Brandon Saffold and Carolyn Rush—who responded to outreach, participated in a lengthy interview, and allowed for transparent documentation of their stances—Simonsen and McClellan have not engaged with our information-gathering process. Their platform and record could be clarified with minimal effort, but no such cooperation has materialized. However, in the interest of being totally fair, my ability to access Rush and Saffold happened largely in part out of random chance, so direct comparisons still remain tough.

They are expected to attend a Republican-organized meet and greet in May, but this too was only known through insider channels. In sum: they outperform the average candidate in local accessibility, but still fall short of the kind of transparency and voter-friendly communication the public deserves in our modern day, fast-paced, tech based culture.

For these reasons, Simonsen receives an average to slightly above average rating for transparency and accessibility.

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Erik K. Simonsen

Running for:
State Assembly - Legislative District 1
Incumbent
Challenger

Websites

This election is on June 10th, 2025

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Transparency/Accessibility Rating: Average to Above Average

Events
  • Cumberland County Regular Republican Organization Breakfast
  • Listen to party messaging and potentially meet Republican candidates Party Site
  • 04/26/25 - 8:30am
  • Mauricetown Fire Company, 9544 Noble St. Mauricetown, NJ 08349
  • RSVP: dgeno2383@gmail.com on or before that week's Tuesday
  • Cumberland County Regular Republican Organization Breakfast
  • Listen to party messaging and potentially meet Republican candidates Party Site
  • 05/10/25 - 8:30am
  • Eastlyn Golf Course, 4049 Italia Ave, Vineland, NJ, 08361
  • RSVP: dgeno2383@gmail.com on or before that week's Tuesday
  • Cumberland County Regular Republican Organization Breakfast
  • Listen to party messaging and potentially meet Republican candidates Party Site
  • 05/24/25 - 8:30am
  • Mauricetown Fire Company, 9544 Noble St. Mauricetown, NJ 08349
  • RSVP: dgeno2383@gmail.com on or before that week's Tuesday

Assembly GOP Video Biography


Agenda

  • Reduce Taxes, Government Spending & State Debt
    Prioritize fiscal responsibility to ease the tax burden and limit wasteful spending.

  • Oppose “Giveaways” to Illegal Immigrants
    Push back against policies seen as incentivizing undocumented immigration.

  • Invest in South Jersey Infrastructure, Healthcare & Education
    Improve local systems and public services through targeted investment.

  • Support Small Business Growth and Revitalization
    Focus on rebuilding the local economy by supporting small businesses.

  • Stand Firm with Law Enforcement
    Advocate for public safety and back police and first responders.


Simonsen’s current legislative work infers leans toward pro-veteran, pro-education, and public safety-centered reforms, mixed with a strong interest in workforce accountability and localized infrastructure concerns. His proposals reflect a practical, constituent-service-minded conservatism, with special attention to New Jersey's working class, veterans, and public school communities.

Experience

Erik Simonsen is a current New Jersey Assemblyman representing District 1, first sworn in on January 14, 2020. He previously served as Mayor of Lower Township and held positions on the township council. Professionally, he works in education as the Athletic Director for the Lower Township Regional School District and has previously served as an assistant principal and special education teacher. Simonsen holds degrees in education administration, special education, and general education. He is also an ordained deacon and former vice president of the Cape May County NAACP. He serves on several legislative committees including Education, Community Development and Women’s Affairs, State and Local Government, and the Joint Committee on the Public Schools.