Do you vote for people who refrain from rocking the boat? Does a politician who maintains the status quo appeal to you? Or would you prefer to elect someone with strong convictions and the drive to fight for them?

If your answer is “yes”, New Jersey District 2 Congressional candidate Sean Pignatelli deserves your vote. Some politicians’ convictions come from a desire to appease the majority, hoping to win votes, but Sean’s convictions are the result of his dedication to his family and a desire to give a voice to the silenced.

Health is a basic human right

One of the biggest problems in the United States today is the lack of affordable health care for everyone. No matter which side of the political aisle you stand on, you probably know at least a few people who have serious medical bills or debt, or who have foregone necessary medical care because they didn’t have insurance. 

Sean firmly believes that prevention is a much better focus than intervention, and that everyone in the United States deserves access to necessary health services. No one should have to choose between providing for their family and seeking medical treatment.

Similarly, women’s health care is another important issue to him– politics should not play any role in the health decisions a woman makes, and women should be able to access care when they need it.

Equality for women and the LGBTQ+ community

It’s not just health care that Pignatelli is motivated to defend. The wage gap for women in the United States is still prevalent today; Sean Pignatelli intends to close that gap and advocate for measures like the Paycheck Fairness Act as well as a federally recognized family leave program to prevent anyone from having to choose between their career and their child.

Another marginalized group that deserves to enjoy equality in the United States is, of course, the LGBTQ+ community. Sean Pignatelli opposes anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that seems to be making its way across the United States, and believes passing the Equality Act will help protect Americans from discrimination based on their sexual or gender identities.

Civil rights for Italian-Americans

There’s a general public perception that discrimination against Italian-Americans is a thing of the past; that it ended sometime in the mid-20th century and that things have improved today. But the experiences of Sean Pignatelli’s family, especially his grandfather, tell us that anyone who thinks discrimination is a thing of the past doesn’t have the full story.

Italian immigrants and their families have made major contributions to the current infrastructure of the United States; many people immigrated from Italy for labor jobs building railroads, bridges, and more. These contributions, however, have not received the acknowledgement and thanks that they deserve. In fact, in the early 20th century, the United States Congress passed an “emergency” law restricting further Italian immigration.

Religious differences also contributed to the tensions between Italians and the Anglo-Saxon Protestants who were the majority demographic in the United States at the time. These tensions went far beyond verbal disagreements; in fact, Italians living in the United States have faced violence and difficulties finding housing and employment. 

Even today, negative stereotypes about Italians abound in popular culture– depicting Italian people as criminals, emotionally volatile party animals (see: the Jersey Shore reality series), or food-making peasants (refer to just about any advertisement for pizza sauce, pasta, and more). But it’s so normalized that people tend to overlook it. Sean Pignatelli is fighting to change this, speaking out against the marginalization, misrepresentation, and suppression of Italian-Americans.

The American dream: a livable wage

Sean comes from generations of union carpenters and is a big supporter of unions in general– they focus on equality for workers and provide training, good pay, and benefits to the hardworking people whose labor is the backbone of our beautiful country.

Creating more jobs in South Jersey is also a major priority, because gainful employment is good for public health and morale. An expansion of public transit would make jobs more accessible to more people, helping to provide work opportunities that people might not otherwise have access to. 

Fighting for what’s right, not just what’s popular

Sean Pignatelli’s full platform of priorities is thoroughly considered and designed to benefit the people of South Jersey, first and foremost. That’s why he’s not afraid to stand up for the abolishment of mask mandates and the protection of our Second Amendment, both in the name of personal freedom.

A politician who’s willing and able to change when presented with new information is a valuable one to have in office. Sean Pignatelli’s strength of conviction and drive for justice makes him the obvious choice for New Jersey District 2.