On May 9, 2025, New Jersey gubernatorial candidate and former State Senate President Steve Sweeney visited Moorestown, NJ, to campaign for South Jersey’s vote in the upcoming gubernatorial (state governor) race. 

Sweeney, the only candidate from South Jersey running for governor, shared the importance of giving South Jersey a voice in the decision-making process. He emphasized the lack of public transportation in South Jersey compared to other parts of the state, saying, “I want to make sure that this region gets its fair share, just like the northern and central parts.”

Moorestown Mayor Quinton Law attended the event. 

While Law is not endorsing any NJ gubernatorial candidate, he said, “It’s important to have representation from South Jersey because our problems are incredibly different than North Jersey. We’re a less dense area — more suburbs, more rural areas, not as much mass transit. Our housing issues are different. So for me, I appreciate that someone in the race is from South Jersey, because they’re elevating and amplifying the issues that we experience on a day-to-day basis that, frankly, someone in Hoboken just doesn’t understand.” 

Paul Riggins, former President of Riggins, Inc., hosted the event at his home in Moorestown, NJ. Riggins served on the board of Moorestown Friends School for 10 years and worked in the oil industry for 60 years. He explained that he was a lifelong Republican as the Democrats were often on the “opposite side” of him since he was in the oil business, but he registered as a Democrat after President Donald Trump “stuck it to [him].” 

Riggins noted how he was shocked when he found out that Sweeney was a Democrat, and hosted the event because he appreciated how Sweeney “was always willing to talk.” 

Riggins said, “I’ve had a lot of respect for him over the decades.”

When asked the question of why it is important to bring people together to hear candidates like Sweeney, Riggins exclaimed in response, “To hear this!” 

He emphasized that while Sweeney is often described as a “lousy speaker,” his speeches are easy to understand for anybody and therefore are “brilliant.” 

During his speech, Sweeney detailed his desire to reform the education system in New Jersey by consolidating schools in towns that have a three-tiered school system (split schools by division of Lower, Middle, and Upper School). He said he believes that increasing the number of K-12 schools would reduce the amount of taxes spent on administration, as there wouldn’t be multiple different schools that all have separate administrators.  

Additionally, Sweeney wants to focus on education for individuals with disabilities, as his daughter was born with Down Syndrome, a genetic disorder.

Sweeney has worked on several initiatives to improve education for individuals with disabilities, such as the Adult Center for Transition (ACT), which helps young adults with disabilities become independent as adults, and the Bankbridge Development Center, an education center that aims to specifically support special needs students. 

“People with disabilities, honestly, can learn just like everyone else. Unfortunately, people look at a person with a disability and automatically think they can’t do anything. And my point is you have to look beyond that disability,” he said. 

Ali Sabir ’26 attended the event after hearing about it from Mayor Law, with whom he worked on the Moorestown Better Together committee of students that would advise the town council. 

Mayor Law requested that Sabir encourage members of the MFS community to attend, and this is why he announced the event at a recent Meeting for Worship.

Sabir explained that Sweeney “stressed environmental justice the most” and has the “ability to move legislation in a way very few other people can,” which stood out to Sabir. 

Sabir clarified that he does not work for the Sweeney campaign but thinks it is important to be civically engaged and learn more about different political candidates.

“I think in general, we should break this idea that if you go to someone’s event, or if you meet this candidate, that you back them personally. We put people into camps, into labels, too easily, and there should be plenty of room to just try to simply be there to learn; you need to listen and engage before coming up with your opinion,” he said. 

Sabir also encouraged all students who will be 18 years old by November to register to vote in the gubernatorial general election on November 4, 2025.