Carmen MoralesServing

Carmen Morales

State HouseDemocrat

NJ-AD-34 State House

Age 48·Puerto Rican·Deputy Whip (2026-present)

Why This Race Matters

Morales is the first Puerto Rican Assemblywoman in Essex County and now serves as Deputy Whip and Chair of the Higher Education Committee. She introduced the LEAD Act to address the fact that only 6% of U.S. college presidents identify as Hispanic or Latino despite Latinos comprising 25% of NJ undergraduates. Her next election is in 2027.

Won 2025 re-election with 49,411 votes (39.5%) in a two-seat race alongside running mate Michael Venezia. Survived a competitive Democratic primary where she topped the ticket with 13,108 votes (33.6%) against three challengers including Councilwoman Brittany Claybrooks and Councilman Frank Velez III. Not up for re-election until 2027.

About

Carmen Theresa Morales is a New Jersey Assemblywoman representing the 34th Legislative District, which covers Belleville, Bloomfield, East Orange, Glen Ridge, Nutley, and Orange in Essex County. She made history as the first Puerto Rican Assemblywoman in Essex County and the first Latina to represent LD-34. Raised in public housing in Newark, she was the first in her family to attend college and built a 22-year career in education before entering politics. She currently serves as Deputy Whip and chairs the Higher Education Committee.

Family & Heritage

Puerto Rican heritage; grew up in public housing in Newark; first in her family to attend college. Proud lifetime member of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. (the first Latina sorority in the nation, founded at Kean University in 1975), Nu Chapter, Fall 1997.

Political Career

Before Politics

Preschool teacher and education coordinator at North Ward Child Development Center in Newark; Vice Principal and Principal at Essex County Newark Tech High School (Class of 1995 alumna); Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Essex County Schools of Technology (June 2023-present)

Education

B.A. Speech Communications, Montclair State University; M.A. Administrative Science, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Director's Certificate, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Ed.S. Education Leadership, Management, and Policy, Seton Hall University; Ed.D. candidate, Seton Hall University

Key Issues & Priorities

*Education equity and Latino leadership in higher education (introduced LEAD Act)
*Healthcare equity
*Workforce development
*Latino representation in academic leadership
*Cultivating diverse leadership pipelines in colleges and universities

Suggest an Edit