MICHAEL L. TESTA, Jr.
Running for:
State Senator - 1st Legislative District of NJ
Incumbent
Challenger
Website
individual agenda
- Reduce taxes, spending, and debt – the state is currently $200 billion in debt.
- Supports legislation to require two-thirds majority vote to raise taxes and prevents independent raises from the Governor
- Reduce funding for failing schools
- Require citizen votes at the polls to incur more state debt
- Repeal the rain tax
- Reverse gas tax law
- Stop giveaways to illegal immigrants
- Overturn sanctuary state directive. Reposted on Twitter/X
- No drivers licenses for illegal immigrants
- Opposing tax dollars for illegal immigrant college education/tuition
- Eliminate state department which defends illegals facing deportation
- Invest in education, healthcare, and infrastructure
- Complete route 55
- Invest in addiction and treatment centers to treat the addiction crisis
- Protect gun rights Twitter/X
- Against abortion extremism
- Pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother
- Protect marine life
- Pause off-shore wind projects until more data can be collected on its effects on marine life. There are also issues regarding the economics of the project.
- Wants to preserve separation of women's and men's sports. Gleaned from a repost on Twitter/X. Bill.
- Unapolagetically supports law enforcement. Twitter/X
- Supports parents rights to make decisions about their children's health and wellness. Twitter/X NJ Spotlight News
- Opposes legislation which would remove child custody from parents regarding gender-affirming care. NJ Legislature
- Wants to root out corruption in New Jersey government. Twitter/X
- Wants to investigate NJ's COVID-19 response. Twitter/X Especially in regards to veterans Twitter/X
- Wants to support local farmers and produce. Save Jersey Article
- Fights for accountability and transparency. Twitter/X
- Against 'woke' politics. Twitter/X
- Wants to protect south jersey history and culture. Twitter/X
party messaging
Mike continues to lead the fight against Phil Murphy's and his Administration's mismanagement of NJ that we need to rebuild the local economy, save the shore tourism, preserve ocean sea life and commercial fishing, reduce the red tape for business growth and expansion, stop the decay of the core curriculum for our children, improve the special needs programs, bring back job opportunities, and return the spirit, moral, and enthusiasm back to the people of South Jersey.
policy positions
- Helped 4,000 residents receive unemployment.
- Opposed Murphy’s government shutdown
- Introduced legislation to limit governor executive orders to 14 days unless the legislature passes a concurrent resolution to extend the duration
- Represented small businesses as a lawyer to help them re-open during the pandemic
- Opposed Murphy borrowing $9.9 billion to balance the state budget. Through Testa’s lawsuit, the borrowing was reduced to $4.5 billion because the borrowing reduced its scope to funds lost specifically due to the pandemic.
- Opposed Governor Murphy’s executive order to create a full Vote By Mail General Election in court to help support election integrity.
- Supported a legislative bill that would set up a voter fraud task force, suspend automatic voter registration, move people with undeliverable addresses to inactive voter rolls, and require the secretary of state’s website to have a place to report vote-by-mail fraud
- Supports armed security in schools. (learned from the Candidates Forum held at Bridgeton High School)
experience
Grew up in Cumberland County. His grandfather was the first mayor of Vineland. His father built
the family law firm. Under-graduate degree of Villanova law. Masters at Temple University Beasley
School of Law. Was board chairman at Vineland Downtown Improvement District/Main Street Vineland.
Member of Vineland NAACP. Past Chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cumberland and Salem counties.Has been a State Senator since 2019 and served on the State budget and labor committees.
Candidates Forum Statements
At the Candidates Forum held at Bridgeton High School, Testa said he would be the most qualified for his position
because he has experience, he helped the county get back on its feet during and after the pandemic, he has helped
the county's unemployment problem, and he has helped with rental assistance. Inform the Vote would also like to add that
his challenger continues to appear to have 'ghosted' the campaign, with almost no public knowledge available about him.
When asked about handling the state's deficit and achieving fiscal responsibility, Testa spoke about the state having a 10 billion dollar surplus, which should have gone back to the taxpayers. He was against the 200 million dollar French museum, that he would rather have seen that money go to investing in parks and other activities for the youth. He also mentioned supporting the black heritage trail and the Harriet Tubman Museum.
When asked about handling gun violence, Testa spoke about taking the handcuffs off of police officers (let them do their jobs), guns coming from a known illegal route from the eastern shores of Virginia, and made it clear that he was against illegal gun ownership.
When the issue of school safety was brought up, Testa again referenced the 200 million dollar French Museum project that was approved while 400 thousand dollars was not spent at Weymouth School to provide a needed vestibule, which would have been used as a buffered security zone.
When asked about handling the state's deficit and achieving fiscal responsibility, Testa spoke about the state having a 10 billion dollar surplus, which should have gone back to the taxpayers. He was against the 200 million dollar French museum, that he would rather have seen that money go to investing in parks and other activities for the youth. He also mentioned supporting the black heritage trail and the Harriet Tubman Museum.
When asked about handling gun violence, Testa spoke about taking the handcuffs off of police officers (let them do their jobs), guns coming from a known illegal route from the eastern shores of Virginia, and made it clear that he was against illegal gun ownership.
When the issue of school safety was brought up, Testa again referenced the 200 million dollar French Museum project that was approved while 400 thousand dollars was not spent at Weymouth School to provide a needed vestibule, which would have been used as a buffered security zone.