Kristen’s Pick: Mayor John Flora, Fredon, NJ for U.S. Congressional District 7
Other than CD-3, there is no hotter or more competitive race in the NJ Congressional elections besides CD-7.
You may have heard of the beleaguered incumbent Tom Malinowski (D), a first-term Congressman already facing an ethics investigation.
Surely you have heard of the redistricting debacle that resulted in a strengthening of CD-7 in favor of a political royal’s anticipated run for Congress. State Senator Tom Kean Jr, crowned Prince of Northern NJ was expected to sail through the primary season, riding the coattails of his political legacy.
Fortunately, others have entered field, offering a diversity of choices for this primary.
John called me on November 15, 2021. It feels like an eternity ago at this point. For whatever reason, he believed in me. John contacted me to talk about the 2022 Congressional race, his political aspirations and achievements, and how he and I could become advocates for each other’s goals.
I was sold, Day 1. I put Nik on a call with John, and that was it.
John is from waaaaayy North Jersey, Nik and I are South Jersey/Philly suburb women. John came to meet us on a cold November day.
We met at Ponzios, a Cherry Hill landmark diner. The owner let us use an open room to practice filming and interviewing John, and we outlined a political vision we hoped to spread to every NJ politician. I made notes in blue marker, John drank coffee and poured out his years of experience, wisdom, and hilarious anecdotes.
I was honestly flattered and floored that someone so far North had come across our work, found our messaging effective, and had an interest in working collaboratively.
So we volunteered to help launch John. Nik worked on some initial website development, I helped with different social media strategies.
In the end, John launched himself, like he always does, as you will learn. I’ve never met a “politician” as pragmatic, resourceful and creative as him. He did TEN YEARS on school board, he’s on his second term serving as Mayor of Fredon (Sussex County). He’s 6-0 for winning elections.
Can any of the other CD-7 candidates boast such a record? Who else in the running has the executive experience of John?
I could tell you all about his professional record. He’s taught me so much, he’s been more of a mentor to me than I have been an asset to his campaign.
But I want you to check him out, decide for yourself
You will see. He speaks our values, goals, and he knows how to win. I have sent countless new BOE members under fire from the NJEA minions, and he is always willing to counsel and assure them.
I have found the political scene to be frankly distasteful. So much behind-the-scenes maneuvering is happening, even I get approached to pull my support from one candidate to another.
I made my pick on November 15th. Wherever John ran, I trusted him.
There’s just no one else I can wholeheartedly endorse in CD-7.
Meet John Flora…
Kristen’s top 8 questions
Kristen: Who are you? Describe your professional background, family anecdotes, political involvement history and personal values.
John: I am the sixth of seven children, born to a truck driver and a stay-at-home mom in Bayonne, NJ. We struggled financially, but our parents never let us know. My father instilled the values of the American work ethic and the desire to achieve the American dream in us all.
I am currently Mayor of Fredon and have previously served 10 years on the school board, 9 as board president. I am small business owner for 33 years in the Soft Drink industry.
Kristen: Why are you running?
John: I am running because we need to get back to being a Constitutional Republic. No longer can we allow our Republican Party to choose and anoint candidates that are compromised by their own party and history. I have taken a pledge to serve only 2 terms in Congress, four years total with one reelection. No deals, no long range plans with lobbyists, just serve, vote for America, and come home.
Kristen: What is your stance on parental choice for medical freedom in schools?
John: Recently there has been a media push for a parental bill of rights and I support the idea, I also introduced a bill of rights 5 months ago and I encourage people to go to my Website and check it out.
There I clearly state my position; 2) No school, public or private, can participate, arrange or otherwise accommodate any medical procedure for a student without prior, written parental consent, including any procedure for students under the age of 18 (subject to emergency exceptions). this would include Vaccines as well as OTC drugs.
Kristen: What is your favorite Constitutional amendment?
John: The First Amendment, it’s the only protection of free thought, it is the American experiment itself.
Kristen: How will you distinguish yourself among the primary pack?
John: I am the only true conservative, both establishment candidates have questionable voting records, another has called for the Democrats and Nancy to pass Medicare for all during the pandemic in his failed run for a higher office recently. Political expedience is a dangerous way to govern and how we got where we are at!
Kristen: What are your top platform issues and how do you propose to achieve those in a legislative solution?
John: In my first 60 days, I would introduce legislation to eliminate the Federal Department of Education. The DOE has enabled top down, government education to bring us things like CRT and sex education/gender choice, culture of confusion to both our children and our family structure. School funding is the key, stopping the flow of financial influence from Washington will allow us to take back local control. In NJ, we must move school elections back to April and once again vote the budget.
Kristen: Who are your biggest supporters, professionally and personally?
John: Kristen Sinclair, and Nik Stouffer. Your support gave me the clarity and commitment to change and dedicate myself to my Country, Family, and our liberties. I know this seems like pandering, sometimes the truth just sounds that way.
Kristen: Give me your best pitch on why and how we can support your campaign?
John: Financial support! I focused on building a network around me, once my message started to get out, people reach out and the process of building the right team happened. This process took time, and fundraising was less important to start, but is now a priority. I don't need the millions my opponents have because I am not running an establishment campaign. Please donate at my website
In John’s own words….
It’s about More than Parental Rights – its about saving our Children
Like a tiger hiding in the tall grass; the leftists in New Jersey have been lying in wait to spring upon us school curriculum changes to further the indoctrination of our children into the progressive gender bending philosophy
It was only recently revealed that starting in September, children as young as 7 years old will be taught that their birth gender doesn’t really matter; it how they or others feel about their gender that matters. The NJ State Department of Education has released a lesson plan that allows teachers to help children in first and second grade deny their birth gender.
The lesson plan recommendations for teachers, reads in part: “You might feel like you’re a boy even if you have body parts that some people might tell you are ‘girl’ parts You might feel like you’re a girl even if you have body parts that some people might tell you are ‘boy’ parts."
Read that carefully, “if you have body parts that SOME PEOPLE” tell you are girl or boy parts... In other words, our schools will be teaching that there is no objective biological evidence that you are a boy or a girl – it depends on what “Some People” say about your body that matters.
Who are those people? Certainly not mom and dad. What they teach their children does not count. In the left’s orthodoxy, ‘neanderthal’ parents must be over-ridden by the ‘enlightened’ progressives’ who are robotically advancing the LBGTQ agenda. Democrats on every level of government are marching in lock step to left’s “War On Gender.” The casualties of that war include parental rights and children’s innocence.
New Jersey’s gender obfuscation curriculum was voted on in 2020 and again in 2021. Why are we hearing about it only now? Where was the outrage from our so-called state Republican leadership? How many of them voted for the enabling legislation S-2721 or meekly abstained? I’m going to research the vote and let you know.
The disclosure of this latest sex indoctrination curriculum opens a window into how the education bureaucracy on the federal and state level works, and how the corrupt teachers’ unions (like the NJEA) advance their liberal agenda by ignoring parents and pressuring lawmakers and education bureaucrats.
With a budget of $73.5 billion dollars the Federal Department of Education sends money to the states in the form of a block grant. This money is allocated by the state to the local school board in your district along with mandates and requirements that include a social engineering curriculum.
Under the federal law known as Title IX, the Federal DOE is supposed to protect against discrimination; not promote the left’s indoctrination. The New Jersey (DOE) operates largely in secret with little or no accountability or transparency. And the powerful, well financed teachers’ union rides roughshod over politicians of both parties.
Progressive Educators are using LGBTQ+ rights to infect school curriculums in the name of fighting discrimination. What they are doing is endorsing a pro LGBT+ curriculum. One group: the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) recommends that history, geography, economics, and civicsaddress the histories, contributions, and perspectives of diverse communities, including LGBTQ+ people. It also recommends gender identity and sexual orientation be part of science and health curriculum. https://www.glsen.org/activity/state-education-agency-recommendations.
The GLSEN, according to its 2020 tax filing, had assets of $13.61 million. And spent $1.19 million on media relations, marketing and training spokespeople. Its chairperson is Rocío Inclán, the Senior Director for Social Justice forThe National Education Association -- the biggest teachers union in the nation. The Union is expected to gross nearly $371 million in revenues in the 2021-22 school year and is targeted to spend 22 percent of its resources to“advance racial justice in education.” https://www.the74million.org/article/analysis-the-nea-budget-is-a-lesson-in-reading-between-the-lines/
Since taxpayers pay teachers’ salaries, the NEA and its state affiliates are using your money to finance the indoctrination of our children – and they don’t want us to have a say in the curriculum they and groups like GLSEN develop in secret.
The limited school time for our children should be devoted to learning workplace skills, like math, science, technology, reading and communication so they are prepared for the marketplace. Instead, they are being indoctrinated and enlisted in the social justice wars that defame our nation and tear apart the fabric of our communities.
The power that liberal teacher unions have over politicians and government agencies - including the Federsl DOE- was exposed the last two years with covid lockdowns of our schools.
As your Congressman, I will move to eliminate the Federal Department of Education and to limit the outsized power of teacher unions to impose on us and our children their leftist curriculum mandates.
I support charter schools and school vouchers so parents can have more control over public education. I will introduce legislation in support of vouchers and eliminating state and federal roadblocks to expanding Charter Schools in my first 90 days in office.
The battle over education that the left is waging, is really a battle over the future of America. It is too important to ignore.
This is one fight we have to win.
-John Flora, Candidate for US Congress, CD7
Agree, John. We have to win. The survival of America depends on us. Go, fight, win.
John has shown up for parents, spoken out at meetings, and continues to advise us on ways to make local changes. He is exactly the type of leader we need in Congress. If parental rights is your issue, I have the guy for you.
Freedom Speaking LLC and Shielding Liberty LLC have partnered with the Child Advocate Coalition LLC to highlight candidates for office all across NJ, from local Board of Education candidates through the Congressional candidates. Views expressed by the candidates may or may not represent the views of the entities referenced above, however the entities are proud to provide a platform for free speech. Featured candidates are invited to submit responses to our interview questions, link their candidate and fundraising sites, and showcase their chosen photographs.
I am surprised at Rizzo, not shocked. I supported him when he was running for Governor, he was the best of the candidates.
Republicans are not backing him, why run on that ticket.
I like Flora, you vetted him well. I wish I could vote in all the districts with great candidates that have moral, God given values. Its so needed.
GOP is deadly, seeing it all to well in Gloucester county. Lots to say, will let someone else talk about it.
Love the South Jersey/Philly woman, amen to that. I am South Philly all the way!!!!