Monmouth County Democratic Women’s Caucus
Great night with some amazing, inspiring women — including 30 running for office this year — at the Monmouth County Democratic Women’s Caucus Fundraiser. Here with Assemblywomen Verlina Reynolds-Jackson and Joann Kagan Downey, and the trailblazing honoree Norma Rosenbloom. Thanks to the MC Democratic Women’s Caucus!
In the News
Endorsements
The National Organization for Women of New Jersey’s political action committee has endorsed Malini for State Assembly:
https://www.insidernj.com/nownj-endorses-candidates/
Visit nownj.org.
Malini endorsed by New Jersey AFL-CIO:
https://www.insidernj.com/new-jersey-state-afl-cio-announces-endorsements-state-senate-district-1-entire-state-assembly-65-county-local-offices-sought-labor-candidates/
Visit njaflcio.org.
Malini endorsed by Middlesex County Democratic Organization:
https://www.mcdonj.com/2019_convention_endorsements
Visit mcdonj.org.
Malini endorsed by Garden State Equality:
https://www.gardenstateequality.org/endorse
Visit gardenstatequality.org.
Malini endorsed by Health Professionals and Allied Employees:
https://www.insidernj.com/hpae-announces-2019-assembly-county-local-endorsements/
Visit HPAE.org.
Malini endorsed by the Ocean County Democratic Women’s Caucus:
https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/ocean-county-democratic-womens-caucus-announces-endorsements/
Visit The Ocean County Democratic Women’s Caucus on Facebook.
Malini endorsed by PAM’s List:
https://www.facebook.com/PAM’s-List/Endorsements
Visit PAM’s List on Facebook.
Malini’s op-ed on campaign finance reform in The Asbury Park Press
Malini’s Speech at the Monmouth County Democrats Convention
During senior year of high school, my good friend Eric wrote the following in a “peer recommendation” about me: “One teacher at our school once told her students, “Never stop asking ‘why’.” Malini took that advice to heart. She feels no qualms at questioning everything she comes across, be it the opinions of a famous writer or the derivation of a formula in chemistry. She often raises questions that others, myself included, would normally not consider. Malini’s questioning, at the very least, leads her to find out answers for herself.”
His words foreshadowed the future in ways that I could not have predicted at the time. After graduating with a degree in political science from Yale and working for local government, and at non-for-profit organizations, I decided while living abroad in London to pursue a Masters in Journalism. As a journalist, I knew that I would have the opportunity to explore my wide-ranging interests across diverse subject areas and most of all, to ask important questions.
I’ve worked as a reporter for the Financial Times newspaper, as a science writer and editor for a medically focused publication, and as a freelance journalist. By now, I’ve questioned thousands of people, including leading politicians, chief executives, Nobel Prize winners, and average citizens. Echoing my high school friend, some of my interviewees have told me that I ask deeper questions than many of their own colleagues after I grilled them for hours.
My work has also meant that I’ve had to quickly become something of an expert in many different subjects. And my in-depth features often necessitated conducting deep background research as well as identifying and interviewing as many as a dozen experts to get at the truth of a complex subject. Finally, it has been essential to be able to communicate these complex subjects to specialized audiences or to the public in a clear, accessible manner.
I believe that these skills which I’ve developed over the course of many years – acquiring quick subject matter expertise, working with many different types of people, and translating complex matters to a wide audience – are highly applicable to the very challenging role of a state legislator.
Which brings me to the question of why am I seeking this extremely challenging role. Some months ago, one long-time friend said to me: “Malini, one thing confuses me about you: why you are so passionate about politics. Politics is just a game,” he told me. “I’m not passionate about politics,” I responded. “I’m passionate about people and the policies that affect their lives. Policies that are put in place could mean the difference of whether someone is able to afford healthcare or not, or whether or not a whole community is subject to the pollution of a nearby factory. And politics are the way such policies are decided.”
I care that everyone has access to a liveable wage, to affordable healthcare, to a high-quality education, to clean air and clean water, to equal rights and equal justice – no matter who they are, where they come from, or what zip code they live in.
I believe that we are at a very critical point in our country’s and our state’s history. For the last couple of years, NJ residents have been under constant attack from the federal government, whether in the realm of taxes and deductions, health care costs and coverage, clean air and clean water protections, clean energy, Planned Parenthood, immigrants’ rights, and more.
However, even before November 2016, NJ had created some real problems of its own over the past couple of decades, such as a pensions and benefits deficit that is equivalent to several times the size of the state’s annual budget – and which represents a debt of over $16,000 (and growing) for each of the state’s 9 million residents. Moreover, NJ’s property taxes, the highest in the country, are a regressive tax which disproportionately burden the middle class and make the state increasingly unaffordable to middle class residents.
While I understand the reality that none of these problems will be solved overnight, I believe that it is imperative that we make an honest start at tackling them. In contrast with the current Republican incumbents, I will critically examine these issues with the fresh, unbiased eyes of an outsider. I will ask the hard questions and dig persistently until I get to the bottom of whatever issue it is. I will communicate to the public what the issues are and why they are and present them with a range of potential solutions in a transparent manner.
Finally, I would seek new innovation across many sectors, from public health to clean energy to education. Innovation can help solve existing problems as well as lead the way to the future. Because, at the end of the day, I’d like to see my beloved home state of NJ – led by the towns in LD12 – become a model for not only for other states across the country, but for the entire world.
I’m under no illusions that this will be an easy race, but at the end of the day it will all come down to inspiring voter turnout in this off-year election. I’ve worked hard and pushed myself to make a difference for most of my life and along with your support I am prepared to fight my heart out once again in this campaign. And of course, I promise to continue to fight for positive change once I get to Trenton.
Help us make a difference!
We need people like you to help engage voters in District 12. If you’re passionate about working for positive change in New Jersey, we’d love to hear from you!