Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin (D-Middlesex) issued the following statement in response to Senate President Sweeney announcing his concession Wednesday:
“Working with Senate President Sweeney over the last four years, Steve has become a good friend. I saw up close the kind of legislator and strong leader that he is: a fierce and compassionate advocate for our shared Democratic values, and a true champion for individuals with disabilities.
“In partnership, we accomplished a tremendous amount for the working families of this state from raising the minimum wage to expanding and modernizing paid family leave, and negotiating a series of fiscal responsibility reforms like our record $6.9 billion payment into the public pension this year and paying down billions in debt.
“He was a real partner in our work to rebalance the State’s school funding formula to make it more equitable for our students, to make schools safer and improve vo-tech opportunities through the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, and in formulating the Economic Recovery Act of 2020. Alongside him, we swiftly responded to the pandemic becoming the first state to pivot to remote voting that kept our state moving.
“With a 12-year history-making run as Senate President, Steve leaves his mark as a leader that deeply cares for the State of New Jersey. While his presence will be missed in the Senate come January, his voice will not be absent from Trenton.”