Cape May mayor running for Congress
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — As the race for New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District heats up, candidate Zack Mullock is scheduled to speak Sept. 9 at Stockton University during the Moms for Mullock community solutions-focused listening session.
The South Jersey Democratic Women’s Forum (SJDWF) is hosting the event at 6:30 p.m. at the Campus Center Theatre, 101 Vera King Farris Drive in Galloway Township. Doors open at 6 p.m. The free event will be moderated by Atlantic City Council Vice President Kaleem Shabazz. Registration is required as space is limited (mobilize.us/momsformullock/event/1009358/).
The listening session will also be livestreamed at youtube.com/@SJDWFWeMakeWaves.
The event will include discussion of a variety of topics, including disability rights and inclusion; economic security for families; health care, Medicaid and caregiving; housing, transportation and independent living; justice for all and strong public schools for every student.
“I think it’s going to be a really good, informative event, focusing on issues that would affect moms but especially people who may be in the disabilities community,” Mullock, the mayor of Cape May, said in an interview with the Sentinel. “Frankly, anything that affects children and mothers.”
Mullock added that he is looking forward to the event and it will cover a variety of topics including health care, education and housing.
“I’m there to listen and hear from people” he said, adding that he is running to fight for the people who are being left behind.
Moms for Mullock Executive Director Susan Coll-Guedes said her involvement in politics stemmed from becoming a reluctant disability advocate for health care and public education.
Coll-Guedes’ adult son has Down syndrome, and she started sharing her personal experiences during SJDWF meetings. She said she knew something needed to be done after President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed, affecting her son’s Medicaid. The act cuts nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid over 10 years while adding strict new rules for recipients.
The Moms for Mullock organization grew organically after Coll-Guedes and others wanted to work together to elect candidates who aligned with their values.
“We need to start talking to people who maybe don’t see themselves as political, like moms,” Coll-Guedes said. “[We need to] help them see that policies shape people’s lives and the people who make decisions about what the rules are really impacts our families.”
The organization formed in June, in partnership with SJDWF. Getting others involved in the mission is a key component, Coll-Guedes said.
“My 15-year-old son so eloquently said, ‘It’s not just about moms. It’s about dads and it’s about kids, about seniors. It’s our family,’” Coll-Guedes said. “That’s what Moms for Mullock is really about. Let’s think about who we are as a people, what we want our future to be and then let’s go vote, with the intention of we’re going to make this better.”
Listening session
Mullock will have an opportunity to hear from people with life experiences and stories during the community listening session.
“People need to understand and make the connection that our voting, the choices of who we get to represent us at all levels, really impacts our lives,” she said. “Every election is important and it’s important for us to stay engaged and make sure we’re choosing people who we can have faith and trust in to do the right thing.”
There will be six panelists, each addressing one of the priorities and sharing a personal or professional perspective on its effect in southern New Jersey.
Several panelists are confirmed for the event:
— Brenda Brathwaite, senior board director, New Jersey National Education Association
— Donald Campbell, executive director, Atlantic Center for Independent Living
— Maura Collingsgru, policy and advocacy director, New Jersey Citizen Action
— Laura Gaffney, director of Family Support Services, Durand Inc.
— Rev. Julia Hankerson, licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist; member, Atlantic Cape Community College Human Services Rehabilitation Board
— Dr. Jon M. Regis, board-certified OB-GYN
“The [panelists] are all experts in their areas and will talk about these different topics and bring awareness to people,” she said. “Our hope is that people will hear this, will listen and will help to formulate opinions on what they want.”
Coll-Guedes added that when she thinks about Moms for Mullock, she is thinking about her kids and their futures.
“People might think that my one vote doesn’t matter, but this is a time where all of the representatives’ seats are up and we can vote for whoever we want,” Coll-Guedes said. “If we don’t like what’s currently happening, we can actually go out there and replace that person.”
Upcoming election
Mullock will face U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-2nd) during the Nov. 3 election. Van Drew ran unopposed in the June primary, seeking a fifth term representing the district that covers a wide swath of southern New Jersey, including Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties, in addition to a portion of Gloucester, Ocean and Burlington counties.
Van Drew was elected to the congressional district as a Democrat in the 2018 election. He declared his allegiance to the Republican Party after opposing the first impeachment of President Donald Trump.
After his announcement, Van Drew visited the White House and met with Trump, declaring his “undying support always.” Van Drew was re-elected in 2020, that time as a Republican.
In July 2025, Van Drew voted yes to passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, supporting the Senate version of the measure.
A proponent of beach replenishment, Van Drew has been actively working to secure federal funding for beach replenishment along the Jersey Shore. The need for reliable, long-term funding for coastal protection has been an ongoing battle for coastal areas.
Additional information
A non-partisan voter registration table will be set up outside the Campus Center Theater before, during and after the listening session. The table will be set up alongside tables for Mullock for Congress sign-up sheets and a table for South Jersey Democratic Women’s Forum member sign-up.
Moms for Mullock is a coalition of southern New Jersey families, caregivers, neighbors, educators and community advocates organizing to elect Zack Mullock as the next member of Congress from New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District.
The South Jersey Democratic Women’s Forum and Mullock for Congress joined forces to elevate the voices of local families and protect the programs they rely on, including health care, public school funding, food assistance and disability rights.
Visit momsformullock.org, mullockforcongress.com or sjdwf.org for more information.
– By RACHEL SHUBIN/For the Sentinel
