My name is Craig Cayetano. I am currently a co-chair of the Green Party of New Jersey and I am seeking your vote for national co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.

I have been a registered Green since 2016 and politically active most of my life. Growing up watching debates and staying up to date on social issues was integral in my upbringing. I broadened my knowledge in high school by joining the debate team and began studying philosophy and political science. I not only became focused on social justice but also environmental and animal activism. I was a Nader supporter in 2000 but then in 2012 I was inspired by Jill Stein's presidential campaign and not only voted Green that year and in 2016 but realized the Green Party was my party."

In 2017 I volunteered on the Kaper-Dale for NJ Governor campaign and then became a member of my state party. In 2018 I increased my participation by serving as a national delegate from GPNJ and also joined the national and my state LatinX Caucuses. I then decided to step up and run for one of our state party co-chair positions.

During the times I served as a state party co-chair, I worked on formalizing a state YES caucus.I also instituted the use of RCV for our 2020 presidential nominating convention.

I have also served as GPNJ Communications Chair since technology, social media and strategy are my strengths. I have utilized them to help on the Diane Moxley for CD-7 in 2018, Hoffman for US Senate 2018, 2020 and Governor 2021 and the Faison for LD11 in 2021 campaigns here in NJ. Those campaigns were successful in ensuring the Green Party of NJ finished as the third party ahead of the Libertarians and also knocking out one of the incumbent Democrats in the LD11 race.

I have been a Green Party candidate for Hawthorne Town Council Ward 3 and At-Large in 2019, 2020, 2021 and will be declaring my candidacy 2023. I’ve been a local Hawthorne Environmental Commission/Green Team member since 2018, a Passaic County SPCA member/board member since 2019 and started Mutual Passaic County during the pandemic where we provided support and assistance to those in need. I am a co-founding member of Voter Choice NJ along with other Green Party of New Jersey members. VCNJ is a non-partisan group working to help pass RCV trigger ordinances throughout the state of New Jersey.

I am pro-labor and anti all wars. I have recently joined the Merchandise Committee and the Presidential Campaign Support Committee. While I personally align as an EcoSocialist I’ve learned by running locally that you have to connect the issues to the individual. When I run for office I knock on all doors and am always inspired by people who are open to our ideals that normally might align and still reside in the two corporate parties. I believe for us to grow we need to put aside petty differences since some of us may not align as EcoSocialists but Social Libertarians. The phrase the “left is eating itself” has really been unfolding the last few years. I Now is the time for new leadership, vision and direction while maintaining structure, decorum and mutual respect. I work in sales which focuses on customer relations, negotiating and problem solving. I know I have the tenacity needed and can help the party while serving on the Steering Committee. I want a Green Party that can continue to build coalitions, community outreach and lead in actions on social issues across the country. This upcoming Presidential Election cycle is an opportunity to prove our place as a viable alternative party. If elected, I am committed to making sure the Green Party candidate is on as many ballot lines as possible while fighting back against the underhanded attempts to steal our ballot lines and disqualify our candidates. We’ve lost a lot of allies to MPP, Forward, LP or becoming unaffiliated/independent in recent years. I believe we need to rally and promote our ideals while calling out these other organizations and pseudo-parties. We need to right the ship and take an upfront approach to this while organizing. The struggle and fight never ends for us Greens.

I kindly ask you to rank me as your first choice for national co-chair and look forward to serving everyone and helping us expand the party nationally.

Craig Cayetano
GPNJ State Co-Chair
Hawthorne Town Council
Ward 3 Candidate 2023