Election 2025: Interview with Assemblywoman Aura Dunn Who is Running for Re-Election in Legislative District 25 - Part 1

by TapInto

MORRISTOWN, NJ - This is TAPinto's interview of Aura Dunn who is running for re-election for Legislative District 25 of the NJ State General Assembly.

TAPinto Morristown: You seem to be everywhere and at every event throughout your district...what is your favorite part of being an Assemblywoman to District 25 residents?

Assemblywoman Dunn: Thank you! With a district that spans 300 square miles and has nearly 250,000 residents, I take very seriously that a representative must be both accessible and responsive. I make it a priority to be with the people because that is how you learn, that is how you understand not only the challenges but also the passions and strengths of a community. Bringing that knowledge with me to the Statehouse is what allows me to do what I love most: shaping policy or, in most cases, questioning policy.

To be honest, there are moments when I am listening to colleagues and I think to myself, “You don’t get out much, do you?”

For me, a great day is spent with young people, talking about their hopes, their dreams, and the kind of government they can trust and believe in. And here’s a hint: it’s not the grandstanding or mudslinging you see on TV. I am grateful every time I walk into a classroom or step onto a campus, because it gives me a chance to set a different example of leadership and public service for the next generation.

TAPinto Morristown: What would you say your biggest accomplishment has been since you became an Assemblywoman?

Assemblywoman Dunn: In the 2020 election, I made state history by receiving the highest number of votes ever cast in an Assembly race. That level of engagement was a clarion call to my mission bringing people together, restoring hope, and serving others.

Since then, I have been proud to see important pieces of legislation I sponsored become law: making strangulation a higher crime, ensuring children continued to receive school meals even when schools were closed during the pandemic, and establishing sextortion as a punishable crime.

The work that fulfills me most is constituent services. That is where you are helping the individual, a family, in their daily lives. What may seem like a small act to others can mean the world to one person. In some cases, it has meant saving a life.

TAPinto Morristown: What are the most important causes and priorities that you are working on this year?

Assemblywoman Dunn: I believe this year the overall issue is affordability, and its driven by 3 key issues facing New Jersey. First is revising the state school funding formula to stop shortchanging suburban districts which in turn forces higher property taxes. We need more funding for our schools, and I’m happy to be endorsed by our state teachers for my work on these topics. Second is the issue of high-density housing, that is straining local towns with massive new housing obligations that will crowd classrooms, clog roadways, and add new property tax burdens from new services and infrastructure. Third is power bills, which are skyrocketing because of failed offshore wind policies as Governor Murphy blocked more supply from traditional sources of energy like natural gas. We need an all-of-the-above energy strategy to increase electricity supply and lower utility bills.

I believe public service means showing up, listening, and delivering results for the people I represent. I pledged to work hard and serve everyone, continuing the work I have done to keep our neighborhoods safe, support small business owners, expand opportunities for women and children, stand with domestic violence survivors, ensure access to mental health services, and advocate for our veterans. I am running because families in New Jersey deserve affordability, accountability, and a government that works as hard and as responsibly as they do.