NJ-27 Assembly Candidate Profile For 2025 Election: Rosy Bagolie

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A statehouse race in the 27th district is hitting the home stretch, with four candidates competing for two open seats in the New Jersey Assembly.

Two Democratic lawmakers in the New Jersey Assembly are up for re-election this year: Alixon Collazos-Gill and Rosy Bagolie. Meanwhile, two Republican challengers are running against them: Adam Kraemer and Robert Iommazzo.

The 27th District includes the municipalities of Livingston, Millburn, Montclair, Roseland and West Orange in Essex County. It also includes the town of Clifton in Passaic County.

Patch reached out to each candidate with the same set of questions. Rosy Bagolie’s replies follow below. Learn more about her campaign here.

>> Are you a candidate seeking an elected office in the 27th district? Send campaign updates to eric.kiefer@patch.com

PATCH: What background or professional experience qualifies you for the job?

ROSY BAGOLIE: My career in public service has always been about giving back to the community where I raised my family and helping our students, seniors, and neighbors thrive. Holding a doctorate in educational leadership, management, and planning, I am a certified business administrator and school superintendent with over 21 years of experience in public administration and financial planning. Part of my strength is that running a school district has also given me the crossover experience needed to be effective as an assemblywoman from day one in that I have learned to communicate openly and successfully with all stakeholders, make decisions with transparency and the best information available, fight for funding and secure grants while working within a budget and to provide a service that pleases the public and serves their needs.

I am lucky to be here. My mom’s family fled Holland to escape Nazi persecution, settling in the Dominican Republic, where I was born. I came to this great country when I was 8-years-old, overcame adversity but never looked back, and worked diligently to better myself through education and hard work to achieve the American Dream, which led me to Livingston. My husband, Ricky, and I moved here with our three beautiful children, Frank, Jacob, and Aaron, who play sports, act in theater, and are being raised in a community that allows them opportunities to become well-rounded young men. As a Livingston councilwoman, I pushed for inclusivity, stronger fiscal responsibility, and transparency in government. Now, as your assemblywoman, I’ve proven I can turn those values into action. I have sponsored bills to protect reproductive freedom, reduce medical debt, strengthen transparency laws, and keep politics out of our classrooms and libraries. My professional background in public service and community advocacy, combined with my record of passing legislation, is what qualifies me.

PATCH: What is your campaign platform? What are your priorities if elected?

ROSY BAGOLIE: Our district deserves a representative who never forgets the people behind every policy. My focus is on:

• More economic relief for families, expanding ANCHOR benefits for homeowners and renters
• Cutting property taxes for seniors in half by championing Stay NJ
• Supporting our schools
• Keeping our communities safe
• Protecting our environment
• Making health care more affordable

At the end of the day, my platform is simple: keep New Jersey a place where families can thrive, seniors can stay, and young people can see their future.

PATCH: What is one thing that always makes you smile when you think about New Jersey’s 27th District?

ROSY BAGOLIE: It’s the energy of our towns. From the sidewalks of Livingston to the parks of Montclair and the local businesses in West Orange, there’s a mix of cultures, traditions, and stories that make this district vibrant. What really makes me smile, though, is how people here show up for each other, whether it is volunteers at a food pantry, parents cheering at a soccer game, or seniors organizing to protect community services. That spirit of looking out for one another is what makes our district home.

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