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Political newcomer Matt Daniels has announced he will be running against incumbent Councilman Jesse Kendle in the city’s non-partisan municipal election in November.

Two years ago, Daniels announced a run for Mayor against incumbent John Moor, who is also up for reelection this November. However, he has decided to run for Council instead, according to a statement Daniels issued last week. Daniels in his statement also said he does plan on running for mayor in the future.

Daniels, 30, is a musician who also works part-time at Kula Farms in the city. In addition, he currently interns with Interfaith Neighbors and Asbury Fresh as the coordination of the SNAP with Asbury Fresh program, an initiative allowing Asbury Fresh to accept SNAP benefits from those who are eligible.

The following is the full statement by Daniels announcing his Council candidacy:

I want to start by thanking each and every one of you who has expressed support for the Matt Daniels for Mayor movement that began almost 2 years ago.

As you all know, I am extremely proud to call this city my home. This amazing community has reinforced my belief that what defines a community are those people who are united in calling somewhere home. This community has also reinforced my belief that leadership is a team sport.

I have grown to understand that leadership is not just something you can seize but something you grow into with the help of those with whom are united in service. I am no exception to this reality.

Furthermore, I feel particularly blessed to have this growth spurred by the opportunity to develop relationships with leaders throughout this city. I am overjoyed by the support I have received from the community, businesses and government of this city.

I am writing this to announce that though I do plan on one day running for Mayor of Asbury Park, it is now officially time to transition to a run for City Council for the year 2022.

In light of the work that Mayor John Moor has done for this community and the good faith he has shown in helping me develop myself as a leader, I find it would be inauspicious to oppose him in his current re-election for Mayor. John has been a great leader and I look forward to my further growth as a leader under his tutelage. Additionally , I see no advantage in becoming a political martyr. The MD4M movement has done tremendous work in advancing my cause of unification of the city, representation of the west side and acknowledgement of our ever flourishing, yet sometimes overlooked artist scene.

To be clear, I will not be on Mayor Moor’s ticket this fall, as he will be running with Councilmember Jesse Kendle for re-election. While I laude Councilmember Kendle for his service to the City of Asbury Park due to his tenure on city council, I believe this Council seat would be much more effectively filled by a fresh voice that can represent the critically important perspectives and initiatives that countless members of our community have brought and continue to bring to the long term vision we share as residents of this incredible city.

Furthermore, I believe that being a member of our City Council means more than simply voting at meetings. It must include engagement in the current state of affairs of this community by participating in, empowering and enfranchising our collective efforts to bring to term the vision we ALL share for the future of our city.

I want to emphasize that I look forward to running a fair campaign characterized by decorum and respect. Above all, I look forward to running a campaign that has at its core the endeavor to bring to term leadership that is capable of enfranchising the potential we feel each and everyday as members of this great community.

For these reasons, I ask you to join me as I run for City Councilmember for Asbury Park. This begins by talking to your fellow residents who are registered voters here in Asbury Park and urging them to sign my petition for candidacy so that I may get on the ballot this November.

Your belief in me has been one of the greatest honors I have ever received. I will carry it in my heart and at the foundation of this campaign . We are a city that profoundly proclaims who we are and I firmly believe this has allowed us to establish new possibilities as it relates to this city’s future.

But we face a new challenge characterized by waters uncharted; The challenge of how we can continue to redevelop this city without impugning the unique culture contained within this community.

I am not saying this will be easy. But I know that it can be done here. We have the opportunity, as a community, to show this state and this country how a community can lift itself up without selling itself out.

I cannot walk this path alone. The sun does not come out for only Matt Daniels. It rises for us all. Let’s make use of the daylight together.

Truly & Forever Yours,

Matt Daniels

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