About Our Campaign
As a County Commissioner, I’ve seen firsthand how decisions made in Washington directly impact our communities here in New Jersey. Over the past several years, I’ve watched essential government services become weakened or gridlocked at the federal level—whether it’s infrastructure investment, support for families and small businesses, or resources our local governments rely on to function effectively.
When the federal government fails to do its job, the burden falls on local officials and taxpayers. I reached a point where I could no longer sit on the sidelines and hope for change; I felt a responsibility to step up.
Sara Sooy wasn’t born into privilege — she built her path the same way most of us do: through hard work.
For more than a decade, Sara has dedicated herself to public service. That value was instilled in her by her family.
Meet Sara
At age 22, she ran for her local school board and became the youngest woman ever elected in New Jersey’s history.
When her mother's family immigrated from Ecuador, her great-grandmother peeled potatoes to make ends meet.
Everyone worked. Everyone sacrificed.
Sara's father was raised in Orange, New Jersey, where he served as a police officer for 25 years. Eventually he ran for office and became mayor in Bernardsville, her hometown.
Sara holds a BA in Economics and International Economics from St. Francis College and an MBA from Rutgers, and her professional background is uniquely balanced between the private and public sectors.
Sara began her career as a banker, worked at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and then launched her own consulting firm five years ago, focusing on private sector driven solutions for government. She does not do any work in Somerset County due to her role as an elected official. However, in other areas, she helped deliver over $100M in settlement dollars to New Jersey from the PFAS (forever chemical) multi-district litigation and is currently focused on clean water for communities across the country.
Elected in 2018, Sara is serving her third term as a Somerset County Commissioner. In that role, she helps guide a $350 million county budget, working every day to understand and address the real pressures facing families — from the cost of living, to housing access, to the strain on working parents, to college grads entering the job market for the first time. This work has given her a clear understanding of how policy decisions affect people’s daily lives.
Healthcare has been a central part of her service. When she was five years old, her mother became seriously ill, and her family confronted the challenges that many working families face when illness strikes. They came together, sacrificed, and supported one another.
In her work with the Mental Health Board, the Health Insurance Commission, and the Latino Advisory Board of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Sara has seen firsthand how gaps in care and coverage affect our neighbors. It has shaped her commitment to strengthening healthcare access, supporting mental health services, and ensuring that our healthcare system is responsive to the needs of the people it serves.
Serving on the Board of Trustees of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, a federally funded body responsible for a $3 billion infrastructure planning budget, has given Sara insight into federal transportation programs, long-term planning, and the investments needed to build resilient infrastructure —this keeps our communities safe, supports economic growth, and prepares us for the challenges ahead.
Along the way, she's remained grounded in the values that brought her into public service. Her time on the Board of Education, her work with local organizations, and her involvement across numerous community boards reflect her belief that leadership starts close to home — by showing up, by listening, and by doing the work.
Sara brings experience, understanding, and a lifelong commitment to the place that raised her.
