Black History Month: NJ Sen. Troy Singleton Believes Co-Equal Branches of Government Can Overcome Attempted Federal Retribution
NJ State Sen. Troy Singleton speaks at the Chamber of Commerce State Affairs event at the Ramblewood Country Club in Mount Laurel on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. Photo by AC JosepH Media
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
MOUNT LAUREL – New Jersey State Sen. Troy Singleton said he believes the co-equal branches of government will hold up against any efforts by the federal government to penalize New Jersey for not bending to the will of the Trump administration.
Singleton, one of the highest-ranking African Americans in the New Jersey Legislature, made the comments at a meeting hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey at the Ramblewood Country Club on Wednesday.
This week, the Trump administration released stalled funds for the Gateway Tunnel project, which is shared by New Jersey and New York. The funds had been frozen since October because of the targeting of Democratic-led states during the federal government shutdown. A federal judge stepped in to block the administration’s effort to withhold the money.
“Our judiciary has to look at the merits, regardless of who sits at the table, and make a decision on those merits, and which is why the Gateway funding was released,” Singleton said. “As long as every branch of government does its part and its role, I as a legislator will promote policy and promote legislation that stands up for New Jersey in the face of people trying to take things from New Jersey arbitrarily.
“The [NJ Gov. Mikie Sherill’s administration] is willing to go to court to fight on behalf of all 9 million of us here in the state of New Jersey and our judiciary, to just look at the facts and call balls and strikes based on the facts. I may be naive, but I still kind of believe in that. I still believe in that principle, because I’ve seen it work. I’ve seen it work in so many different ways.”
Robin Walton, president of the CCSNJ Board and senior vice president of external affairs and chief philanthropy officer at Inspira Health, conducted the “Fireside Chat” with Singleton.
Singleton answered her questions about his political priorities, affordable housing, improving government services, confirmations of Sherrill’s government posts, workforce development, the state budget, and other topics before briefly turning the floor over to the audience for questions.
Singleton is the lone Black state senator in South Jersey and a longtime public servant who first represented the area as an assemblyman from 2011 to 2017. He was first elected to the Senate in November 2017 and has served as Majority Whip since 2022. His Seventh Legislative District covers much of Burlington County.
Singleton is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and Shekinah Lodge #32 Prince Hall Affiliate. He is a past member of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the Boys and Girls Club of Camden County, the VFW Post No. 3020 Auxiliary, the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, the Garden State Arts Foundation, the Burlington County Library Foundation, and the Burlington County Bridge Commission. He is also a former trustee of Rowan University.
He is currently senior vice president of Anywhere Integrated Services and a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 255.
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