The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Several township figures are considered among the state’s African-American power elite by a statewide political publication.
InsiderNJ.com‘s “2019 African American Political Power List” includes people as varied as state Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet, former Township Councilwoman and current Somerset County Freeholder Shanel Robinson, longtime Councilwoman Kimberly Francois, entrepreneur Randall Pinkett and the Rev. DeForest “Buster” Soaries of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens.
Repollet was ranked No. 18. The publication said that “In his first year in office, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education proved a visible ally of Governor Phil Murphy.”
Robinson was ranked No. 91 on the list because she “made history in 2018 as the leader of the Democratic Freeholder ticket that broke the GOP chokehold on county government,” according to the publication.
Robinson is also the first African American to serve on the board.
Francois, ranked at 101, is described by the publication as a “Veteran Franklin Twp. Councilwoman.”
Soaries and Pinkett were given honorable mentions.
