Longtime NJ Green Party Leader Mourned: Madelyn Hoffman Dies At Age Of 69

Madelyn Hoffman, a longtime social justice activist and political candidate who helped push forward the Green Party in New Jersey, has passed away at the age of 69.

Hoffman, a former candidate for New Jersey governor and U.S. Senate, recently died of complications following surgery in Colombia, where she was living and working, Insider NJ reported.

The Green Party of New Jersey eulogized Hoffman on Friday, calling her a “courageous activist, peace advocate and environmental champion.”

Several party leaders remembered the dedicated activist with fondness.

“You will never find a kinder soul on this planet than Madelyn Hoffman,” GPNJ elections chair Barry Bendar said.

The seasoned political veteran also inspired other Green Party of New Jersey leaders and former candidates, including Craig Cayetano and Lily Benavides.

“I admired Madelyn’s passion for doing what was right at all cost, her commitment to build peace and her vast knowledge,” Benavides said. “She became my mentor and I’m grateful that she always pushed me to do more because she believed in me.”

“The last memory that I have of us together was a year ago sitting in my living room having a conversation where she said to me: ‘Life is too short to not be happy. You need to do what makes you happy in life before it is too late. Think about that and take the decisions you need to take,’” Benavides recalled.

According to a statement from the Green Party-NJ:

“For decades, Madelyn Hoffman devoted her life to peace, justice, democracy, and the protection of our environment. She was the director of the GrassRoots Environmental Organization (GREO) in New Jersey from 1983 – 1998. She worked with over two hundred citizens’ groups from every part of New Jersey on issues of toxic chemical pollution. She served for nearly 20 years as the director of New Jersey Peace Action, where she worked tirelessly to oppose war, promote nuclear disarmament, and build a more peaceful world.

“Madelyn courageously challenged New Jersey's political establishment. During the early 1990s there was a series of environmental conferences where she presented as the GREO representative. Those who would make up the core foundation of the Green Party of New Jersey (GPNJ) also participated. When Ralph Nader announced that he would be willing to appear on the New Jersey ballot as a presidential candidate in 1996, Madelyn agreed to a plan where the Greens would list her on the ballot as their “local favorite daughter” Vice Presidential running mate for Nader, get exposure for her in the electoral arena, and then build from there into a 1997 campaign: “Hoffman for Governor.” The occasion of the launching of the latter campaign was also the opportunity to formally establish GPNJ as an organization.

“In 2018, Madelyn returned to electoral politics and ran against Senator Bob Menendez; and in 2020 she ran against Senator Cory Booker. Finally in 2021, she ran again, this time for Governor of New Jersey against the incumbent, Phil Murphy. Her campaigns rejected the influence of corporate money and gave a powerful voice to working people, activists and communities too often ignored by the two-party system.

“Madelyn inspired generations of activists through her compassion, determination, and unwavering commitment to Green values. She understood that peace, economic justice, environmental protection, and grassroots democracy are inseparable. Her passing is a tremendous loss to the Green Party US, the Green Party of New Jersey and movements for peace and justice worldwide. We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all whose lives she touched.”

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