Somerset County Dems are looking for interns (sigh)

Republicans have to live somewhere (0.00 / 0)

One thing that I have always found interesting is that the prettiest parts of the state, of which Hunterdon County is one, tend to be the most Republican.

Why is it then, that Republicans tend to be as opposed as they are to open space and other environmental regulations.  In addition to maintaining the natural beauty of their communities, these laws virtually guarantee Republican electoral superiority in these parts of the state.

Conversely, Democrats champion such laws, which do very little to improve the quality of life in the state's urban centers, where most Democratic voters live and make it very difficult if not impossible to compete with Republicans in the more suburban and rural parts of the state.

Mind you, I am not arguing against such laws, but in a state as politicized as ours is, I find this dynamic to be counterintuitive if not downright puzzling.

That said, Rosi, if the worst thing about living in Hunterdon County is being surrounded by lots of Republicans, then enjoy.  Maybe the Democrats who live in Hunterdon County could more effectively elect moderate rather than conservative Republicans if they registered as Republicans and voted in Republican primaries since people tend to vote less often in primary elections rather than general elections and I cannot imagine that there are that many contested primary elections in Hunterdon County on the Democratic side anyway.

Maybe Thurman has the right idea after all.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Wed Feb 03, 2010 at 23:11:44 PM UTC

No sale. n/t (0.00 / 0)

I'd go unaffiliated before I would go Republican.  

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Thu Feb 04, 2010 at 21:29:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Why? (0.00 / 0)

You can vote for whomever you want in a general election.  Voting in a Republican primary gives you two cracks at unseating a wingnut like Michael Doherty or any of the other wingnuts in Hunterdon County.

I would think that registering as a Republican would be preferable to repealing all of our state's wonderful open space laws that are keeping Hunterdon County from being developed to the point that enough Democratic voters could be imported in to make it a purple county.

Thurman, do you want to jump in and help me with this one?

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Thu Feb 04, 2010 at 22:54:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Doherty, and a laugh (0.00 / 0)

I may be the only person who thinks this is funny, but at the moment I am in the Hunterdon County Public Library, and the guy next to me has spent the last hour organizing something for Michael Doherty, jumping up every few minutes to take calls. Very hush-hush teaparty stuff, I assure you.

When I have issues with the Democratic Party, and I make no secret of them, but I am a Democratic County Committee member and my town's deputy municipal chair, and that's not changing soon.  

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Thu Feb 04, 2010 at 22:59:00 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

you're missing my point (1.00 / 1)

I am not saying that anybody who is a CC member or MC or VC should participate in this strategy, because it would result in the vacating of their seat.

However, if you do not have the numbers in your county to win general elections, it is at least reasonable to try to identify, recruit, and run moderate Republicans in Republican Party primaries and get like-minded voters to vote in Republican Party primaries.

It would be one thing if you had contested Democratic primaries in your county on a regular basis, but since you don't, this strategy would give liberals and moderates, whether they are Democratic or Republican, something to do during primary election season and could play a role in electing Republicans who are more moderate than a teabagging wingnut like Doherty.

This has nothing to do with any issues that you or I might have with the Democratic Party at any level.  It is simply a way to make politics in your neck of the woods a little more sane.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if the wingnut in the library was working on laying the groundwork for a primary challenge to Leonard Lance.  Since it does not appear that the Democrats are going to run a serious challenger in the general election, the wingnuts are clearly emboldened to roll the dice on a right-wing primary challenge.

If I am right, then this would be a perfect opportunity to put my theory into practice, because as bad as Leonard Lance might be, and by all accounts, he does not appear to be the most extreme, right-wing Republican out there, my guess is that Doherty, Steve Lonegan, and Rick Shaftan could find someone else who is.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 02:40:40 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'd help out but we've got an uphill battle in Monmouth (0.00 / 0)

and we need all hands on deck here

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...

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by: tabbycat31 @ Thu Feb 04, 2010 at 22:34:39 PM UTC

tabby (0.00 / 0)

Oh, hell yes. If I was in Monmouth I wouldn't give a thought to leaving. Monmouth is going to be some fun the next couple years, oh my yes.  

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Thu Feb 04, 2010 at 22:54:35 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

these red counties should merge (0.00 / 0)

I think that if the Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren Democratic organizations pooled their resources and carefully targeted how they used them, they could be far more effective.

The NJDSC could support this effort by instituting a matching funds program.  It wouldn't necessarily have to be a dollar for dollar match.  Even if it was a $1 for $5 or $10 match, it could go a long way towards building up these organizations.

Also, in order to help organizations like this one hire full-time staff, I think that the legislature should pass bipartisan legislation, allowing any county party organization to purchase health insurance for its employees using the plans that either their municipal, county, or state employees have access to.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 22:14:26 PM UTC