Senator Teresa Ruiz joins Andrews campaign as co-chair

Ruiz has a bright future n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: JRB @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 17:58:47 PM UTC

Ruiz and the co-chairs (0.00 / 0)

Besides getting Ruiz as a co-chair, which means an up-and-comer in N.J. politics is now in the Andrews camp, Andrews also recently got the endorsement of Oscar James Jr., Newark councilman. NJN was reporting that there were 10 new Andrews co-chairs on their broadcast last night. In some respects, this senate primary is shaping up to be a new guard vs. old guard battle in the N.J. Democratic Party.

I noted Sen. Redd was also in the youtube video, and she mentioned an interesting and telling anecdote about Andrews in her introduction to him during his campaign announcement. She said that Andrews went door-to-door for her in the fall in her senate race in district 5 -- and this is in one of the safest Dem districts in the state.

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by: Martin @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 18:32:15 PM UTC

Norcross is new guard? or old guard? (3.33 / 6)

What about Steve Adubato?
What about Senators Lesniak and Vitale?

What ridiculous spin.

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by: Scott Weingart @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 20:26:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Maybe an exaggeration (4.00 / 1)

I agree. I think what Martin was getting at is that a lot of the progressive voices we know in New Jersey, many of whom we've acknowledged as  future leaders of the party (eg. Ruiz, Redd, James Jr, etc), have chosen to back Andrews.

That's not to say it's exclusive. Plenty of young'n up-and-comers are backing Lautenberg too, but what this does do is complicate the argument that progressives don't support Andrews for legitimate reasons.

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by: Mr. Steakhouse @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 20:51:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Lets be honest though (4.00 / 2)

Its mixed on both side - Booker, Jun Choi, Ron Rice Jr. and other 'future leaders' are with Lautenberg while i don't know any future leaders who are with Andrews who are true independents - most of the young leaders with Andrews are connected to a machine, either Norcross or Adubato

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by: vingopal @ Thu May 15, 2008 at 02:03:30 AM UTC

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That Was Fair Of You! Thanks!!! n/t (4.00 / 1)

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by: Nick Lento @ Fri May 16, 2008 at 18:31:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Teresa Ruiz is Being Loyal To the Adubato... (4.00 / 2)

....machine, and who could blame her.

Note how she's just reading her script.  She doesn't seem to have much of a deeply felt sincere connection to Andrews.  

If you listen to the audio, at a minute and nineteen seconds she seems to forget Andrews name and needs to examine the text to remember it.

I look forward to seeing Ms Ruiz mature beyond loyalty to a party machine.

Whatever debt she's had to Adubato is now paid in full.

New Jersey's problems are too serious.  We can't afford the price of machine politics any more (we never really could).  There's no more "fat of the land" left for the bosses to feed off of!!!

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by: Nick Lento @ Fri May 16, 2008 at 18:42:11 PM UTC

debts like these are never paid in full (4.00 / 2)

Political machines would never survive if neophytes who are brought through the system were given their independence at some point after reaching maturity.

It is because young machine pols usually stay in office and become old machine pols that the political machines are able to dominate into perpetuity.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 20:43:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I Was Being Sarcastic.... (4.00 / 1)

....and hoping that Ruiz, or maybe someone who knows her, would read it and influence her to consider breaking the underlying "deal".

Your post raises the question as whether it's even possible to really reform NJ without starting some kind of totally new movement.

One would hope that people haven't irretrievably "sold their souls."
 

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by: Nick Lento @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 21:39:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

of course they have (0.00 / 0)

What have you experienced that would tell you otherwise?

The only way to reform the Democratic Party at every level that it operates in machine states like NJ is to have an alternative Democratic Party within the Democratic Party, just like what is being built in Bergen County.

Unfortunately, I don't get the sense that there is nearly enough enthusiasm for a "Real Democrats of New Jersey" with a county and municipal organization in every county  and municipality.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 04:46:36 AM UTC

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It's a Cliche; But Where There's Life... (0.00 / 0)

...there's hope.   And this young woman will be around long after Adubato has passed into history.

I share you're skepticism (and many of your ideals!); but reject your droll cynicism.

Kvetching is a luxury we can't afford too much of, if we wish to leave our children a world/nation/state in which they can live secure, humane, joyful and prosperous lives.

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by: Nick Lento @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 06:35:48 AM UTC

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Who's the tall guy in the background? (0.00 / 0)

Is that Wisniewski?

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by: Dvd Avins @ Sun May 18, 2008 at 05:45:49 AM UTC

it is Wisniewski, thanks for asking (0.00 / 0)

and he weighs in briefly (2m) on transportation stuff, a return on our federal dime.

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Sun May 18, 2008 at 12:19:53 PM UTC

[ Parent ]