The power of incumbency?

incumbency (0.00 / 0)

and that fundamentally there was no strong reason to replace Lautenberg.  

Frank LoBiondo Record and Jon Runyan Watch

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by: Hopeful @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:43:22 AM UTC

The power of issues (0.00 / 0)

This win is a good sign for Lautenberg. He didn't work as hard as Andrews, but successfully conveyed the message that he has superior judgment on the issue.

While Lautenberg may very well out-campaign Zimmer, this is a good sign of how voters will judge the candidates this fall.

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by: JRB @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 04:00:51 AM UTC

Political Bosses Lost Tonight (0.00 / 0)

I'd be curious to look at the district by district results in Essex - I would guess Andrews did very well in the North Ward where Adubato's  machine strength is. The Rices' did very well in the West Ward for Lautenberg.

I think Chiappone and Fulop were the only ones that did any work for Andrews in Hudson in which both still had little to no success - Cunningham looks like she did nothing to get out the African American votes for Andrews - I can't wait to look at the FEC reports to see how much money Cardwell/Cunningham made out Andrews.

Also, I think Senator Stack either supported Lautenberg or was neutral.

Norcross' machine did very well in Gloucester and Camden where Andrews got over to 80% of the vote.

The power of the county line prevailed - I don't think anyone in the state lost where they had the county line. Even Tom Wyka, who easily defeated his opponent, who only had the line in 1 county, won that county.

Congratulations should go to Reps Pallone, Holt, Sires, Payne, Rothman and Pascrell + Mayor Healy and the several county organizations who played a major role in Lautenberg's big victory,Tonight was a loss for the political bosses. Andrews near 30 point loss - Andrews was crushed by Lautenberg in every Northern County and was crushed in Jersey Shore counties of Monmouth and Ocean. Lautenberg also nearly defeated Andrews in Cumberland and Cape May Counties, where Andrews had the line.

Andrews was never able to explain why Lautenberg was supposed to be removed, except for age. That was always his problem in that he could never explain why we should vote against a 24 year incumbent who has represented New Jersey values and will continue to for the next 6 years.

The contrast between Lautenberg and Lobbyist Dick Zimmer couldn't be any more different. Its going to be a fun general election!

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by: vingopal @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 04:05:51 AM UTC

Which county bosses lost? (4.00 / 1)

Not in Hudson.  Not in Bergen.  Not in Essex.  You say yourself that they didn't lose in Gloucester and Camden.  Monmouth and Ocean?  Doesn't seem so.  Cumberland and Cape May?  Maybe they were deadlocked.

But I don't see losses for the county machines anywhere.

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by: Thurman Hart @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 04:21:58 AM UTC

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Adubato, Norcross, Lesniak (0.00 / 0)

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by: vingopal @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 05:13:47 AM UTC

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only Norcross delivered the county line (4.00 / 1)

Neither Adubato nor Lesniak nor Stack delivered their county's party line.  Endorsements don't matter.  Only the party line matters.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 05:53:23 AM UTC

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Stack (0.00 / 0)

wasn't in it - he had robocalls for the HCDO.  He didn't have the money to challenge the HCDO again.

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by: Thurman Hart @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 19:04:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Ok (0.00 / 0)

was thinking of Cavuto beating out Russo in Essex.  Different race.

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by: Thurman Hart @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 19:05:08 PM UTC

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We kept (0.00 / 0)

most of our County Committee seats in Bergen.  The RBDs did well except for the Freeholder seats.

Ferriero-crat Elaine Rabbit lost her CC seat in Bergenfield.

McNerney's MOM lost her seat.

We kept our two RBD Council seats in Englewood (Rosenzweig & Reddin) despite Wildes/Ferriero . We also maintained majority of county committee seats in Englewood.

The RBDs maintained control of the county committee in Teaneck but lost a few incumbents there.  Ferriero crony Councilman Adam Gussen lost his run for a committee seat.  Yay!

RBD council candidates lost narrowly to the Clancy ticket. As But we GAINED Committee Seats in Bergenfield.

RBDs gained a majority of CC seats in Maywood - including Regina O'Neil and our campaign manager Jack Savage and his wife.

RBDs won committee seats in Westwood. Gail Frasco won her seat and Bermari Roig-Eichler, won a new committee seat in Westwood.

I still have no idea what happened in Closter - the Borough Clerk there is holding out on us.....

But I think Joe is nervous.  Good :)

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 15:41:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

We want Pallone, NOT Andrews (4.00 / 1)

Senator Lautenberg's landslide victory was an affirmation by the New Jersey Democratic electorate that we never wanted Rob Andrews to inherit the Senate seat. We want Frank Pallone to be our next United States Senator.

And his turn will come in due time.

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by: TerryMalloy-OnTheWaterfront @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 05:01:04 AM UTC

yes and no (0.00 / 0)

As much as I love Frank Pallone, especially since he came out and endorsed Howard Dean in 2003 and he is now my Congressman, I am still waiting for him to allow HR 676 to get through his committee and get a fair hearing.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 05:51:04 AM UTC

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Unfortunately, after 2002, Pallone is not in front of that line. n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: Creed Pogue @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 12:57:31 PM UTC

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Hmmmmm (4.00 / 2)

Power brokers in New Jersey are not so much power brokers when it comes to the ballot box.  They exert their pressure behind the scenes, giving people the line or bribing people not to run with other opportunities or threats.  They give contracts, get jobs, push candidates, etc.

But once the election is happening they have less power that most folks think.  In most of NJ there is little GOTV or knock and grab going on, so the powers that be can't ensure their voters get to the polls.

In the places where there are good machines, there are usually opposing machines like in Newark and Plainfield and Elizabeth that offset a lot of the power.

Andrews came in to this race with just a week or so to go before the legal deadline for giving up lines, and many of those lines had already been delivered.  Had he come in to the race in February or January the power brokers might have had a chance to help him, but all the machinations and arm-twisting that really affects who wins elections was done and it was too late to change it.

And that's why these powerful people couldn't really impact the race -- it was just too late.

(However, I think Lautenberg was gonna win, anyway.  Just not by 24 points.)

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by: huntsu @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 12:54:17 PM UTC

Another reason: (0.00 / 0)

Did they sit on their hands? Are they really not as influential as everyone thinks? Or is this simply the power of incumbency and/or the line?

How about the possibility that Lautenberg has been steadily, a good progressive senator and people want him to continue in office?

Sometimes endorsements don't matter. Sometimes voters actually think for themselves.

This man has more energy at 84 than I have at 54.

All that said, read my diary and find out why I am SO pissed off at Lautenberg. http://www.bluejersey.net/show...

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by: NJ Liberal @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 13:16:06 PM UTC

Re: (0.00 / 0)

To accept this explanation would mean that the Democratic voters of Gloucester and Camden county are significantly less progressive than the voters of Hudson, Bergen, Mercer, Middlesex, etc. I think there's more at play than just ideology and issues.

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by: Juan Melli @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 15:28:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]