What's the matter with Warren County?

With all due respect to Mike Sedita,... (0.00 / 0)

...Warren County is NJ's equivalent of Kentucky.  I was originally going to say West Virginia, but I think that Kentucky is probably more accurate.

If anybody wants to pick a different state to compare Warren County to, I am open to debating the point.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 05:00:58 AM UTC

It's really weird out here. (4.00 / 1)

The economy is falling apart out here. I was talking to a successful and locally prominent businessman the other day. His business is dying. He's been talking to others in the area like him. Their businesses are dying as well. But they will vote for Republicans at every level every time.

The freeholders out here spent $350000+ to fight the Highlands Act in court, including Dick Zimmer as their Washington lobbiest. They have long run this dodge about keeping taxes low, but when you look at the dodge they are running, that ain't happening. Taxes keep going up. But people believe them and keep voting them back in. They laid off a LOT of county workers and pay for a lot of "Consultants". About 15 years ago, the county attorney made $30K a year. Now, he makes 350K. Wheeling is not a city in West Virginia.

And people keep pulling that Republican lever.

It's two classes of people out here: Old county residents, Panther Valley swells and large land owners who vote and donate Repub because their DNA would have it no other way. They vote, too. Reliably and religiously. Every time in great numbers. On the other hand we have new residents. Some get involved in Dem politics, but some, in order to "fit in with polite society" turn Repub. It's a sad thing to watch, but taxes often are a contributing factor. They are high out here and services are bare bones.

If we got some real activists out here, committed to two years plus of intensive effort at educating people, I think that the county could be turned. But that's a large bill to fill, especially out here.

A final vignette: A good friend of mine was WCDC executive director for a while. She went down to a NJDSC shindig in Trenton, with the former county chairman. When she introduced herself to a number of notables, she received the following question:

"Where's Warren County?"

There's more, but it's late and I am developing a bad case of stoopid. But one thing I will leave you with is: Mike Sedita is a fine man with a huge responsibility. He is also dealing with entrenched interests with juice and an intra-county regionalism that is troubling.

It's gonna take a lot of work out here and Mike needs help.

The nom de plume has a long and distinguished history.

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by: Tandalayo Scheisskopf @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 06:45:27 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

it's nice to see Andrews got more votes (0.00 / 0)

than the top Republican.


Frank LoBiondo Record and Jon Runyan Watch

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by: Hopeful @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 05:02:27 AM UTC

If I remember rightly (0.00 / 0)

Abate and Cresitello had the County line in Warren.  

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by: Thurman Hart @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 05:31:39 AM UTC

Abate is understandable (0.00 / 0)

Now that Mike Sedita is the party boss in Warren County, I would hope that he would use his power to ensure that a progressive like Camille got the party line, but I don't know what the hell they (the WCDO) were thinking, giving their line to Cresitello.  If you want your county party to be taken seriously throughout the state, that is not the way to do it.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 05:46:57 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well, one word: (4.00 / 1)

Phillipsburg. I would imagine Cresitello's message on immigrants would resonate there. The area has seen a large influx of hispanic people and a similar increase in crime and gang activity. Now, I am not informed enough to infer linkage on these two points, beyond the most anecdotal and in cases like this, I am not enamored of the anecdotal. But Phillipsburg has the largest amount of registered Dems who vote in the county and those are the conditions there, in a nutshell.

Does anyone know if Cresitello campaigned in Phillipsburg or had some people working for him there?

The nom de plume has a long and distinguished history.

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by: Tandalayo Scheisskopf @ Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 06:17:46 AM UTC