Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J has won the primary election in three New Jersey counties in a row against the state’s first lady, Tammy Murphy. Needless to say, this win did not happen without controversy. For example, some of Murphy’s allies are proposing a change in endorsement rules, and their efforts are understandable.
County endorsements are a big deal in New Jersey’s primary elections. This is because a county will typically put the weight of its support behind its preferred candidates. Come along with us as we bring you all the juicy details on how the elections are going in the New Jersey Senate primaries.
The Story So Far…
The elections in NJ have happened in Burlington, Monmouth, and Hunterdon counties so far. And the fact that Andy Kim won in all three counties, especially in Monmouth, is quite interesting. Why? Well, for one, Monmouth is Tammy Murphy’s home country, and it’s expected that she’d at least win there.
Additionally, there were speculations that Murphy would have no issues securing most Democratic-rich areas because of her status as the first lady.
All He Does Is Win, Win, Win
Kim’s winning was a landslide victory. He won 56.8% of the 466 votes cast in Monmouth. Murphy won 38%, while Patricia Campos-Medina, a progressive labor activist, won 4.2%. In Hunterdon, Kim won 120 ( 62%) votes and Murphy won 64 (33%) votes. Finally, in Burlington (where he grew up), Kim had 90% of the votes.
With the facts on the ground, Kim has won in three-party conventions that have membership votes. And as one X (formerly Twitter) user puts it, “All he does is win.”
About Andy Kim
Andy Kim is no newbie to politics, he’s been a member of the Democratic Party since 2019. He announced his plan to run as a U.S. Senator for New Jersey the day after the current Senator began to face legal charges.
Because of his recent victory at the Hunterdon County Convention, his name will be on the ballot just like other candidates the party endorses.
About Tammy Murphy
Tammy Murphy is the first lady of New Jersey’s Governor, Phil Murphy. Having held the informal position since when her husband was sworn in in 2018, Tammy is set to run for U.S. Senate.
There has been a lingering concern of nepotism in her political career as it is believed that she used the Governor’s influence to secure endorsements from influential Democrat leaders.
A Change In The Endorsement Rules? Or Not
Arlene Quinones Perez, an ally of Murphy, who is also the Hunterdon County Democratic Chair, proposed that any candidate with at least 30% of the vote should have a county-line spot on the ballot.
We cannot tell whether she expected the response she got or not. But, she came under fire for her suggestion as other delegates were either heard screaming or cursing. Eventually, her position was rejected through a hand vote.
What The Hunterdon Win Implies
In contrast to the Democratic conventions in Burlington and Monmouth, Hunterdon is the first county where none of the two major candidates have political roots.
Yet, Kim had 62% of the votes, showing he might have an edge over Murphy in the race.
Tammy Murphy’s Response
Politico asked Tammy if she’d support the 30% shared party proposition in counties where she eventually wins. However, the Media company representatives weren’t able to get a direct response from her.
Additionally, when asked if Kim had momentum in the Senatorial battle, Murphy said he did not. She went on to explain that his victory in Monmouth was because he oversees 35% of the county. Plus he is from Burlington, so it makes sense that he won there. But, she refused to make any commentary on Hunterdon.
Kim’s Campaign
Kim was the first to jump into New Jersey’s Senatorial race. And as he explained, Menendez’s reluctance to step down from office pushed him to run. He said, “I felt like there needed to be a very quick, immediate, and strong response to his very quick, immediate, and strong response that he’s not going anywhere.”
Luckily, Kim’s team was able to raise about one million dollars within seven days of his campaign. Also, to his surprise, hundreds of people showed up when he launched his campaign. This gave him a sense of confidence that he might actually win.
They Are Contesting For Senator Bob Menendez’s Seat
The reason the office of N.J Senate is up for grabs is because of the corruption charges against Senator Bob Menedez.
He has been accused of secretly helping the Egyptian government by using his influence as a Senator. While Mendedez has insisted on his innocence, more Democrats have called on him to resign from his office.
Senator Bob Menendez’s Controversy
According to the allegations, he had “provided sensitive U.S. Government information and took other steps that secretly aided the Government of Egypt.”
You should note that it is not only Menedez who was charged. His wife, Nadine, and three other businessmen – Wael Hana, Fred Daibes, and Jose Uribe – were also indicted.
More From FBI And IRS Investigators
There are further claims that Menendez and his wife received gold bars and other freebies from Daibes, a former bank chairman who was charged with banking crimes.
The alleged bribes also included luxury vehicles, cash, home mortgage settlement, and “other things of value.”
Democrats Are Not Supporting Menendez
Many Democrats have stated that Menedez should be expelled from office. For example, Sen.
John Fetterman, a Pennsylvanian Democrat, took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to say, “Now, accused of selling his honor and our nation for a $24,000 watch, accused as a foreign agent for *two* nations. How much more before we finally expel Sen. Menendez?”
The Race Is Getting Close!… To the End
Although it appears like Kim and Murphy are the major contenders in the race, there are still other Democrats who are vying for Menendez’s position.
It remains unclear whether Menendez will run again or not because there have been reports of him rejecting the calls to resign.
