[NJSpotlight.com (May 21, 2015) and The Star-Ledger (May 27, 2015)]
The
Eagleton Institute of Politics usually convenes a forum the morning after each
statewide primary and general election. A panel of knowlegable political
particpants and observers reviews the previous day’s results and their
implications with about 100 political junkies and, lately, a larger audience
viewing a live stream of the event. During the 30 “Morning After” programs held
over the last 15 years,the gatherings have become a predictable setting for
informative, thought-provoking, bi-partisan discussion and debate that is
always respectful and civil.
But this year, the morning after the
June 2nd primary, we suggest you sleep in instead. The sad truth is
that there will be few results worth discussing.
At
the top of the 2015 ballot will be the 80 seats in the State Assembly and one
spot in the Senate, but the legislative districts mapped and adopted after the
2010 census make it all but certain that both houses will remain firmly in
Democratic control.
Ah, you may say, but doesn’t that
kind of gerrymandering make primaries the place where the action is? Challengers,
knowing that most seats are reliably Democratic or Republican, should be
mounting strong primary challenges arguing that the incumbent is not sufficiently
true to the principles of her or his party or is inattentive to the needs of
the district.
Yet, statewide, a total of only 86
Democrats and 84 Republicans have filed for the 80 nominations available to
each party.
Here are the
contests:
- In the 9th District (parts of Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean Counties), the two
Republican incumbents running as "Regular Republicans" are being
challenged by two "Common Sense Conservatives."
-
In the 15th District (Parts of Hunterdon and Mercer) competing with the two
"Regular Democratic" incumbents is one "Better Democrat."
-
Six Democrats filed to run in the 20th District (Part of Union) with two calling
themselves "Regular Democrats." Two others are "Union County
Progressive Democrats" and the final pair are "Real Democrats."
-
In the 24th (Susses and parts of Morris and Warren), two "Regular
Republicans," including one incumbent, are running against two challengers;
one with the slogan "Politics without Money" and another under a
"Proven Conservative Leadership" banner.
-
And seven Democrats are seeking the two nominations in the 31st District (part
of Hudson); two calling themselves "Democrats United," two
"Democratic Organization," two "Uniting Community & Public
Service" and one "Committed to Restoring he Peoples Trust."
That's it except for a number of
municipal and county races that will be largely of local interest. There are no
contested Assembly nominations in any of the other 35 districts where 87% of
the state’s population lives. In fact, in two of them - the 8th (parts of Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)
and the 23rd (parts of Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren) – not a single Democrat
entered the race. The race to fill the vacant Senate seat in the 5th
(Camden and Gloucester), on the other hand, features one Democrat and no
Republicans.
At Eagleton, we believe politics
matters and we preach about it’s importance. We tell young people that it’s always
important to vote even if the choice is less than perfect or a certain outcome seems
inevitable. It’s your right and your duty. But how can you make that argument
this year?
But, it is the right thing to do, so
on June 5th vote anyway. Then sleep in the next day and mark your
calendar for Wednesday November 4th when Eagleton will convene the next Morning After discussion. Even if this
year’s general election campaigns are only slightly more suspenseful than those
generated by the primary, I‘m sure we’ll find things to talk about. Maybe one
topic should be whether democracy might be strengthened and turnout increased
if we make the changes necessary to have a few fewer elections.
