Beck Campaign Alive After Democratic State Committee Petition Signatures Challenge
A judge today threw out five of 145 petition signatures initially submitted by the team of state Senator Jennifer Beck (R-11) – far above the threshold of 100 required to banish Beck from the ballot.
A final and formal decision will come tomorrow after each side submits its final arguments. But it appears after courtroom testimony in Mercerville that the Democratic State Committee came up short in its quest to kick Beck out of contention on a technicality.
Beck is running for reelection against former Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal (pictured).
If the Democrats hoped to throw the senator off her campaign stride by bogging her down in court, they were unsuccessful, a Republican source said. “She’s out there campaigning today,” the source told InsiderNJ. But a Democrat involved in the race said this will be such a close contest that they do not want to miss any opportunity to land a blow, even it it does not immediately prove telling.
Gopal issued a statement in response to today’s news from Mercer.
“Monmouth County families deserve a state senator that puts their interests first every day, not one who just tries to win favor when she needs it,” said the challenger. “If Jen Beck thinks she can be coronated state senator by hurling insults at her opponent rather than standing up for the families who got her elected, she is welcome to try. Beck has turned her back on working women by voting against pay equity, supported efforts that would limit access to women’s healthcare, and ignored the needs of working families. Monmouth County deserves more than a state senator who chooses to only do the bare minimum and treats election law as mere recommendations.”
In response, Beck Chief of staff Mike Hughes told InsiderNJ, “Jen submitted more than the required number of signatures. Jen is out there constantly with her constituents. She represents all of them. This is once again all spin Vin. He has no record to stand on other to keep running for office and losing.”
You just have to love the title, portraying it as if Senator Beck was dead in the water. That was not the reality. And Mr. Gopal, Senator Beck has put Monmouth County families first, like with her opposition to a 23 cent a gallon gas tax which is going to hurt even more now that gas prices are going up and we can’t guarantee that four people won’t suddenly raise them again on a whim. Senator Beck has put Monmouth Country Families first with her support on dredging the Shark River, along with support from a local Democrat. Beck has put Monmouth County families first by authoring a law to provide restraining orders to sexual assault survivors. Beck has put Monmouth County families first by authoring a law to remove weapons from convicted domestic violence abusers and Beck has put Monmouth County families first by sponsoring dozes of bills to eliminate double dipping, reigning in health care cost and reforming sick/vacation leave. MR. GOPAL, your words are typical campaign rhetoric.
Beck also put herself first. She is the president of JAB Marketing. Can you name one client of this firm?? It’s not even registered with the state Treasury Dept as mandated by law. Is she sponsoring or voting for legislation for her “clients?” Let her be transparent and full of disclosure!1