Kean, Jr.: ‘I Voted for [Kevin McCarthy] 15 Times’
FLORHAM PARK – Tom Kean Jr. says Ukraine is of “vital interest” to the United States and that the country needs to get the “weaponry to get the job done.”
What the newly-minted CD-7 representative told Morris County Republicans at a breakfast meeting Thursday was no shocker. Support for Ukraine since the Russian invasion a bit more than a year ago has been more or less bipartisan.
But now the “less” part of that equation may be gaining traction.
Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor and presumed 2024 presidential candidate, expressed concern a few days ago about the nation “becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia ….” He added that escalating a “foreign war” should not be a priority.
Many Republicans across the country pushed back against DeSantis’ comments, noting that calling a brutal invasion a “territorial dispute” seems an awfully benign description.
In New Jersey and in Morris County particularly, bipartisan support for Ukraine has been very strong. Vigils have been held on the Morristown Green and at local Ukrainian churches.
Kean, in fact, just introduced a bipartisan House resolution to recognize “the sovereignty of Ukraine and the unbreakable spirit of the people of Ukraine.”
Speaking this morning, he said it is his responsibility to continue showing the American people the evil of what Russian leader Vladimir Putin has done – and continues to do.
“Today, Kyiv stands strong, and we will continue to stand with the brave men and women on the frontlines, as their fight for freedom continues,” is how he put it in a statement about his resolution.
Still, what may be a rift in GOP solidarity regarding support for Ukraine can’t be ignored.
One attendee asked Kean if he thought differences over Ukraine will spill into the soon-to-come race for the Republican 2024 presidential nomination.
Kean eschewed a direct answer, saying that he just gave his views on the subject.
Given the fact this was a partisan gathering, Kean said President Biden waited too long to send weapons to Ukraine. He also faulted then-President Obama for not taking a stronger stance when Russia annexed Crimea, which had been part of Ukraine, in 2014. The congressman said Ukrainian success in the ongoing war would mean making Crimea again a part of Ukraine.
More generally, Kean’s appearance was treated as a celebration.
Laura Ali, the county’s GOP chair, said Morris Republicans are “beyond thrilled” that Kean took the seat last fall by ousting Democrat Tom Malinowski.
Kean, for his part, thanked Morris County, not only for voter support, but for the “education” he received serving in the state Legislature with such veteran Morris lawmakers as state Sen. Joe Pennacchio, who was in attendance.
And just for the record, Kean beat Malinowski by about 4,500 votes in the Morris County portion of CD-7
The congressman drew a few cheers when he said his D.C. apartment is on New Jersey Avenue. He also made a passing reference to the drama in the House during the first few days of Republican control:
“I voted for the Speaker (Kevin McCarthy) 15 times.”
Now, if Morris County Republicans in the 11th Congressional District could mount a major offensive against “do-nothing” Mikie Sherrill. She has done nothing for Morris County and Passaic County voters. She has voted with NancyPelosi 100% of the time to divest Americans of their fundamental rights and money. Sherrill, a supposed proponent of the military, supported “Fraud-in-Chief” Joe Biden on screwing the entire fossil fuel industry, causing this country to be harmed financially, diplomatically and militarily. Time for Sherrill to go since she has violated her Constitutional Oath of Office at least 4 times –When she became an attorney, when she became an Asst. U.S. District Attorney, when she went into the Military, and when she become a Congresscritter. She supports elimination of the 2nd Amendment, supports higher taxes and less national security (see her failure on anything protecting the borders), supports the fake “Green Raw Deal”, and supports put back the SALT reductions when instead, she could force NJ and other states with high property taxes to cut their property taxes, by de-coupling education taxes from property taxes, and making everyone pay their FAIR SHARE, in education taxes through income and sales taxes where everyone pays. Now, that would be EQUITABLE.