Kim Grabs Back the Momentum in Ocean County
Today, Congressman Andy Kim overwhelmingly won the Ocean County Convention, continuing his streak of winning every non-“machine politics” convention (Monmouth, Burlington, Hunterdon, Sussex, and Warren Counties). Delegates voted via paper ballot in a secret vote, resulting in Congressman Kim winning 86% of the vote over First Lady Tammy Murphy. He now looks towards tomorrow’s Mercer County Convention which will also be a secret ballot.
“I am so thankful to everyone who showed up today and to Chairman Wyatt Earp for running a convention that let the delegates vote their conscience with secret ballots and free from machine politics pressure,” said Congressman Andy Kim. “Ocean County Democrats know the challenges of going up against Republicans and know that I would be by far the strongest general election candidate for the Democrats that can help lift up candidates in tough races up and down the ballot and across the state.”
Congressman Kim represented parts of Ocean County during his first four years in office. During that time, Kim helped secure a new Veterans health clinic, stood up for victims of Superstorm Sandy, delivered funding for projects to help Meals on Wheels, local law enforcement, and to construct a new overpass on Route 539 by Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
First elected to Congress in 2018 at the age of 36, three-term Congressman Andy Kim is one of the younger members to serve in Congress and is the first Asian American elected to federal office from New Jersey. If elected to the Senate, Andy would be the 4th youngest Senator, the first senator from South Jersey in recent memory, and the first Asian American elected to the Senate from the entire east coast of America. In 2018 and 2020, Andy defeated two self-funding millionaires in a district carried by former President Trump, and in 2022 Kim defeated his third self-funding millionaire opponent by 12 points.
Remarkable that in every county election conducted fairly Andy crushes Tammy.
That’s probably because he’s the better candidate.
Andy Kim will be the nominee and the only one who is surely viable. If Tammy Murphy really cares about the Democratic Party she should drop out now and lend her considerable resources to help other Democrats who are truly viable candidates. (or is she just in it for herself, a la Trump?)
With an actual secret ballot convention process Kim would run the table in South Jersey like he did in Burlington and Ocean County. . Now the Norcross machine won’t let that happen cause they need to put on a show to keep the patronage and money from Phil …but this isn’t a normal statewide primary where whomever doesn’t get the blessings from the bosses quits in March.
Kim is going to win big in June.
New Jersey voters deserves free and fair elections, without party county chairs using their considerable power to give their favored candidate(s) an advantage at the ballot box. We Democrats demand fair votes in Republican-dominated states. We should hold NJ elections to the same standard. It’s time to get rid of the ‘county line’ and allow all candidates to compete on a level playing field, to win or lose based on their merit as determined by the voters.
The OC chairman is Wyatt Warp.
Is the vice-chair Doc Holiday?