Kim Wins Hunterdon County, Thrashes Murphy
Yesterday, Burlington. Today, Hunterdon.
U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-3) this afternoon won the backing of the Hunterdon County Democratic Committee, while keeping his winning streak alive. Kim defeated First Lady Tammy Murphy in their contest to succeed jammed-up incumbent U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ).
Kim: 120
Murphy: 64
It was a bumpy ride for county committee members, as chaos erupted at Sunday’s Hunterdon County Democratic Convention when party leaders suggested that both Senate candidates share the “county line.”
Many progressives and party players object to what they see as Governor Phil Murphy using his powerful perch to help springboard the First Lady into a Senate seat. Today’s win enabled Congressman Kim’s supporters to celebrate the facility with which their unlikely hero continues to kick sand in the face of a bully.
The party is already suffering the sulfuric aftermath of a federal indictment of sitting Senator Menendez (D-NJ), dubbed “Gold Bar Bob,” for his alleged willingness to be a tool for Egypt and Qatar in exchange for lavish gifts.
While the Murphys appear to be in scummy New Jersey-politics-as-usual mode by seizing on the upper-hand of Phil Murphy’s governorship to double up on power with the First Lady, Kim – a former national security advisor in the Obama Administration – positions himself as an anti-corruption good guy.
When he announced his U.S. Senate candidacy before consulting with party organizations willing to keep Menendez afloat between indictments, many of which signaled an early comfort zone with Tammy Murphy, Kim turned into the progressives’ political folk hero of the year.
His embarrassment of Murphy in Monmouth two weeks ago amped his followers and made more than merely revolutionary lefties sit up and take notice.
Now, Murphy’s allies claim they aren’t yet in total freak-out mode, as they look to rely on big machine counties up north later in the convention process to offset Kim’s early suburban gains.
Essex and Hudson will be especially critical for the first lady if she intends to beat Kim in the June Primary. So will Middlesex County, where the front office enjoys a strong alliance with the Middlesex County Democratic Committee.
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Congressman Andy Kim is the person QUALIFIED to become the next Senator from the State of New Jersey. Those voting in the Committee routs know that! Not only are the Murphys in “ scummy NJ territory” but they are running the less accomplished, less worthy candidate.
New Jersey is ALL IN FOR ANDY KIM.
Wonderful to see that Dem Committee Members voted appropriately for the candidate who is most qualified. His experience is something that will benefit him, as well as us, as a senator.
Glad to see endorsement my NOW today.
Andy Kim is my congressman and I can’t wait for him to become my senator! He is the right choice for NJ and I nobody else running has his qualifications or skills.
Being the Governor’s wife imparts NO qualification for a Senate seat, but that is the only thing that Murphy brings to the table. Kim has earned this, and apparently everyone in the State who is not an “insider’s insider” in the Democratic Party can see that. The only thing that Murphy can accomplish by remaining in the race is to weaken Kim’s chances in the general election. The time for her to bow out is NOW.
Tammy’s problem is that every week that goes by she risks losing the narrative as Kim wins actual secret ballots elections of the party insiders and worker bees. ( even with the top dogs in Burlington and Hunterdon floating attempts to make the vote “Heads Tammy wins/ tails Andy loses)
Celebrating that Jim Beach selected her unilaterally as Camden County’s choice ( after a phone call from the TRIAD 1824 building) may be the same in terms of assigning her “the line” but it is not the same in terms of the growing perception statewide that she can’t win a real vote of the party faithful.
I do wonder if we will see increasing pressure to make the votes secret in other counties from the worker bees who suddenly have found that they too can have an actual say in the process. ( and not have Murphy threaten a bridge project)
Hunterdon County Dem chair Arlene Quinones-Perez has run the organization in “L’Etat et moi” mode for years. Sunday’s clumsy attempt to re-write the rules to avoid an embarrassing loss for her favored candidate Murphy, with Arlene offering up disingenuous rationales that were met with expected opposition by Committee members accustomed to her shenanigans, is seen by many as maybe the final manipulative act signaling the need for a change in leadership. And huge kudos to Congressman Kim, whose credentials, integrity and motives are unassailable and who will be ready on day one to clean up Menendez’ s mess in aisle 5 and join Booker as a formidable 1-2 punch for NJ.