It’s time to dump Doherty in the 23rd

The 23rd Legislative District is represented in Trenton by Senator Leonard Lance, Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow and Assemblyman Michael Doherty. As Repubs go, like the Meatloaf song says, “Don’t Be sad, ‘cause Two out of Three Ain’t Bad.”

In that mix, Doherty needs to be dumped in November. Doherty actually wants to be the US Senator from NJ. Yes, really.

He is bad for the 23rd, and would be bad for New Jersey in DC.

Assemblywoman Karrow and Senator Lance are moderates on many issues. However, every once and a while they go completely cold-stone conservative ---probably to retain their neo-con ‘street cred’ with their right-wing peeps.

For example, they both took a hard right-turn when they followed their Party line on domestic partnerships and civil union. Sometimes the two diverge on issues, too: Like Lance went environmentalist on the Highlands Act, and Karrow went anti-Democratic Party/populist. He supported the Highlands; she opposes it big big time.

But one thing they both agree on: Doherty should be the next U.S. Senator from the Garden State. Yes, really.

Now, I do not know what hallucinogens they have been downing at Hunterdon County Repub Party meetings ----maybe Kuhl-Aid? Who knows.

They have signed on to be part and parcel of Doherty’s Exploratory Committee for Senate. I know both of them reasonably well, and Karrow and Lance are way too smart to support a dullard like Doherty.

Doherty is a guy who is Ronald Reagan-ish all over, from head to toe: He opposes stem cell research. He denies the existence of global warming. He said that ‘it does not matter’ if one believes creationism or evolution. He supports President Bush’s war in Iraq.

This guy is out of touch with the 23rd district, and radically out of touch with the working families of New Jersey.

Other neo-cons who have signed on early to be part of the Doherty for Senate exploratory panel:

• Bogota Mayor and leader of the super right-wingers in the state, Steve Lonegan.
• Congressman Scott Garrett.
• Conservative activist and former election opponent to Rep. Rush Holt, Bill Spadea.
• Lance and Karrow round out the Committee.
  

It is doubtful that Doherty would even survive a primary, let alone a general election. And remember, he does not have to give up his Assembly seat to run.

But, we can work hard to dump Doherty early and derail his Senate plans by supporting full-throttle a great guy for Assembly in the 23rd ---Pete Maurer ---in November 2007.

More on Pete later, but he is the guy for the job.