Breakfast With Republicans

The other morning I ventured where few Democrats have gone before: To a post-Election Day Republican breakfast in Hunterdon County.

With Senator Leonard Lance’s Congressional win a mere 48 hours old, the buzzards have already started circling around his soon to vacated Senate seat. The first bird to buzz his intentions to run: Assemblyman Mike Doherty. Doherty arrived early to the gathering, worked the room, shaking hands, flashing his grin, and being very open about his intentions. “He will definitely be running in the June [2009] State Senate primary, whether he gets chosen by the County Committee members or not,” declared Ed Smith, the Assemblyman’s Chief of Staff.

Doherty has flirted before with running for Senate against Frank Lautenberg, but got out early. Had he run for US Senate, that would have been a debacle for him. Doherty is a West Point grad, and has been given high marks by National Rifle Association, New Jersey Right to Life and several other conservative leaning groups. He is so right-wing, he makes Reagan look like Karl Marx. He does not believe that global warming exists, by the way.

His most likely opponent for Lance’s Senate seat: Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow. Ms. Karrow was insistent on the fact that she has not decided as of yet, and wanted to not steal Senator’s Lance’s victory thunder. A big gamble for both Doherty and Karrow: they both have to give up their Assembly seats to run for Senator.

So, Lance’s win has started an avalanche of Republican candidates in wait and see mode: Hunterdon Freeholders Erik Peterson, Matt Holt, Ron Sworen, along with Warren Freeholder John DeMaio and a menagerie of mayors might get in to the Assembly race, should both Karrow and Doherty run. And then, of course, that move would trigger an equally crowded field for the open freeholder spots, perhaps in both Hunterdon and Warren.

When I arrived at the Republican fest, ---I got questions like “Are you changing parties?” “What are you doing here?” It was all very amusing, and I am confident enough in my Democratic Party membership, that I can be in a room of Rs, and not catch anything. And while everyone was celebrating the victory of Senator Lance, not one mention of Barack Obama or John McCain. Go figure.

“I am Leonard Lance and I approved this message”

In 2006, the Hunterdon County Democrat newspaper did something really menschy: they took Mike Ferguson to task for his “Stender is a Spender” series of commercials. The commercials were low-brow, sophomoric and childish. The newspaper, known mostly for their conservative/Republican leaning editorial policy--- was highly critical of the radio and TV commercials that essentially lowered the bar for political campaigns in New Jersey – as if that were possible. Stender went on to be endorsed by every major newspaper in the district, including the Democrat. However, she did lose. But the Democrat was right about the commercials.

And so, it was with great surprise and disappointment that I now see that Senator Leonard Lance is using the same theme in a TV commercial---perhaps even a commercial recycled from 2006. While it is true that Mr. Lance does not have the campaign cash that Assemblywoman Stender does, he has lowered himself to the same levels that Ferguson did just two years ago.

Senator Lance has received praise from Republicans and Democrats alike over the years because of his honesty and his courage in taking on his own Party. And as long as I live in district dominated by Republicans, he seems better than most. While I don’t agree with him on all issues like the war, paid family leave, marriage equality, and the Bush tax cuts--- he certainly is much better representing the 23rd than Mike Doherty or Connie Myers. So, I hope he stays put.

But the Stender is a spender commercials were a departure form his usual campaign style, and it does not do him well at all to take that tack.

Hopefully, the Hunterdon County Democrat will use the same criteria to judge the commercial Mr. Lance is using, that they used in judging Mike Ferguson.

Seven for the 7th.

Rome was built on Seven Hills. And, [at least] for last night, Mountainside, NJ was built on the seven Republican candidates for Congress in the 7th District.

Seven for the 7th. And come June 3rd, only one of them will roll the lucky number seven and be the winner. But which?

And so, I attended the packed house last night for what will probably be the final mass debate between [amongst?] the Republican candidates for the 7th congressional district in central Jersey. Every candidate was in their respective chairs right at 7:30pm on the dot, except for Tom Roughneen, who arrived fashionably late at 7:444pm. So the former military man can’t tell time? Or is there too much traffic on Route 22? Maybe traffic in the district is an issue that should be dealt with. But Roughneen was in time for his first question, and came out battlin' right away.

WordPlay: The top seven most often said words/phrases from last night’s debate:

[1] Taxes, [2] Linda Stender, [3] conservative, [4] pro-life, [5] Iraq, [6] tax cuts, and [7] the ever present, “family values”.

And some new fangled phraseology:

From Mayor Marty Marks---'across-the-board' conservative, as opposed to just plain old 'conservative' or the now ancient 'compassionate conservative'.

From A.D. Amar, calling himself a 'shoestring' conservative, for running his campaign on a 'shoestring' budget.

Also, the least frequently said phrase was from Kelly Hatfield---“We live in a global world”. Duh. She also said that the most important issue in the race for her was that “North Plainfield needs their own zip code”. Most of the night Hatfield sounded like the Miss South Carolina teen that was asked why Americans had trouble reading maps. Not ready for prime time.

There were barbs thrown, occasionally.

Here is the barb scorecard:

By Mayor Marty Marks at Senator Leonard Lance and former first daughter Kate Whitman: Topic: For being “moderates”, and not being ‘conservative’.

By Tom Roughneen at Senator Leonard Lance. Topic: For being endorsed by the Sierra Club, and accused the Senator of wanting ten dollar a gallon gasoline.

[Only to neo-con Republicans would be being ‘moderate’ or endorsed by a leading environmental group be considered worthy of attack.]

By Kate Todd-Whitman-Annis [whew!]. Topic: At all the candidates for attacking her for being a “Whitman”.

[Former first mother Governor Christie Todd Whitman was ‘in da house’, cheering her first daughter on, flying in from a trip to Beijing. Now that's motherly love.]

[Once again, Whitman the younger was noticeably passionless, and filled with political clichés. She went on and on touting her “Six Point Plan” to set Congress right----points that sound as if they were taken point by point from the playbook of the other six candidates.]

By Kate Whitman, at all the candidates: Topic: For voting for tax increases, including Marks and Hatfield.

[Note to Katie: Dr. Amar, Tom Roughneen and Darren Young have never held office, and therefore have never voted for tax increases]

Mayor Marks, at Whitman and Roughneen. Topic: For not ever having been elected to anything, but criticizing himself and Hatfield for raising taxes in their respective towns.
“Walk a mile in my shoes, first”, chided the Mayor. “Or get elected to a local office first.” Point well made.

Libertarian and self-described Sabrin for Senate running mate, Darren Young. At, well, himself. Topic: He asserted that he was a direct descendent of President John Adams, and declared that he “…would have had the endorsement of Adams…I think.”

[You can never tell if you’re gonna get the support of family members---especially if they’re dead.]

Noticeably , Senator Lance noticeably kept above the fray. Being the probable leader in the group will compel one to do just that.

Overall, it was a fun evening of political merriment. The format was a bit freaky---just one hour of “debate” for seven candidates and not a question allowed from the packed crowd. Two minutes per answer per candidate allowed for only a very brief glimpse in to the minds of each Republican. Maybe a run-off election should be statutory in such circumstances.

Shout out to Max Pizzaro of PolitickerNJ, whom I read everyday and got to meet for the very first time.

Enjoy the freedom to think, speak, blog, and chat this Memorial Day weekend, remembering all those who gave their lives so we can live free. Thanks, dad.

Rockem Sockem Republicans

This Thursday night there is a debate between the Republican candidates for the 7th Congressional District. While Linda Stender has been focused on organizing her base of support and filling her campaign war chest, the Republicans have been playing Rock’em Sock’em Robots with each other.

I will be there, hopefully live-blogging.

Former First Daughter Kate Whitman has been attacking the cr#p out of Senator Leonard Lance, her [former?] family friend, with 12 waves of mail pummeling his record. How they mend fences on their side after that kind of race may be a good lesson for Obama/Clinton. She’s got mucho bucks, and has been using them to add some mud to the race.

I have not been able to get my hands on any of the hate-mailers targeting Senator Lance ---not being a Republican; I am not on their prime mailing list. And my Republican friends in Flemington [the Senator’s home turf] have not kept the mailers long enough for me to get a copy. As a good Republican friend [unnamed, though] said to me, “When I get that crap, it goes right into the recycling bin.” Good thing she is recycling.

So, the others in the race are not getting much press, especially Iraq War veteran, Tom Roughneen. There is not one thing Roughneen and I agree on –he supports staying in Iraq until the “job is done”; he supports a constitutional amendment banning abortion, and supports extending the Bush tax cuts. However, he seems to be a bright and genuinely passionate candidate who is a good man. Not at all your average run of the mill neo-con Republican. He will not win, but will be back in a future, perhaps more local, race.

Now, I am going to go out on a limb here, and make a prediction on a winner: Mayor Marty Marks of Scotch Plains.

While the good money is on Senator Leonard Lance, Marks has received the endorsement of the active Right to Lifers in the district. A low turn out, combined with a seven candidate field, sprinkled with pro-life activists working election day for Marks, with just a touch of the two top candidates splitting party regulars----I think will make for a Marks victory. With seven in the field, someone who gets 25% of the vote could come out on top.

Pity the candidate who spent all their money, and came in second.

Seven flavors of Republicans for the 7th CD

I had the opportunity this week to attend the Hunterdon Chamber of Commerce breakfast forum featuring the REPUBLICAN candidates for the 7th Congressional District. And no, the caps lock on my keyboard did not slip when I typed in “Republicans”.

I capped it because the Hunterdon Chamber of Commerce did not. In the newspaper piece, and in their invitation, the breakfast was touted as featuring the “candidates for the 7th Congressional District”. They failed to include Democratic candidate Linda Stender. Their answer at the event: “Linda Stender spoke to our group two years ago, when she ran against Mike Ferguson.” And “she is not facing an opponent in the June primary.” But, still, folks.

She is a candidate; at least list the event as the REPUBLICAN candidates for the 7th Congressional District. Anyway, so it goes. Back to business.

The Republican candidates in attendance were: Scotch Plains Mayor Marty Marks, Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon), businesswoman Kate Whitman, former Summit Councilwoman Kelly Hatfield, Iraq War veteran Thomas Roughneen, Seton Hall University business professor A.D. Amar, and former Libertarian candidate, Darren Young.

The appearance was listed as a ‘forum’, and not a ‘debate’. In the introductions, each candidate tried to out ‘conservative’ the another---with the exception of Senator Lance and Tom Roughneen, the only candidates of substance up there. But more on that later.

Quick points: Kate Whitman is clearly out of her league in this Congressional race, and is not deserving of all the attention her family name brings to the table.

Upon arrival, she asked of Suzanne Lagay, the Hunterdon County Chamber President, “So, how long have you been a Chamber member?”, trying for the standard small talk. Ms. Lagay introduced herself as the Chamber President, which seemed to surprise Whitman. She clearly did not know who Ms. Lagay was. Bad move for the candidate. On the dais, she was even worse, as she did nothing more than ‘parrot’ back positions already stated by other candidates. “I have a six point plan on my website,” she said. She was passionless, had no spark. She sounded like her website as she listed only four of her six points. Even a story meant to be cute about how as a six year-old she would hand out flyers for her mother by stepping on the toes of event attendees, came off flat and lifeless.

Seton Hall University business professor A.D. Amar: Spoke about how he chose to be a Republican upon arriving here from India. He is pro-life, for 'traditional' marriage, thinks we should finish the job we started in Iraq, and would make the Bush tax cuts permanent. A bright, well-spoken man, but not a chance of finishing even in the top three.

Kelly Hatfield: She should be sticking to state issues for now, as she spoke mostly about property taxes, the business climate in New Jersey, and how people are leaving the state due to high taxes. Maybe she should be running for freeholder or state legislature. She did not handle the questions on national issues well enough to be considered a serious candidate for Congress.

Scotch Plains Mayor Marty Marks: This is the guy I hope Linda Stender gets to run against.

He declared himself solidly pro-life, solidly conservative, pro-Iraq war, and asserted affirmatively that the detainees in Gitmo do not deserve ‘equal protection’ under the law. And he said, regarding torture, that "it's all in the way you define" torture. How enlightening.

Marks also declared that it should the generals, not Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid, dictating the way the war is conducted. I don’t know the last time Marks read the Constitution, but the Senate and Congress are allowed to chime in every now and then on our national policy regarding wars. It’s in the rules, Mr. Marks. Anyway, he is so hopelessly out of touch with the moderate independent thinking voters of the 7th CD ---even moderate Republicans---that he contrasts best with progressive Linda Stender. Bring him on.

Darren Young: He was the former Libertarian candidate from 2006, who was an interesting combination of being opposed to the war, and wanting to lower taxes and get the government out of everywhere. Young said he was qualified to be in Congress because he was the only one at the table who had debated Linda Stender in 2006---as the Libertarian candidate. No shot at all, but makes the debate interesting. And on his website, he lists his GPA from college---3.1. He is the only candidate to do that.

And then we get to the only two Republican candidates I think deserve to be running for Congress. Senator Leonard Lance and Iraq War vet Tom Roughneen.

Tom Roughneen, an attorney, is an Iraqi War veteran who proclaimed that he used to be a Democrat, but flipped years ago when he saw “what the Democrats were doing to the country”. He is pro-life, fully and solidly supports the war, and wants to make the Bush tax cuts permanent. He was the best speaker on the dais for a first time candidate, and we will not see the last of him. He is bright, articulate, and well suited for politics.

Gave the best answer on a number of issues including what to do with the prisoners in Gitmo---says they deserve to be treated as POWs under the Geneva Convention. Good for him; the right, if unpopular answer. This was as opposed to Whitman’s narrow minded response of, “They are terrorists, they deserve to be there,” and Marks’ response of ‘they do not deserve due process or equal protection under US law'. He was sincere, and unj-aded by NJ politics…yet.

Mr. Lance is clearly the classiest amongst the bunch. Years as a well-respected legislator, and in the leadership of his Party up until last year. He is too nice for the rough and tumble world of New Jersey politics, some say. At the forum, Mr. Lance announced that he was saddened by the passage of the Paid Family Medical Leave Act. He then asserted that since New Jersey was the first state on the east coast to pass the law [California already has such a law], we would be at a disadvantage economically in comparison to states like New York and Pennsylvania. Furthermore, he stated that such a law should be done, if at all, on the national level. So, it was hard to tell if Lance opposed the law as so much government interference, or favored it only if it was passed by Congress. Too bad no one got to ask that question of Mr. Lance.

The real issues for me for Congressional candidates include their stand on the Iraq War, the economy, and national health care. The Republicans all seem to come with the same flavor: All oppose national health care. There was rhetoric about the war, but none had the courage [except Young] to declare their opposition to it. And none made any connection at all between the failed policies of the Bush administration, and the economy.

So, if your favorite flavor is all-conservative-all-the-time, your candidate is Mayor Marty Marks.

If you like your candidates a little bit conservative and a little bit liberal, with a touch of niceness and family history thrown in for good measure, then your candidate is Leonard Lance.

If you like that self-made Republican/Republican by choice candidate, then Seton Hall University business Prof. Amar is your guy.

However, if you want a bland lifeless flavor who is nothing more than a poor carbon copy of the other candidates but with a prominent Republican NJ family name4 for a little spice, then Kate Whitman's your gal. Or, if you don't want the extra expense of the family name, you can go for Kelly Hatfield.

And if you like your conservatism straight up, on the rocks with no punches pulled, you have Tom Roughneen.

Finally, if the flavor you like is a mixture of a little of everything, but don't like the War, then maybe Darren Young is for you.