InsiderNJ Poll: Andy Kim Versus Tammy Murphy
Bob Menendez’s mudslide into political oblivion meant the Democratic Party that long backed him would have to find a successor. Two unlikely people stepped up and now find themselves in a genuinely competitive June 4th primary.
In what would become a convention season of stark contrast, U.S. Representative Andy Kim (D-3) of Burlington secured a critical win early when he won the backing of the Monmouth County Democratic Committee. That organization oversees the home base of his rival, First Lady Tammy Murphy of Monmouth and chooses its candidates by secret ballot, with all county committee members afforded a vote. On the same day, Murphy won the support of the Passaic County Democratic Committee by a show of hands by the municipal chairs only, not the rank-and-file members of the organization.
This would become a pattern throughout the season, as Kim mostly burnished support among progressive Democrats in areas undictated by public jobs, while Murphy secured the backing of top-down structures prolific with patronage.
Their record of county committee support so far:
Kim: Monmouth, Burlington, Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex, Ocean, Mercer
Murphy: Passaic, Bergen, Somerset, Union
After Kim got out to a robust lead, party insiders saw Bergen County as critical for the First Lady. The big, North Jersey organization runs a secret ballot convention, but also operates according to old school methods, and hinges on Bergen County Democratic Committee Chairman Paul Juliano’s relationship with the governor’s office. Murphy won Bergen, with Juliano essentially saving her campaign, and giving her a bounce into Somerset, another hand-vote county more similar to Passaic in terms of rules than, for example, Warren.
Even as the county line drama unfolded, Kim filed a federal lawsuit protesting the county line system as fundamentally unfair.
From InsiderNJ Columnist Fred Snowflack:
Kim, who is battling First Lady Tammy Murphy for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, contends that New Jersey ballots are generally designed to help candidates endorsed by county political leaders by putting them in favorable positions. In the case at hand, that would be First Lady Murphy.
The line will especially help Murphy in high population Democratic Party counties, like Bergen, Hudson, Essex, and Middlesex. Middlesex has its convention tonight, where Murphy, as she did in Bergen, will depend on the organization’s strong ties to the governor’s office. She expects to rack another win there, as critical as her backing in Bergen.
All the while, Kim continues to assemble a grassroots army angered by his party’s preferential treatment for the governor’s wife, a non-elected official, and by other candidates (among them, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez, Jr., son of the disgraced senator, in Hudson County) preferred by demonstrably anti-democratic organizations in the name of – what else – the Democratic Party.
As Kim presents himself as the good guy exposing an antiquated and unjust process of picking candidates, Murphy this week found an attack line on the heels of a vote by the U.S. House of Representatives to ban Chinese communist party ownership of its interest in TikTok. Kim didn’t participate in the vote, the only absent member of the New Jersey delegation. Later, he told the New Jersey Monitor that, had he been present, he would have voted no on the bill.
Having absorbed a lot of punishment from Kim, Murphy allies treated the issue like their own disarming rapier thrust, exposing what they see as a hypocritical, mostly inexperienced guy trying to Bobby Kennedy bullhorn a revolution.
Other candidates in the Democratic Primary for the United States Senate continue to work for support, among them progressive activist Patricia Campos Medina and progressive activist Larry Hamm.
But the showdown for the stained Senate seat occupied by Menendez finally comes down to Murphy versus Kim, and simultaneously, to the party line versus the line’s abolition.
Here’s the question:
The only people who are seriously supporting nepo-lady Tammy Murphy are people who are sitting pretty with patronage jobs courtesy of the Murphy administration. Murphy may be closer to me on the political spectrum than Kim but the Murphy Machine’s attempt at co-opting this senate seat is completely unconscionable. Tammy should do the right thing and drop out of the race.
Fortunately, Insider polling is not a true poll.
It’s a no-brainer. The POLICY differences between the two candidates are minimal. At least on the surface. Andy Kim has been consistent. Tammy Murphy seems to go whichever way the wind is blowing or where the political bosses tell her.
But the SKILL difference is dramatic. Andy Kim knows how to work across the aisle to get things done while still maintaining his core values. His experience in foreign policy, which is critical to a United States Senator is head and shoulders above his opponent. Owning a villa in Italy does not qualify as foreign policy experience.
If all counties used secret ballots Kim would
win running way. But bosses run the show.
Imho the major reason to support Murphy is the funds her husband can release to our towns and counties. She was a registered Republican for most of her adult life. It is just wrong to support her campaign of nepotism and wealth. I deeply resent a lifetime of county line choices and now this mess. I am in Essex and we never see a viable new candidate.
It’s time for the party line to go away. The Tammy Murphy doesn’t have the experience we need in the senate, Andy does. If she wants to run for office she needs to start smaller and she needs to do the right thing and drop out now.
How can the Democratic Party successfully promote the message of its most cherished ideals if it nominates someone propelled by corrupt authoritarian MAGA-style political manipulation? Stop Tammany Murphy!!! Vote for Andy Kim, a real Democrat, for God’s sake!
Simple choice – Andy Kim is more than qualified, having served years in governnent. Mrs. Murphy has not. Experience should matter.
I’ll vote for the guy who was always a democrat
Andy Kim has the background, intelligence, and work ethic that we need in a Senator. He won his first election to the House by telling people he would actually listen to them. His opponent was known for not having town hall meetings and for only listening to his megadonors. Many people came out to help Andy in his campaign because they felt a breath of fresh air coming their way. The big issue of the day was health care. We all wanted affordable insurance, Andy was for that, his opponent was against it.
Andy has had regular town hall meetings ever since. He actually listens and answers questions. His offices are staffed with people who help constituents with their problems, and do it with a smile. If you want a real Senator who will work for you, you need to vote for Andy Kim! Bring your friends in to vote too!
When the ballots are secret and political patronage is not in play, Andy Kim wins. Factually, he has more experience and has never been a Republican. He is clearly the better choice; as a member of a democratic committee, my chairman just decided to endorse Tammy – district leaders did not have a say. No reason why. Every Tammy “supporter “ I know tells me privately they only endorse because they fear for their jobs and clout. Andy Kim is the best candidate by far.
Long experience and commitment versus nepo privilege and wealth. PhD / Rhodes Scholar versus Goldman Sachs banker. Lifelong Democrat versus Republican. Foreign policy / national security expertise versus none. 3 term congressman in a swing district versus no election track record. Affording representation to the grossly under-represented AAPI community. Who will better help Biden in the general?
This is not close.