Atlantic County Green Party Responds to Democratic Chair

The Third Party Paradox; Major Parties before Election Day: “Don’t vote third party! They won’t win, you’re wasting your vote!” Major Parties after Election Day: “It’s because of Third Party votes that we lost. We lost because of their impact.”

Recently, Atlantic County Democratic Chair Michael Suleiman blamed Green Party Candidate Melissa Tomlinson for their candidate’s loss in the Freeholder race this cycle. He claimed that the votes rightfully received by Melissa, despite Democrat’s insistence that it’s a wasted vote, would have otherwise gone to the Democratic Candidate.

Green Party candidates earn votes like any other candidate; nobody is entitled to votes simply by being a candidate.

The Green Party focused our canvassing efforts on reaching people who typically don’t vote in non-presidential elections. We also offered new, unique ideas — ideas that seemed to lead the conversations at the debates, and in some cases, became co-opted by candidates on either side of the aisle. We offered something different and something that people clearly responded to, given the votes Melissa received.

We acknowledge our losses this cycle, and we take responsibility for them, and we move on so that we may continue to do good for the people of Atlantic County. Though we may be the newest political party in Atlantic County, we have the maturity not to blame others for our shortcomings.

Mico Lucide, Chair of the Green Party of Atlantic County