Shy Congressman-elect Kean Continues to Hide
Things haven’t changed all that much in CD-7.
Tom Malinowski has scheduled a “town hall” with residents.
Tom Kean has not.
We are, quite obviously, being a bit facetious.
Everything has changed in CD-7.
Incumbent Democratic congressman Malinowski has been defeated and Republican Kean Jr. is the congressman-elect.
Yet, it is now three weeks since the election and the patterns that emerged during the campaign are continuing.
Malinowski has set up a “farewell and thank you” town hall in Springfield High School at 11 a.m. on Dec. 10. Nothing new about that.
Malinowski held numerous “town halls” and public sessions throughout – and even before – the campaign kicked into high gear.
Kean did not.
He can rest on the knowledge his strategy was successful. He won by about 9,000 votes in a district that became more Republican after the 2020 Census.
As long as you win, there’s no reason to explain anything.
But now that he is about to enter Congress, things are different. You’d think Kean would be interested in communicating in every way he can with his new constituents throughout the district.
As for Malinowski, he said on election night itself that he would have won reelection under the old map. He’s probably right about that.
The new map removed a number of very Democratic towns (Dover and Millburn) and added parts of very Republican Warren County.
He put it this way:
“We worked so hard on our race and gained ground from 2020 in my original district. We lost largely because of redistricting, which added about 30,000 Republicans. …. Overall, the message I believe the country sent on Election Night was – more moderation, less MAGA. More problem solving, less performance artists in Washington. That’s incredibly good for the country. The thing that I’ve been fighting for the last four years took a major step forward.”
It’s understandable that Malinowski is talking about the general success Dems had this year across the country – stopping a so-called red wave, keeping control of the Senate and flipping some gubernatorial seats.
In a recent interview with NJ Spotlight News, Malinowski said he’s going to take a vacation, but after that, he’s going to “stay in the fight.”
Not surprisingly, he didn’t say if he was going to run again in 2024. That would set up Malinowski-Kean III. Not as gripping, perhaps, as Ali-Frazier III, but you get the idea.
Just for the record, the Dems’ national House Majority PAC is already targeting CD-7 as a district it thinks it could flip in 2024.
Guess they think there’s no reason to wait for Kean to be sworn-in.
CONCERNED, SOMEWHAT W9RRIED!
Yes, I am concerned for the constituents of Tom Kean, Jr.in CD7. According to his website, he was concerned about the prize of bagels. Will polite , bland Tom Kean, Jr.be able to fight for a fair prize of bagels with the likes of Jim Jordan, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, etc.?
PERHAPS, BUT I HAVE MY DOUBTS!!
Fred Snowflack, I enjoy your columns.
They are always clearly written and concise.
Thank you.
The people of CD-7 have made their choive and you should respect their decision. Maybe if Malinowski wasnt caught with insider trading perhaps he would not have list. Not for nothing but its not like Donald Payne Jr. sets up town hall meetings in CD-10 unless it involves photo ops. in Newark.
The Question I have is why the Democratic Party didn’t do more to support him. Our leadership seemed to actually sabotage him. You really don’t know what’s happening, do you Mr Jones.
I hope he runs again but given the political climate in this country I suspect he will not. Given Kean Jrs accepting money from Pharma and other corporate PACs I don’t hold out much hope. And for the jerk who claimed Malinowski was caught insider training-another Kean Jr lie. He was cleared of misconduct and found not to be in violation of any ethics. Jr is the one who should be scrutinized.