Questioning its impact on schools overall, state Senator Jeff Van Drew (D-1) said he supported Governor Phil Murphy’s veto this week of A-3122, a schools funding bill burnished by Van Drew’s regional ally, Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) and fellow South Jersey Democrats.

“I understand Senator Sweeney’s decision to have a real formula, and I want to help them too, but I don’t like the idea that we should do that by cutting other overfunded districts; they shouldn’t have significant cuts,” Van Drew said. “I’m speaking about some of my mid-sized and rural school districts. It’s unseemly to cut from one and give to another.”

Vineland was one town that would have taken a shave.

Van Drew is looking for the win tonight in his pursuit of the Democratic nomination for the Congressional seat occupied by retiring U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-2). He has to get by retiring school teacher Tanzie Youngblood and others, none of whom reached the $100K fundraising threshold.

In a season of newcomers, Van Drew is one of two state legislators pursuing congressional seats. The other is Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-26) in CD11. They are arguably opposites, with Van Drew the pragmatist and Webber the ideologue.

Youngblood has run a progressive campaign against the Pro-NRA Van Drew.

“I say this respectfully: she has a little bit to learn,” the senator said of his opponent, whom he smothered in scoring eight out of eight county party lines. “Congress is a tough place, and you have to know how to navigate.”

The senator said he likes his chances tonight.

“We have campaigned in all parts of the district, Van Drew said.

He said he spent significant time in Atlantic City.

“I spoke to lots of different people. I went to every area, whether it was Down beach or Chelsea, and I let them know what we’re about,” he said. “I did the super market doors. You do as much as you can do.”

He considered the terrain of anti-establishment Democrats eager to challenge the status quo and defy Republican President Donald J. Trump, and his own record as a conservative Democratic lawmaker.

“Experience is not always necessarily good, but good when you have the ability to understand legislation and how it specifically affects people,” Van Drew said.