It seems that we have Republican congressional candidates in Districts 6 and 12 primarily through the efforts of Middlesex County Republican Chairman Joseph P. Leo.
Things had been very quiet on the Monmouth front in those two districts, and many speculated that Monmouth County Republican Chairman Fred Niemann had forfeited them to their Democratic incumbents. The Mercer County GOP Convention had deferred to Monmouth on the 12th because we have a larger portion of the district. Our sources say that it was Middlesex's Leo who realized that quick action needed to be taken, and recruited Union Beach's Leigh-Ann Bellew for the 6th and Helmetta's Joe Sinagra for the 12th.
Why even bother to run candidates in districts that are supposedly unwinnable?
Look at the 1st District. Democrat Rob Andrews is running unopposed. Again. Once a Republican district represented by the late Bill Cahill, the 1st began trending Democratic and in 1974 elected Jim Florio. It is now the Norcross Heartland. With no opposition to Andrews, this not only gives the voters no choice at the polls, it also takes the fundraising pressure off the congressional race and frees up Democrat funds for other races in the area.
The same could have happened in the 6th and 12th. With no opposition across a wide region of Central Jersey, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Delaware River, Democrats could then spend more money on races like Monmouth County freeholder. So by opposing Frank Pallone and Rush Holt, we not only give the voters a choice, it helps the entire ticket.
As far as "unwinnable", don't sell these candidates short. You never know what issues may come up; Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th) was initially said to be in an "unwinnable race", but with the right issues he won and is now dean of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation. Sending Pallone and Holt their pink slips would be a good thing.
So, thanks to Joe Leo for his work in these districts.
4 comments:
Joe Leo is just a really great man. He fights for what he believes and he's certainly been given the shaft for it in the past.
He's done some noble work in Middlesex despite a lack of funding from the state. (And fighting against Boss Hogg Lynch isn't something many would take on.)
I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Joe Leo. There just aren't enough kind words that can be said about the man.
while mrs. bellew seems a very good choice, i think jack sinagra's relationship is not something that benefits a monmouth constituency.
how does a republican in middlesex county win, as mr. sinagra had? if mr. lynch approves of the candidate. anything that mr. lynch approves of cannot be good for monmouth. he can keep himself and his buddies up there.
this is about money, folks, not parties and not team jerseys. go and take a look at piscataway or edison and ask yourselves if those are communities you want to move to or towns that you want to move in around you.
joe leo is a great man and difference is great. but there is no good choice for monmouth that includes john lynch et al.
Jim, Joe Sinagra and Jack Sinagra are cousins, and I believe not first cousins either.
I can't see Joe Leo recruiting a Lynchite for any office. Let's give Joe Sinagra the benefit of the doubt before painting him with the same Lynch brush as his cousin.
fair enough. right is right.
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