Stomping Grounds: Altman vs. Kean Debate; '25 Governor's Race; the TikTok Judge, and VBMs – New Jersey Globe

New Jerseyans aren’t always civil, but it’s still possible for a liberal Democrat and a conservative Republican to have a rational and pleasant conversation about politics in the state. Dan Bryan is a former senior advisor to Gov. Phil Murphy and is now the owner of his own public affairs firm, and Alex Wilkes is an attorney and former executive director of America Rising PAC who advises Republican candidates in New Jersey and across the nation, including the New Jersey GOP. Dan and Alex are both experienced strategists who are currently in the room where high-level decisions are made. They will get together weekly with New Jersey Globe editor David Wildstein to discuss politics and issues.

In New Jersey’s 7th district, Sue Altman and Tom Kean will debate for the first and only time on Sunday evening.  What does each of them need to do to score points in a close race?

Alex Wilkes: Sue Altman has a much tougher job than Tom Kean. The Congressman needs to be, quite simply, himself: a moderate, even-tempered voice of reason, but also someone who is not afraid to take tough stances. It’s what voters want, and, most importantly, it’s who he is. I think most Democrats would even privately admit that their usual hit job machine has had a much tougher job in refashioning the enduring Kean brand as anything but that over the last few years.

National Democrats have put NJ-07 up in a fire sale in recent weeks, so Altman will need to do something to get some positive attention her way again. The problem for her is that not only is her own record so vulnerable to criticism, but these big plays also typically need to be paired with some sort of stylistic clash that probably won’t work here. If Sue comes in hot against a well-liked, statesman like Tom Kean, it’s probably not going to play well to voters.

Dan Bryan: This is a tight race, and Sue Altman can win it. I think she’ll approach this debate the way she’s approached this entire campaign: aggressive, smart, and focusing on popular policies that resonate with families in CD7.

Of course, the NRCC and the Kean campaign are running the same tired playbook as they always do in this campaign. But because the Republican Party recycles the same hits against every Democrat in the country, their phony cries of “left-wing extremist” have become white noise. For years, they tried to convince America that *Joe Biden* was just to the left of Joseph Stalin. It didn’t resonate then, and it’s not resonating now.

But here’s what is clearly resonating and what has made this race competitive: no one believes Tom Kean will stand up for his constituents. He’ll do what he did back in 2022: talk out of both sides of his mouth, trying to appear moderate to the moderates and far-right to the far-right. He never did a thing to stand up to protect IVF treatments, reproductive rights, or the SALT deduction. Anyone that thinks Tom Kean would stand up to his party hasn’t paid attention to a single day of his career.

Meanwhile, Sue Altman has a long record of standing up to both parties. She fought against corruption, stood up for policies that helped working families, and worked toward affordability. Voters know authenticity when they see it, and Sue has it in spades.

The 2025 governor’s race is heating up.  That’s not really a surprise; it’s been starting earlier and earlier for the last eight years.  This week, Democratic county chairs in Essex, Middlesex and Passaic — representing about 27% of the registered Democrats statewide, hinted that they’ll back Mikie Sherrill.   Without county organization lines, how important will county chair endorsements be next year?

Dan: It’s an impressive feat for Congresswoman Sherrill, who is primed to build a coalition of support from across a broad spectrum of the Democratic party as she looks toward 2025.

I think what happened here is pretty simple – these chairs know they are entering a new era of Democratic politics in New Jersey, and they’re trying to evolve with the times. As the traditional political model changes, we’ll see some party chairs and operatives focus less on what they can do to drag a candidate across the finish line, and more on finding the right candidates that can build a winning coalition.

In other words, these chairs clearly assessed the field looking for the candidate that can not only get themselves elected, but bring with them Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. New Jersey politics is now becoming more of a team sport, one that has to include the New Jersey Democratic Party’s traditional base, progressives, moderates, and young people.

To be clear, there are some strong county chairs that still maintain strong county organizations. This is critical to fundraising, election workers, and building strong Democratic ideals. They will continue to be a critical part of the Democratic party moving forward.

There is still a very long way to go for the many good Democratic candidates (and presumed candidates) between now and June. And whoever does win the Democratic nomination is in for a bruising, difficult general election. But I’m glad that the party is thinking this through in a strategic, inclusive manner.

Alex: Like all viruses, the New Jersey machine system is programmed for evolution and self-preservation. Mikie Sherrill is a smart and convenient vessel for them to pursue business-as-usual in a post-line world.

A female, a veteran, a mom. Progressive-ish enough to placate a grassroots that terrifies them (i.e. her calculated  ceasefire endorsement). Careful to stay mum about messy matters like the George Norcross indictment. She’ll do.

The New Jersey Supreme Court suspended Superior Court Judge Gary Wilcox for three months for posting as many as 40 TikTok videos, many of which included explicit language or inappropriate conduct.  Wilcox was accused of creating public TikTok videos, some in his judicial robe in his court chambers or partly undressed in his bed – containing profanity, graphic sexual references to female and male body parts, violence, misogyny, and racist terms, under the pseudonym “Sal Tortorella.”  Is three months an appropriate punishment, or should judges be held to higher standards than the defendants who appear before them?

Alex: We might be hurting for judges in New Jersey, but not enough to let this guy stay around. The public’s trust is an integral part of the functioning of our judicial system, and it has been irrevocably broken here. I think he has made a mockery of the judiciary and should be thrown off the bench, preferably without a pension to be funded by taxpayers for years to come.

Dan: Holding the power over an American citizen’s freedom is one of the most serious positions in our system of government and justice. Being a judge is a meaningful, sobering job, and they should be held to the highest possible standards.

So if a Superior Court Judge shows this kind of bad judgment, he shouldn’t be suspended, he should be out of a job.

More than a million New Jersey voters — about one-in-six — have signed up to receive vote-by-mail ballots for the 2024 general election.  Is it fair to say that mail-in ballots is catching on.

Dan: The simple answer here is yes. Voting by mail is easy, safe, and convenient. I like voting early and ensuring life doesn’t get in the way on election day. My wife, though, is a hardcore in-person day-of voter, and that’s great too! This is about giving people options, not telling them what to do.

Governor Murphy has made a concerted effort to make exercising our vote in New Jersey easier and more accessible. Automatic vote by mail ballots, early in-person voting, and easier voter registration have all done wonders for voter participation.

Now, New Jersey should enact same-day voter registration, which 23 other states have.

Alex: I have been particularly heartened to see Republicans warm to the idea of different forms of early voting. Not only is it being promoted by candidates all the way up and down the ballot, but it has also become a clarion call for conservative media hosts, which have traditionally been important figures in driving turnout. A snowstorm during the special election in NY-03 this winter may have cost us a seat in the short-term, but it has proven to be an important cautionary tale for Republican voters: don’t leave your vote to chance.

I know Governors like Phil Murphy and Gavin Newsom like to fashion themselves as being on the cutting-edge of pre-Election Day voting, but the truth of the matter is that decades of Republican leadership in critical states like Florida, Ohio, and Arizona have made early voting a part of the GOP’s political DNA. Governor DeSantis will have bridges built and voting locations installed in Florida faster than Kamala Harris can get onto a FEMA Zoom call. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!