New Jersey's Steve Sweeney: His election loss stunned Democrats. Now he might run for governor

[basquebromance]

New Jersey or as I call it Big Staten Island

His election loss stunned Democrats. Now he might run for governor.

New Jersey Democrat Steve Sweeney is pushing big bills in final days, opening up a think tank and telling power players he’s going to run for governor in 2025.

www.politico.com

excerpts:

“This is classic failing upwards,” Sue Altman, executive director of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance and one of Sweeney’s fiercest critics, said of the senator’s gubernatorial prospects. “Only in New Jersey, only among the politically-connected can a white man with low name recognition who lost in a national embarrassment of a race be even permitted to even think about running for higher office.”

Sweeney’s loss reflects a problem Democrats are facing all over the country: Voter anger fueled by culture wars and backlash to Covid restrictions is causing problems for them in corners they weren’t expecting, as Republican voters have been turning out in droves. In the months since his loss, Sweeney and his allies have tried to make sense of how a constituency he so easily won over four years prior voted him out of office.

“It’s life, it’s reality. I think I've done the best I can possibly do,” Sweeney said in an interview. “People are just angry right now. Very angry. This country is a disaster, unfortunately. It is really sad. We’re the greatest country in the world. And all it's about now is about stopping the other side of trying to get something done.”

“There were a lot of little things that simply added up and manifested themselves in a collective vote of anger,” said Assembly member John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester), a running mate of Sweeney’s who lost the seat he held for 20 years. “It just bubbled up organically among people who were mad at Murphy for different reasons, mad at President Biden for different reasons, some still angry that the previous presidential election didn’t go Trump’s way. You stir all that together and you have motivation.”

Sweeney said he had two pollsters: one had him winning his district by 15 points, and Murphy losing the district by 7 or 8 points. The other pollster had him winning by 19, and Murphy losing by 10. Sweeney realized things had taken a turn when the turnout in his Republican-heavy district came in strong.

Ultimately, Sweeney lost in his district by 3 points. Murphy lost by 15.

“South Jersey always loves saying we don't get our share. They got their share with me,” Sweeney said of the region of the state he represents. “It was a tidal wave. It was a red tidal wave, no way to explain it.”

“We heard there was a large turnout in the vote, and I’m thinking ‘that can’t be good, honestly,’” he said.

 

[1srelluc]

He talks about "anger" but pushes for more taxes in one of the the highest across the board tax rate states in the country. NJ always ranks in the top five depending on category......Fuckin-A people are angry.....Angry at you fool.

 

[marvin martian]

New Jersey or as I call it Big Staten Island

His election loss stunned Democrats. Now he might run for governor.

New Jersey Democrat Steve Sweeney is pushing big bills in final days, opening up a think tank and telling power players he’s going to run for governor in 2025.

www.politico.com

excerpts:

“This is classic failing upwards,” Sue Altman, executive director of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance and one of Sweeney’s fiercest critics, said of the senator’s gubernatorial prospects. “Only in New Jersey, only among the politically-connected can a white man with low name recognition who lost in a national embarrassment of a race be even permitted to even think about running for higher office.”

Sweeney’s loss reflects a problem Democrats are facing all over the country: Voter anger fueled by culture wars and backlash to Covid restrictions is causing problems for them in corners they weren’t expecting, as Republican voters have been turning out in droves. In the months since his loss, Sweeney and his allies have tried to make sense of how a constituency he so easily won over four years prior voted him out of office.

“It’s life, it’s reality. I think I've done the best I can possibly do,” Sweeney said in an interview. “People are just angry right now. Very angry. This country is a disaster, unfortunately. It is really sad. We’re the greatest country in the world. And all it's about now is about stopping the other side of trying to get something done.”

“There were a lot of little things that simply added up and manifested themselves in a collective vote of anger,” said Assembly member John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester), a running mate of Sweeney’s who lost the seat he held for 20 years. “It just bubbled up organically among people who were mad at Murphy for different reasons, mad at President Biden for different reasons, some still angry that the previous presidential election didn’t go Trump’s way. You stir all that together and you have motivation.”

Sweeney said he had two pollsters: one had him winning his district by 15 points, and Murphy losing the district by 7 or 8 points. The other pollster had him winning by 19, and Murphy losing by 10. Sweeney realized things had taken a turn when the turnout in his Republican-heavy district came in strong.

Ultimately, Sweeney lost in his district by 3 points. Murphy lost by 15.

“South Jersey always loves saying we don't get our share. They got their share with me,” Sweeney said of the region of the state he represents. “It was a tidal wave. It was a red tidal wave, no way to explain it.”

“We heard there was a large turnout in the vote, and I’m thinking ‘that can’t be good, honestly,’” he said.

Anything can happen. Andrew Cuomo is preparing for his political comeback, apparently. DemoKKKrats will gladly vote for him again.

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

Anything can happen. Andrew Cuomo is preparing for his political comeback, apparently. DemoKKKrats will gladly vote for him again.

Another Emmy?

 

[basquebromance]