Disir
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- Sep 30, 2011
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When Tanzie Youngblood announced her congressional bid for New Jersey’s 2nd District, she thought she’d easily win the support of local, and even national, Democrats. A year with a record number of women running for office, a promising blue wave and the #MeToo movement seemed perfect for her progressive campaign.
Youngblood—a retired school teacher and first-time black female candidate—figured the primary race might get crowded after 12-time Republican incumbent Frank LoBiondo announced his retirement in November. But she never anticipated that the ones attempting to sink her campaign wouldn’t be her primary opponents, but the Democratic establishment itself.
Last month, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee threw its weight behind Jeff Van Drew, a New Jersey state senator with a 100 percent rating from the National Rifle Association. Van Drew once accepted a $1,000 donation from the group, and has been dubbed one of the “most conservative Democrats” in the New Jersey legislature, a moniker he's earned for having co-sponsored legislation to bring back the state’s death penalty for certain murder convictions, and require parental notification for minors seeking abortions. He was also one of just two state Senate Democrats to vote against same-sex marriage in 2012.
Why are Democrats backing a former NRA-supporter over a first-time black woman candidate?
Look over there! Look! Look! It's Russia, dagnabit.
Youngblood—a retired school teacher and first-time black female candidate—figured the primary race might get crowded after 12-time Republican incumbent Frank LoBiondo announced his retirement in November. But she never anticipated that the ones attempting to sink her campaign wouldn’t be her primary opponents, but the Democratic establishment itself.
Last month, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee threw its weight behind Jeff Van Drew, a New Jersey state senator with a 100 percent rating from the National Rifle Association. Van Drew once accepted a $1,000 donation from the group, and has been dubbed one of the “most conservative Democrats” in the New Jersey legislature, a moniker he's earned for having co-sponsored legislation to bring back the state’s death penalty for certain murder convictions, and require parental notification for minors seeking abortions. He was also one of just two state Senate Democrats to vote against same-sex marriage in 2012.
Why are Democrats backing a former NRA-supporter over a first-time black woman candidate?
Look over there! Look! Look! It's Russia, dagnabit.