In Last week the Times discovered what we in the unions have known for a long time: The New Jersey State AFL-CIO’s Labor Candidate School with more than 500 union members who are elected to office since 1997 is a unique and resounding success. Tomorrow, 53 Graduate School graduates will be in New Jersey to vote for local, county and state offices. They hope to join other alumni, including Stephen Sweeney, state Senate president and member of wrought iron, and Sen.
AFT member Dominick Stampone, Haledon’s mayor, said the two-day school at Rutgers University, followed by advice and mobilization support from the state federation, “really covered all the bases.” It is also means that the state’s best known name is Gov. Chris Christie in overdrive for “touring” the country for several Republican gubernatorial candidates. Despite registering Democrats by roughly 6 to 1 in 2010, Democrats still possess a 2 to 1 advantage among registered voters.
The Election turnout obviously decreased between 2008 and 2009, and one can expect to see numbers closer to 2009 than 2008. Most are expected to be quite safe for the incumbents, despite the fact that they could carry from 5 to 10 percent less of the vote, on average, most if they are a Democrat. These include a state Senate race in the 5th District and ran for Assembly in the 5th and 31 districts. The stage is set and months of campaigns will reach their climax begins at 6:00 in the morning. November may not have to get the best from the start if Zach Parise is out for a longer period.
