In a resounding triumph, First Lady Tammy Murphy emerged as the clear winner over her primary opponent, Rep. Andy Kim, in the race for the Democratic Senate endorsement in New Jersey’s largest county, Paramus.
Murphy’s decisive win at the Bergen County Democratic convention has dealt a blow to Kim’s campaign, which had been gaining momentum in the race to succeed indicted Senator Bob Menendez. This victory has allowed Murphy to regain lost ground, as Bergen County holds significant influence due to its abundance of Democratic voters.
In the convention, Murphy emerged victorious with a significant lead, securing 738 votes compared to Kim’s 419. This translates to a commanding 63.7 percent to 36.2 percent victory. Meanwhile, Menendez, who has yet to announce his intentions for re-election, did not participate in the convention.
In a significant achievement for Murphy, she secured Monday’s endorsement through a secret ballot vote. This victory holds great significance as it is the first county convention where rank-and-file Democrats have the power to decide who the county will support, rather than the party leaders. As a result, Murphy’s name will feature more prominently on primary ballots across a majority of the state. This poses a notable statistical challenge for Kim to overcome.
“I’m really pleased with how things turned out,” Murphy expressed to reporters following the announcement of the results. “Having this incredible victory feels amazing, and I’m truly elated.”
When Murphy joined the Senate race in November, he was considered the frontrunner due to the support of influential Democratic party leaders, who have a significant influence in New Jersey primaries. However, Kim has been leading in public polls and has already secured endorsements in five Democratic county conventions in Monmouth, Burlington, Hunterdon, Warren, and Sussex counties, where the endorsement was determined through a secret ballot vote.
However, when considering the overall Democratic electorate, those counties only make up approximately 14 percent of the total. In comparison, Bergen County alone accounts for about 10 percent of Democrats statewide. Additionally, Murphy has garnered the support of party leaders in other counties that have a more centralized endorsement process. This ensures that Murphy will have a favorable position on the primary ballot in a significant portion of the state, giving him an advantage over Kim.
Despite Kim’s impressive winning streak, Murphy was considered the favorite in Bergen for Monday’s contest. She received the endorsement of the influential Bergen County Democratic Chair, Paul Juliano, and boasted a list of 100 Bergen County Democrats who supported her candidacy. Juliano, who currently holds a $280,000 position leading the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, obtained the role with the support of Governor Phil Murphy. Additionally, the governor previously nominated Juliano for a part-time position on the board of the state’s largest health insurance company, which paid $82,000.
Kim expressed her dissatisfaction with the results, stating that it was never a fair fight.
Murphy shrugged when reporters inquired about Juliano’s endorsement leading up to the convention.
“I am thrilled to engage with individuals from all across the state,” expressed Murphy. “When you’ve been by my side and witnessed the countless conversations I’ve had, it’s evident that people are genuinely enthusiastic.”
Juliano mentioned that the voter turnout for this election was the highest he had witnessed in decades.
Juliano marveled at the impressive number of 1,157 delegates gathered in the room, attributing it to the exceptional individuals present and the strong organizational structure within Bergen County.
Bergen County played a crucial role in the Murphy and Kim contest. As the largest county in the state, it holds significant influence over the Democratic primary voters, second only to Essex County, as per state data.
Kim exuded confidence regarding the race’s status, including in Bergen County. He expressed satisfaction with the campaign’s performance, stating, “We understood the challenge ahead, but the fact that more than 400 individuals were willing to oppose the county chair, as well as the governor and his family, indicates that the outcome was closer than anticipated.”
“I’ll be heading to Bergen in June,” he excitedly shared.
Winning the party endorsement in this region means that Murphy will secure the county line in Bergen County. The county line is a contentious ballot design that groups together candidates endorsed by the county party in a single column on primary ballots. Claiming this line has proven to be highly advantageous for candidates as they gain more visibility among primary voters.
In Sussex and Salem counties, candidates are not grouped together in the “line” like in other counties. Instead, they use an office block ballot where candidates are grouped together based on the office they are running for. This design is unique to these two counties, as all other counties in the state follow the traditional grouping method.
County parties in the state have various methods of awarding the line. Some rely on a secret ballot vote by numerous low-level party officials, while others allow a single party boss to grant favorable ballot placement. In the case of Governor Murphy, he has garnered support from party leaders in counties that follow a top-down endorsement process. These counties include Democratic strongholds like Middlesex, Camden, Essex, and Hudson Counties.
Murphy secured the endorsement of Union County Democrats over the weekend, earning her a favorable ballot positioning. This endorsement was determined by a vote among 22 Union County party leaders. Additionally, she received the endorsement of the Passaic County Democrats, where a select group of party leaders determines the recipients of favored ballot positioning.
Kim has taken legal action by filing a lawsuit in federal court in an attempt to abolish the county line system for the upcoming June primary.
The outcome of Monday’s contest held significant importance for Democratic party leaders throughout the state. John Currie, the Passaic County Democratic Chair and a supporter of Murphy, expressed his concern stating, “It would concern me if she didn’t win the Bergen County convention.”
