It’s no secret I love a good primary, the nastier the better. Primaries give rank-and-file members of the party the opportunity to vet those who want to carry the party’s banner into November. I’m also old school which means that after the primary, no matter who wins, you get behind the winner and support that winner. That’s how primaries are supposed to work.

On the radio show we’ve talked about the fact there is a crowded primary taking shape in CD2 for 2020. Here at the blog we’ve written there may be as many as five candidates in a 2020 CD2 primary.

We’ve mentioned that “there are still rumors out there that last year’s nominee Seth Grossman” is “looking at running in CD2.”

Yesterday, via Liberty and Prosperity, Grossman sent an email and he is sounding like a candidate – an anti-establishment candidate. I called Seth and spoke with him about his email and told him I would likely write something about it.

Personally, I like Seth. Bob likes Seth. We were ardent Seth Grossman supporters after last year’s congressional primary. Grossman was the guest on our very first radio show.

In my 20something years of political consulting rarely have I worked with the establishment’s choice, so I have no problems with an anti-establishment campaign.

Having said that, Grossman made the claim in his email that:

Instead, they are now persuading two completely unknowns to move to South Jersey to run against Van Drew next year! They are duping them into thinking they have a better chance of winning here than in their home districts.

Grossman doesn’t mention either of the two candidates by name, but one can assume he is talking about former CD1 candidate Bob Patterson who has announced in CD2 and David Richter who formed an exploratory committee to consider a campaign in CD2.

In my phone conversation with Grossman I explained to him why he is wrong on the issue of the party recruiting candidates.

First, it makes zero sense that the party would recruit two candidates to move into a district to run for the same office. If the party were involved they would have recruited only one candidate. Even back when we had poor party leadership they weren’t so stupid as to recruit two people for the same office.

Second, I know for a fact that Bob Patterson decided to run in CD2 all by himself. I know at least one county chairman who suggested he not bother trying to run in CD2.

Third, I am fairly certain no one at NJGOP headquarters asked David Richter to look at CD2.

Right or wrong, one thing cannot be denied, if Grossman decides he is in this race he is already more aggressive than he was in last year’s primary.

Primary 2020 might be exciting in South Jersey.

Note: While Bob has endorsed Brian Fitzherbert for next year’s CD2 primary, Steve is completely neutral and making no endorsement.