AP Calls It For Mehta

Rik Mehta

I had just finished discussing with Bob the title for today’s blog post. It was going to be “Challenge Accepted” because chief Hirsh Singh troll Joe Rullo said on social media, “It’s so far from over that’s why no media source has the guts to call winner for 2 days now.”

The blog post was going to be the Bob & Steve Show calling the GOP US Senate primary for Rik Mehta.

It’s too late now because the AP beat us to it.

Admittedly we broke our own rule for the radio show by getting involved in a primary. We weighed in heavily for Mehta over the last two weeks of the campaign. We chose to do so because we grew tired of the lies and half-truths directed at Mehta.

I’m not normally happy when someone beats us to breaking news, but this time I’m not bothered by it.

Congratulations Rik Mehta! We look forward to having you on tomorrow’s show.

To the others – thanks for putting your names on the ballot. You are part of what makes New Jersey politics fun to watch.

Special mention to Natalie Rivera for running a mostly positive campaign and refusing to engage in false attacks. Kudos Natalie!

ICYMI: Kate Gibbs Smacks David Richter Over The Head With Hirsh Singh

Kate Gibbs

Late yesterday, as I was watching people argue on my Facebook page over former beauty pageant winner and Republican US Senate candidate Hirsh Singh’s “vote early and if you change your mind, vote again” strategy I received a press release from Republican candidate in CD3 Kate Gibbs’ campaign.

I didn’t post the Gibbs release because, like I said, it was late and I didn’t get around to reading it until this morning. If you haven’t seen the release on InsiderNJ or New Jersey Globe’s take on it, the text of the release follows:

Republican Kate Gibbs’ campaign released the following statement today in response to U.S. Senate candidate Hirsh Singh’s recent mailer advocating for voter fraud:

“Hirsh Singh’s recent mailer openly advocating for voter fraud is one of the more outrageous and ridiculous things I’ve ever seen a candidate put in a piece of literature — and that’s saying something” stated Gibbs’ Campaign Manager Angelo Lamberto. “Given that David Richter has so closely tied himself to Singh and are running as a united ticket in Burlington and Ocean County, I am concerned about the potential impact this misinformation campaign may have on voters already confused by this chaotic election cycle. David Richter has an obligation to denounce Singh and distance himself from Singh’s campaign publicly over this mess. David should refuse to participate in any GOP club meetings or events, including the upcoming Berkeley Township Republican Club Meeting, unless Singh is disinvited.”

I’ve made it no secret that I have been doing my best to stay out of the steel cage match that is the Republican primary in CD3 because I have friends on both sides of this one.

Unfortunately, for me, I’m going to piss off some of my friends because Gibbs is right to call on David Richter to denounce Singh. Richter chose to bracket with Singh in the Burlington County portion of CD3. Richter could have just as easily bracketed with Tricia Flanagan, Natalie Rivera or that other guy nobody ever heard of who suddenly appeared on filing day.

Because Richter chose to bracket with Singh it is his responsibility to denounce him for advocating voter fraud.

To put Richter’s choice of bracketing with Singh in perspective: Even the condom-hating Bob Patterson in CD2 was smart enough not to bracket with Singh.

Now it’s time for David Richter to take his “money shot” and denounce Singh.

BREAKING: Congressional Candidate Says Bergen Line Goes To Mehta

Rik Mehta

Republican candidate for Congress in CD9 Billy Prempeh announced on his Facebook page, “Due to the COVID-19 outbreak the convention in Bergen County has been cancelled. After much debate Bergen county has decided to move forward with the Policy committee's decision and award the Bergen county lines to Rik Mehta for Senate, John McCann, and myself.”

I’d doubt anyone will complain about the lines for the congressional races, but if recent history is any indication Rik Mehta is about to start getting attacked again on social media and the process will again be attacked as “rigged” or “fixed” and some will complain about “political bosses.”

If those attacks start again I would be left to wonder how the process could be “fixed” only in the counties Mehta wins. The answer would be simple, the process wasn’t “fixed” just like it wasn’t in any of the other counties that went to Hirsh Singh.

The Senate campaign has already become a two person race between Mehta and Singh with Mehta being the clear frontrunner and Tricia Flanagan and Natalie Rivera both content to play the roles of spoiler, but the line going to Mehta in Bergen may in fact be the final blow to Singh’s campaign.