Note To Insurgent Democrats: There’s No Whining In Politics

This is probably the most boring Republican primary election season EVER in South Jersey. Because it’s so boring I’ve been watching the insurgent (“progressive”) Democrats in South Jersey, specifically Camden County. I’ve blogged about them twice, here and here.

I didn’t plan on writing about these insurgent Democrats again, but I stumbled onto this gem on social media:

The Facebook post links to a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article. It’s a good article and basically has a bunch of “he said, she said” regarding petition challenges. Reading the article, and the above snapshot of a social media post, I had to laugh when I came to this:

“In what country can you remove from the ballot your political opponents? Norcross Country,” Rena Margulis, a progressive candidate for county clerk, said in a recent interview.

Candidates get thrown off the ballot all the time in elections in New Jersey (and other states). Just last year Brian Fitzherbert was bounced from the GOP congressional primary ballot and given the facts that (a) Hirsh Singh’s campaign manager “was present for the court proceedings” to remove Fitzherbert from the ballot and (b) “filer Christopher Coleman, a Galloway Republican, said he reviewed the petitions of candidates Sam Fiocchi, Seth Grossman and Robert Turkavage,” according to New Jersey Globe I believe it had nothing to do with being in “Norcross Country.” Quite the opposite, it had everything to do with Hirsh Singh being afraid of competition.

Fitzherbert didn’t whine. He supported the eventual winner of the primary and worked hard to build the Atlantic County Young Republicans and continues to help build other YR organizations.

I can guarantee that back in 2012 when Gary Smith got thrown off the ballot in New Mexico’s GOP 1st congressional district primary that it had nothing to do with “Norcross Country.” Smith did whine, in fact, being removed from the ballot angered Smith so much he became a serial tire slasher (video at the end of this post). As I was the executive director of the Bernalillo County GOP at the time I remember this being quite a huge pain in the ass, as was replacing a couple of tires.

Having said all that maybe there might be a “Norcross Country” connection to the petition challenges filed against the GOP freeholder candidates in Gloucester County, but they aren’t whining about it and are working hard to ensure they get enough write-in votes to have their candidates on the ballot in November.

And, so I don’t sound like a hypocrite I will state again what I wrote in this blog previously:

I get it, challenging the signatures on nominating petitions is a part of political campaigns in New Jersey (and elsewhere). It’s a part of campaigns I dislike. No campaign I managed has ever challenged nominating petitions – that’s how much I despise the practice. I believe working to remove a candidate who meets the requirements to run for an office from the ballot is a gutless move that proves the person challenging signatures on a nominating petition has very little faith in their chosen candidate to win on ideas.

My intent is not to critique the Philadelphia Inquirer article nor is it to defend “Norcross Country.” Seriously, my only purpose here is to remind folks, especially challenger candidates, “There is no whining in politics!”

The Philadelphia Inquirer article is clear, there are many insurgent Democrats still on the ballot:

Most of the candidates on the progressive slate are running for a seat on the Democratic Committee, which is involved in party business and endorsements. About two dozen other candidates on the slate are running for Assembly, county clerk, and mayor or council in the county’s three biggest municipalities — Cherry Hill, Camden and Gloucester Township — and six other towns.

Rather than whining that your freeholder candidates were tossed from the ballot maybe you should get to work for all your other candidates. Be like Brian Fitzherbert or the Gloucester County Republicans and work. Don’t be a Gary Smith!

Robert Turkavege, Sore Loser Or Desperate To Stay Relevant?

Robert Turkavege

By now you’re probably aware of the fact that Robert Turkavege thought it might be a good idea to go and endorse state Senator Jeff Van Drew for congress. If you missed it InsiderNJ covered it here and here.

For those of you who forgot, Turkavege was a competitor in the CD2 Republican Primary won by Seth Grossman.

This is not the first time Turkavege whined since coming in fourth place out of four in that primary. Back in July Turkavege was still whining about losing that primary and went so far as to call on Grossman to drop out of the race. Back then I wrote:

Maybe Turkavege put out his statement to try and stay relevant, maybe he’s a sore loser, either way to paraphrase what Chis Christie said at the Morris County GOP Unity Breakfast, Turkavege, and other wishy-washy Republicans, have till Labor Day to fall in love with Seth Grossman.

Obviously, Turkavege didn’t take that advice, nor did he take the advice of JR Carman, the founder of New Jersey Constitutional Republicans, who released a video over a week ago talking about the importance of voting for all Republicans, moderate or conservative.

Turkavege, in his endorsement of Van Drew called Grossman “an embarrassment to the Republican Party.” In my not-so-humble opinion Turkavege is the embarrassment to the party. Turkavege is the one who has done nothing but whine about Grossman since losing the primary. Turkavege was whining during the primary. Remember, it was Turkavege who acted like a complete novice and failed to file the required paperwork with the county clerk to be placed in the Cumberland County GOP’s column on the primary election ballot and then had the balls to blame Cumberland County GOP Chairman Michael Testa for that mistake. And, that wasn’t the first time Turkavege had problems filing paperwork, he blamed traffic the first time.

I sense a pattern there, don’t get your paperwork filed on time, blame the traffic. Don’t file required paperwork, blame the chairman. Nothing is ever Turkavege’s fault! Lose a primary, call for the guy who beat you to drop out. That doesn’t work, endorse the Democrat.

I honestly can’t tell if Turkavege is simply a sore loser or if his endorsement is him trying to stay relevant. Either way, Mr. Turkavege should consider taking his Never-Trump self over to the Democratic Party.

Robert Turkavage Should Listen To Chris Christie

Robert Turkavege Facebook Photo

Being a sometimes critic of Chris Christie I had a little bit of difficulty typing the words “Robert Turkavage should listen to Chris Christie” – but he should listen.

Yesterday, New Jersey Globe reported former GOP congressional candidate Robert Turkavage called for Seth Grossman “to drop out of the race” for congress.

Sure, Grossman has come under fire from the left for things he has said, but Turkavage lost the primary and when you compete in a primary part of the deal is you support the winner. Hirsh Singh and Sam Fiocchi understand this and both put out statements of support for Grossman after the primary.

Maybe Turkavege put out his statement to try and stay relevant, maybe he’s a sore loser, either way to paraphrase what Chis Christie said at the Morris County GOP Unity Breakfast, Turkavege, and other wishy-washy Republicans, have till Labor Day to fall in love with Seth Grossman.

Losing is never easy! I was with Fiocchi in the primary. Others were enamored with Singh. Brian Fitzherbert would have been a good candidate if someone hadn’t had him tossed off the ballot. But, the primary is over and it’s time to get behind the nominee, the candidate chosen by voters of our party. Poor choices in words, attacks from the left don’t matter because Grossman is still better for Republicans than Jeff Van Drew who will go to Washington and oppose the President’s policies.

As hard as it is for me to agree with him, Chris Christie was 100% correct when he told the folks in Morris County, “Losing in November is always worse than losing in June.”