An open letter to Sean Kean

Kean didn't need your money or your vote in the general election (0.00 / 0)

As large as the LGBT community in his district might be, the fact remains that the 11th district is a  Republican district and, like you, my guess is that the LGBT community has historically voted for whichever Democrat has challenged him, which makes it interesting that he would have ever considered voting for marriage equality.

There is a famous quote by James Baker when he worked for George Bush Sr. and the two were discussing Israel.  Baker said "F**k the Jews.  They don't vote for us anyway."  Obviously, when Kean was leaning towards voting for marriage equality, nobody was advising him to f**k the LGBT community for the same reasons, so why was he even considering it?  Maybe it was the stories.  Maybe it was the economic benefits.

Whatever it was, it wasn't enough to make him do the right thing.  When push came to shove, he didn't want to risk being on the wrong side of Chris Christie, but even moreso, I think that he didn't want to be on the wrong side of the Republican primary voter (aka teabaggers).

And it is with respect to this I think that there needed to be a greater effort to make it clear to Kean and other moderate Republicans that if he voted for marriage equality, there would be a surge of pro-marriage equality registered Democrats and unaffiliateds, changing their party affiliation to Republican so that they could vote for him in the Republican primary, effectively neutralizing the teabagger wingnut backlash.  I can't be sure that this would have been enough to get his vote, but I think that it would have helped.

This doesn't change the fact that what he did was cowardly, but I do think that it should be viewed differently than the Democratic 9, who should be the primary focus of our anger.

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Sun Jan 10, 2010 at 18:43:52 PM CST

thats not true at all (4.00 / 1)

Democrats nearly won the 11th District in 2005 and Kean received a softball challenger in 2007. Democrats can definitley win this - it is a Democratic district, Frank Pallone overwhelmingly carries and it and Democrats have elected representation in many of the towns in the district including Belmar, Bradley Beach, Atlantic Highlands, Sea Bright, my town of West Long Branch etc.. Evident in that Republican Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini supports marriage equality. They can win the district if Neptune, Long Branch, Asbury Park etc. all turnout big. There just hasn't been a strong enough organization to challenge Kean since 2005 and now an opportunity is there.

Bertin - You be frustrated at who you want but those in Kean's district have a right to be frustrated at him.  

Pro-Monmouth  

---

by: vingopal @ Sun Jan 10, 2010 at 21:28:34 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Would you have registered as a Republican, Vin? (0.00 / 0)

If Kean had done the right thing and voted for marriage equality, would you have registered as a Republican and voted for him in the 2011 Republican primary if he was being challenged by a teabagging wingnut and there was no contested primary on the Democratic side?

If your answer is no, I don't see how you can blame him for being the coward that he is, when he is being asked to put his political career on the line and cross party lines, while marriage equality supporters are not willing to do the same with absolutely no risk on their end.  Has there even been a contested Democratic primary in the 11th in the past decade?

I am not saying that people in the 11th shouldn't be frustrated by Kean nor am I saying that they shouldn't try to unseat him, but they also need to take responsibility for his defection if they weren't willing to do whatever was necessary to get him to do the right thing.

Are you saying that what Kean did was worse than what the Democratic 9 did?

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Sun Jan 10, 2010 at 22:01:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Are you, in turn, saying we should support Baroni? (0.00 / 0)

There are lots of other issues where a Democrat would probably be better than Baroni. My inclination would be to support Baroni in a GOP primary, if he faces serious opposition. Even if it meant switching registration in a year where not much else is on the ballot. But I'm not inclined to vote for him in a General.

---

by: Dvd Avins @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 07:10:02 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Yes and No (0.00 / 0)

I am not assuming that marriage equality is your #1 issue, so I cannot presume that you would prefer Baroni to whomever the Democratic challenger might be.

But your inclination is correct.  If there is not a contested primary on the Democratic side and Baroni was being challenged from his right in a Republican primary, I think that all supporters of marriage equality should register as Republicans so that they could protect him from the teabagging wingnut who is trying to punish him for doing the right thing on this issue.

There are some who would argue that if Baroni was being challenged from his right in a Republican primary, Democrats, progressive or otherwise, should root for the teabagging wingnut, who would be an easier candidate to beat in the general election.

Anyone who makes an argument like this clearly has no interest in getting moderate Republicans to work bipartisanly with Democrats on progressive issues and also presumes that any Democrat would be better than Baroni, which the Democratic 9 have proved beyond a shadow of a doubt is definitely not true.

From what I have heard, Wayne DeAngelo is a pretty conservative Democrat and may not have been a Yes vote on marriage equality.  If he were to run against Bill Baroni in the general election and I lived in that district, I would probably vote for Baroni.

However, if Dan Benson were to challenge Bill Baroni again or Linda Greenstein were to take him on, I would definitely support Benson or Greenstein.  It's a complicated situation, but if nothing else, Baroni definitely deserves the protection of marriage equality supporters from a teabagging wingnut primary challenge.

My feelings about Bateman or Beck or Kean would have been the same if any of them had done the right thing.

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 09:00:40 AM CST

[ Parent ]

You need to be an exception (0.00 / 0)

Anyone holding a County Committee spot, any elected official who runs on the Democratic line, and anyone who hopes to get a Democratic nomination in a contested primary any time in the next several years should to register as Republicans. Even for tactical and temporary reasons.

---

by: Dvd Avins @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 19:38:31 PM CST

[ Parent ]

to Rachael's Dad (0.00 / 0)

Kean did not get my money or my vote when he was last up in 2007.  At that point, I had just moved to NJ (from NY) and missed the voter registration deadline for the 2007 elections here (I was also a raw rookie in NJ politics then).  Kean was also up for election last before there were large voter registration drives in places like Neptune, Asbury Park, and Long Branch.  Many voters in those areas voted for the first time in 2008, and Obama carried the district, as did Pallone.  They did not all turn out in 2009, but some did.  It's a focus that I want to work on for 2010, particularly pushing vote by mail so transportation to the polls is not an issue.  

What else could we have done to get him to do the right thing?  I've been calling his office daily since the summer about this issue (to the point where his staff knew exactly who I was), I've written letters, I've blogged about it at my own blog, I've collected postcards from GSE, I've had other people call him, I've talked to him in the halls at the state house.  Unlike other legislators whose stance was clearly known, Kean's was not and GSE knew he was on the fence, and solicited his district big time (and had an office there).  

I don't know if I would have changed my voter registration in the primary, but I would have voted for him in the general had he done the right thing.  That's a moot point now as I will work on his Democratic opponent's campaign now.

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...

---

by: tabbycat31 @ Sun Jan 10, 2010 at 22:39:08 PM CST

you still don't get it (0.00 / 0)

There can be no doubt that Kean is a coward, but so are most elected officials in this state and this country.  That very fact illustrates how truly courageous Bill Baroni was when he not only voted the way that he did, but also said what he said.

If I understand what you are saying correctly, Kean should have done the right thing and voted for marriage equality and then, when the teabagging wingnuts are eating him alive in the 2011 Republican primary, you and the rest of the marriage equality supporters in the 11th would just do nothing and hope that whomever the Democrats nominate will be able to beat the teabagging wingnut that just beat him in the primary?  And when that chain of events results in the election of another Gerry Cardinale or Michael Doherty, where does that leave the 11th?

As I have said before, I am not saying that you shouldn't be angry at Kean nor am I saying that you shouldn't find a great Democrat to try to beat him, but I just think that you should be realistic about what you can expect from a Republican when you are not willing to protect him/her from the teabagging wingnut Republican primary voters that call for his/her head.

Let me reframe this for a moment.  Vin mentioned that one of the Republican Assemblypersons in the district, Mary Pat Angelini, is a supporter of marriage equality.  If she were to go out on a limb and challenge Kean in the 2011 Republican primary and there was no contested Democratic primary, do you think that you and other Democratic and unaffiliated marriage equality supporters in the district should register as Republicans and vote for her?

If your answer is still no, I don't see how you can ever expect a Republican to go against his/her party and do what you want him/her to do.

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Sun Jan 10, 2010 at 23:19:41 PM CST

[ Parent ]

to answer your question yes (0.00 / 0)

if Sean Kean had voted for marriage equality and he was the Republican Party Nominee for re-election, I would have supported him just as I plan to donate money to Bill Baroni for his courage and integrity. I have always appreciated Seantor Kean's staff, their constituent work, his runningmates (I think Mary Pat is excellent), his outreach to organized labor etc. However, his vote against equality and his speech afterwards showed he was a coward who is out of touch with the residents of the 11th District.

Again, more frustrating than Senator Kean's vote was his speech. I'll admit, if he voted NO and didn't get up and say a word, I wouldn't be as riled up as I am now. His speech was one of the most offensive things I've heard. His vote is out of touch with an overwhelming majority of his constituents and for that he must be defeated...and as his constituent, thats my prime responsibility just as it is the responsibility of those who live in those 9 Democratic district to hold their representatives responsible.  

Pro-Monmouth  

---

by: vingopal @ Sun Jan 10, 2010 at 23:34:38 PM CST

[ Parent ]

what does support mean? (0.00 / 0)

If Kean had voted Yes on marriage equality and was being challenged from his right in the 2011 Republican primary, would you have changed your registration so that you could vote for him?  Would you have encouraged others to do the same?

If Mary Pat decided to challenge Kean from his left in the 2011 Republican primary, would you be willing to change your registration so that you could vote for her?  Would you encourage others to do the same?

If not, then how can you expect elected officials to act outside of their comfort zone, particularly in this hostile political climate, when you are not willing to act outside of yours?

We live in NJ, Vin, and at some point in time, progressives are going to have to stop expecting elected officials and party leaders to do the right thing, just because it is the right thing, and do whatever it takes to encourage/force them to the right thing because the consequences are just too dire.  

We have to stop playing this game on our own terms and start playing it the way that the Democratic and Republican establishments play it.

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Mon Jan 11, 2010 at 10:39:22 AM CST

[ Parent ]

don't know what your talking about (0.00 / 0)

Bertin - I'm not responding anymore because your asking hypothetical questions which have no relevance to anything.
If Kean was the GOP nominee in the general election, i would have voted for him had he supported marriage equality.

I'm a Democrat - i vote in general elections and Democratic Primaries - the only 2 places I can vote in.

Thats it. As a resident of the 11th District, I'm focused on changing my senator.  

Pro-Monmouth  

---

by: vingopal @ Mon Jan 11, 2010 at 21:55:58 PM CST

[ Parent ]

what you said (0.00 / 0)

also as a resident of the 11th district I agree with you.  We still have inroads to make as many municipalities (read Asbury Park) had only a 30% turnout.  I'd love to double that.

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...

---

by: tabbycat31 @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 08:09:58 AM CST

[ Parent ]

you answered my question - thanks (0.00 / 0)

You would be unwilling to change your registration to Republican to either protect Sean Kean (if he had done the right thing) from a teabagging wingnut primary challenge or support Mary Pat Angelini if she would challenge Sean Kean in a 2011 primary election.

Party affiliation is not a blood type.  We can change it whenever we want for whatever reason we want and then change it back just as quickly.

How can you expect someone like Sean Kean to buck his party and do the right thing when you aren't willing to do something as easy and simple as changing your party affiliation for one lousy primary election?  How often are there contested Democratic primaries in Monmouth County anyway?

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 09:08:20 AM CST

[ Parent ]

here's another issue (0.00 / 0)

when was the last time an incumbent state senator was challenged by a primary opponent?  

I voted in the Democratic primary last year, and only Corzine had a very weak opponent with no name recognition.  All the downticket races (no incumbents) were running unopposed.

My sample ballot had both the Democratic and Republican primaries listed on it, and on the GOP side the only issue was at the top of the ticket (Christie vs Lonegan).  Everyone down the ticket (assembly and freeholder) was running unopposed.  The assembly candidates were incumbent, freeholder was not.  

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...

---

by: tabbycat31 @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 09:33:30 AM CST

[ Parent ]

2007 (0.00 / 0)

There were numerous contested primaries on the Democratic side in 2007, most of them based in urban areas where the battle was more about factional supremacy than ideology, but they did take place.

There was also a contested Republican primary in the district now represented by Jim Whelan, the lone South Jersey State Senator to vote for marriage equality, who Cory Booker should seriously consider as a potential running mate if he wins the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2013, between the quasi-incumbent, Sonny McCullough, who was picked by the Republican County Committeepersons in the district to replace Bill Gormley, who retired in the middle of the term rather than at the end of it, and the sitting Republican Assemblyperson in the district, Frank Blee, who interestingly enough was supported by Gormley.

Despite receiving the support of Gormley, Blee was defeated by the teabagging wingnut, McCullough in that primary.  Whelan went on to win the general election with considerable support from moderate Republicans.  I am guessing that this base of moderate Republican support made it easier for Whelan to do the right thing on the issue of marriage equality.

That said, if Bateman, Beck, and Kean had voted for marriage equality, there can be no doubt that each of them would be facing a primary challenge from a knuckle-dragging, teabagging wingnut who would most likely have defeated the incumbent unless a large number of marriage equality supporters in the district were willing to register as Republicans and vote for them in that primary.

I can only guess that Chris Christie told Bateman, Beck, and Kean that if they voted for marriage equality, he would support their opponents in the primary, raise money for their candidacies, and make sure that they did not get the party lines in their respective counties.

If I am right about this, their cowardice, while unacceptable, should be understandable at the very least.  When push came to shove, like James Baker with the Jewish vote, Kean et al probably said "F**k the LGBT community.  They don't vote for us anyway.", and I can only guess that from a historical perspective, they would probably be right.

It is possible that from a futuristic perspective, they might have been right as well, as it does not appear that they were ever given any assurances about support in either the primary or general elections if they voted for marriage equality.  If what Vin has said can be perceived as mainstream Democratic and progressive thinking, then they would have most likely been on their own in a Republican primary if they would have done the right thing.  Under those circumstances, it should surprise nobody that they exhibited the cowardice that they did.

So by all means, replace them with Democrats, but when you do, I hope that you replace them with Democrats who have a spine, unlike the Democratic 9.  I think that Vin Gopal would be as good a choice as any.  I think that Maggie Moran, who would be excellent, also lives in the district.  I am not sure whether Janice Campbell Fuller lives in the 11th or 12th, but she would also be very good.  But the best pick IMHO would be Mike Beson.

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 10:35:39 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Really? (0.00 / 0)

I can only guess that Chris Christie told Bateman, Beck, and Kean that if they voted for marriage equality, he would support their opponents in the primary, raise money for their candidacies, and make sure that they did not get the party lines in their respective counties.

I doubt that a it was necessary for Christie to be that direct.

---

by: Dvd Avins @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 19:42:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I just looked it up (0.00 / 0)

Kean did not have a primary challenger in 2007, neither did his Democratic opponent.  

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...

---

by: tabbycat31 @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 09:58:53 AM CST

[ Parent ]

he would have... (0.00 / 0)

...if he had voted for marriage equality.

Vin can correct me if I am wrong, but Democrats in Monmouth County rarely have contested primaries as they are usually the underdogs and have to work very hard to recruit good candidates, particularly for Assembly and Senate.

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 10:47:35 AM CST

[ Parent ]

c'mon Bertin..... (0.00 / 0)

....can you give one diary a little time and space before smothering it to death with your know-everything-ness?

It's a read downer to read when you do that.
best, JAY

Jay_Lass on Twitter.

---

by: Jay Lassiter @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 06:41:03 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I'll make you a deal (4.00 / 1)

Announce that you are running against James Beach in 2011 and stop working for the Norcross machine and I will stop posting here altogether.  Deal?  When I see your announcement covered in PolitickerNJ.com, I'll cancel my account.

As far as giving a diary time and space before smothering it to death with my know-everything-ness is concerned, this diary was up for 13 hours before I or anybody else commented on it.  There is no guarantee that there would have been any comments if I hadn't.

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 09:13:31 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Let's cut the chatter and get a real challenger (4.00 / 1)

Throw the bum out! Who will step up?

"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness."
--John Kenneth Galbraith

---

by: Babs NJSD @ Mon Jan 11, 2010 at 20:40:20 PM CST

Draft Vin Gopal (4.00 / 2)

I think that Maggie Moran lives in the 11th as well.  She would probably be a good challenger too.

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 09:14:42 AM CST

[ Parent ]