By Wally Edge in Politickernj.com. Emailed to [email protected] by at least two sources. Reposted to IPR by Paulie.
The New Jersey Conservative Party State Chairman is urging voters who have registered as members of his party to change their party affiliation to Republican so they can vote for Steve Lonegan for Governor. Last year, there were 45 voters registered as members of the Conservative Party statewide – 20% are in Bergen County. By doing this, State Chairman Stephen Spinosa is effectively calling for the end of his third-party movement in order to boost Lonegan’s chances.
“The reason I take this action is because in these times of great economic turmoil, it is vital that all of us do their part to see to it that the best man for the job gets elected. I believe that Steve Lonegan is that man. His record of service as Mayor of Bogota, and then as Executive Director of Americans for Prosperity-NJ has shown him to be a true champion for the taxpayers,” said Spinosa. “The prosperity, the solvency and the security of our state can only be served by nominating him in the primary, and then electing him as our Governor this November.”
But Spinosa’s request that party members register as Republicans has caught the wrath of Sam Gallo, the National Chairman of the Conservative Party of the USA.
“Their leadership has displayed a dose of insanity! A real blight on true Conservatives across America intend on changing direction of this country,” Gallo said in an e-mail to PolitickerNJ.com. “That is why we started the Conservative Party of New Jersey…under our national brand.”
UPDATE: “45 registered voters” appears to be in error.
From IPR comments:
Mike Indiana : The most recent state figures I’ve been able to find 10/20/08 list the party registration as 154
http://www.njelections.org/2008results/08generalelection/voter-registration-summary102008.pdf
Now that Lonegan lost the nomination, what’s up with the Conservative Party now?
Ron,
Ron Paul endorsed non-major party candidates publicly – including for president – and including last year. Granted, it was a long time ago, but he was once one himself. He is a life member of the LP. He owed much of his name recognition, fundraising, activism and support to contacts that he built due to his LP race in 1988.
No effect on the political process? The Democrats took back congress in 2006 due to the Libertarian presence in the election. People have made the argument – although I think they are wrong – that Nader swung the 2000 election and that Perot swung the 1992 election. It was certainly the case in many state and local races.
In many other local, state and even Congressional and US Senate races, were it not for smaller parties, there would be no choice at all in the election, since the larger parties don’t even bother to run against each other.
Smaller parties get elected to many local and some state legislative seats. In the past, they have had members in Congress, mayors of fairly large cities, etc.
One huge effect that smaller parties have is to get larger parties to consider and eventually implement their ideas. Almost all of the Socialist Party platform of the 1920s and 30s is now law, even though it wasn’t Socialist Party members who passed these laws. Many libertarian ideas are much more seriously considered now than when the LP started. Perot’s top issues became much more prominent in the national debate as a result of his runs. George Wallace caused the Republican Party to adopt and run on many of his themes in upcoming elections. And so on.
To say that we are “completely and totally politically irrelevant” is absolutely ridiculous.
The very fact that they play dirty tricks to keep us off the ballots proves that this is not the case.
More minor parties need to think about doing things like this.
Let’s be clear about one thing: minor political parties are completely and totally politically irrelevant. Dung beetles have more effect on the political process than minor parties do.
If you really want to bring reform, you need to be a caucus within one of the major parties. Look at the Ron Paul movement — Paul’s Presidential GOP primary campaign raised more money and got more press than every Libertarian campaign in the history of the United States combined. There’s a reason that Ron Paul doesn’t want anything to do with the LP — the system is set up to shut you out and you can’t change the system unless you are a member of the one of the major parties.
Even in some populous states, the LP is irrelevant. In New York, there isn’t much of a presence despite laws allowing fusion candidacies. In Illinois, current chair David Brady has run the party into the ground and hasn’t run a candidate in a partisan race for office since 2002 (except for the 2008 Senate race, which was an exception because it was the Barr effort that got their candidate on the ballot, not the LP Illinois) In it’s current form, the LP Illinois will never run a statewide candidate or candidate for Congress ever again. It’s as if they don’t exist. I feel bad for you Illinois residents.
If you want liberty, join one of the major parties and work as a minority caucus. You will get much better results.
Why don’t you people grow up. Our country is in the emergency room loosing all of its organs and life and you guys bicker about trivial matters. Lets band together in a common cause and start liberating our country from the distructive socialists who are killing us.
This would be a good opportunity not just to change their registrations, but for non-major parties in New Jersey to endorse his camapaign and works as activists for the campaign.
In 2005 there were two independent/alternative party candidates who used their own money to qualify for debate appearances with the major party candidates, but because they used their own money they did not qualify for matching funds.
The filing deadline for independents is June 2. So far no one seems interested.
Maybe Robert Milnes. I believe he lives in NJ.
update the post with this info
Done. I did not want to edit quoted material, so I just appended it below.
And: I think Murray Sabrin would be a shoe-in for State Senate. He’d get nationwide support (Again). He has decent name recognition, especially amongst Ron Paulers, Libertarians, and his area. He’s got good credentials (college professor).
Mike,
The columnist seems to have made a mistake, good catch. Could you update the post with this info, Paulie?
“45 voters registered as members of the Conservative Party” – where does this come from, are there new registration stats?
The most recent state figures I’ve been able to find 10/20/08 list the party registration as 154
http://www.njelections.org/2008results/08generalelection/voter-registration-summary102008.pdf
he wasn’t that great. gold standard? why not no standard? attack illegal immigration in NEW JERSEY? What a tool
Murray Sabrin is a pretty good speaker but a lot of the emails I got from the campaign were mostly over the top attacks on his opponents. This is a shame because he’s great on a lot of the issues.
Incidentally he sometimes writes columns for PolitickerNJ:
http://www.politickernj.com/sabrin
Murray sucked. he came in 3rd in a primary that was meaningless because the dems had it in the bag anyway lol. that’s pathetic
Murray Sabrin last ran (and lost, finishing 3rd) in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate as a ‘Ron Paul Republican’ for those of you who care to know.
Forty five whole registered voters!
I know, huh?
I’d bet Murray Sabrin is a Republican now
Yes, I think you’re right.
I’d bet Murray Sabrin is a Republican now, after seeing the power of that simple label. I hope he’ll run for State Senate or something.
Forty five whole registered voters!
Does the New Jersey Libertarian Party have a candidate for Governor yet? 12 years ago they had Murray Sabrin qualify for matching funds and debate appearances.
Also what about the Greens? Or any other alternative parties?