Judging from preliminary figures, Tuesday's primary wins for Assemblyman Jerry Green and Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs give cold comfort for their leadership roles in the community and the Assembly.
Plainfield pretty much mirrored Corzine's dilemma statewide: with a total of approximately 4,200 Democratic votes cast yesterday, only 2,657 chose to vote for Corzine (I don't have the numbers for the others, but it was miniscule) -- meaning that more than a third of Democratic primary voters shunned the Governor. This cannot be good news for Corzine, who got a big boost from Plainfield when he ran four years ago.
Green, who has never faced an opponent in his entire Assembly career, took a hit to his image with Rick Smiley coming within 300 votes of Green's Plainfield total. Plainfield has always been considered Jerry's base and this experience no doubt gave him a good fright.
Working with preliminary figures (absentee ballots have yet to be counted), there are some broad conclusions that can be drawn.
With approximately 4,200 votes cast for all the Democratic mayoral candidates, this seems closest to the total of all Democratic votes that can be ascertained for now.
Against that backdrop, Stender's 2,169 votes in Plainfield put her at 52%, with Green's 1,923 bringing him in at 46%. Smiley, running a grassroots campaign that focused on Plainfield, Rahway and Linden, came in a strong third with 39% (1,627) of the Plainfield vote. I will post Districtwide figures once they become available.
Jerry Green's strategy of seeing that multiple candidates were fielded may have paid off in the short term, but Robinson-Briggs cannot take much pride in the fact that after four years at the helm, fewer than half the ballots cast -- 1,964 of 4,188 -- were for her.
The clear implication is that were it not for Martin Cox and Carol Ann Brokaw-Boles, it is likely Robinson-Briggs would not have finished first.
Final figures will be certified by the County Clerk after absentee ballots have been tallied in.
Meanwhile, perennial candidate Deborah Dowe filed yesterday to run as an independent in the November election, meaning that there will be at least three candidates in the November general election, including Republican Jim Pivnichny, who faced no opponent in the GOP primary.
With Adrian Mapp still on the Council for three more years, and Rick Smiley giving a credible performance districtwide, Green and Robinson-Briggs will face continuing pressure over the issues of competency, transparency and inclusiveness in the conduct of Plainfield's affairs.
Ain't nobody goin' away.
-- Dan Damon
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10 comments:
Guess what Dan. They WON. It's not horseshoes. And there was nothing cold or reserved at the victory celebration last night. Just a LOT of HAPPY people celebrating a wonderful WIN for the People of Plainfield!
Nice perceptive analysis of what happened and why, but cold comfort for those of us who have endured the last 4 years hoping that the present administration would lose because the voters could see through its incompetence and cronyism. I am thoroughly disgusted.
I would like to remind the good citizens of Plainfield that this is a primary, not the election.
Let's really embrace change and in November vote for what makes sense in Plainfield - vote for the Republican candidate. Pivnichney has the intelligence to guide this city through financial situations and the personality to work with the council. Think about it - don't just dismiss it. Do you really want 4 more years of this administration? Can we afford it? Think about it.
"Green, who has never faced an opponent in his entire Assembly career, took a hit to his image with Rick Smiley coming within 300 votes of Green's Plainfield total."
Dan, This is not correct. I do hope you will recall that four years ago I ran for Assembly on the New Dems line with Charles Booker. We each pulled in a little over 2,000 votes in Plainfield. I'm thrilled Rick Smiley ran this year. I supported him. But to be accurate, Jerry has been taking some hits before this election season.
Barbara Kerr
Keep an eye on Cox, lets see where he lands now that he has kept up his end.
I went to High School with Martin all I can say is how dissapointed I was when I heard that he was planning on running. I wonder how he will look people in the eye now.
I don't see this as a moral victory for the candidates featured on row F. In my eyes the incumbents victory signals that this town has no vision, or pride, and a despicably low level of consciousness. Lets order four more years of stagnation and regression even from Madam mayors kitchen. Shame on the electorate to vote for more of the same. What,you jackasses, you haven't had enough pain? The noble opposition will maintain a balance of city affairs? Nonsense I say, this town INSISTS on degradation! Shame on all who encourage the status quo. WAKE UP PEOPLE, Take your heads out of your a#*. More unbridled shame for Plainfield.
To Barbara --
Of course you and Mr. Booker ran for the Assembly! My apologies for overlooking it.
So 1,964 villages are missing their idiots...surprise and they managed to settle in Plainfield and become fans of Jerry & Sharon. And I am amused to see people comment "here and there" about coming together and working together to improve the city. That would be great. The problem is the 2 people who have their incompetent iron fists wrapped around the hope and future of this city WILL NOT work with anyone but themselves. Kinda like trying to put out a fire while the person next to you throws more gasoline on it...It just won't work!
Like Annonymous 8:18AM said, "I would like to remind the good citizens of Plainfield that this is a primary, not the election".
"THEY" won the PRIMARY. "WE" still have the GENERAL ELECTION. How many of you will give up and vote for "THEM" in November? NOT ME.
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