Grossman Sounding Like A Candidate

Seth Grossman

It’s no secret I love a good primary, the nastier the better. Primaries give rank-and-file members of the party the opportunity to vet those who want to carry the party’s banner into November. I’m also old school which means that after the primary, no matter who wins, you get behind the winner and support that winner. That’s how primaries are supposed to work.

On the radio show we’ve talked about the fact there is a crowded primary taking shape in CD2 for 2020. Here at the blog we’ve written there may be as many as five candidates in a 2020 CD2 primary.

We’ve mentioned that “there are still rumors out there that last year’s nominee Seth Grossman” is “looking at running in CD2.”

Yesterday, via Liberty and Prosperity, Grossman sent an email and he is sounding like a candidate – an anti-establishment candidate. I called Seth and spoke with him about his email and told him I would likely write something about it.

Personally, I like Seth. Bob likes Seth. We were ardent Seth Grossman supporters after last year’s congressional primary. Grossman was the guest on our very first radio show.

In my 20something years of political consulting rarely have I worked with the establishment’s choice, so I have no problems with an anti-establishment campaign.

Having said that, Grossman made the claim in his email that:

Instead, they are now persuading two completely unknowns to move to South Jersey to run against Van Drew next year!  They are duping them into thinking they have a better chance of winning here than in their home districts.

Grossman doesn’t mention either of the two candidates by name, but one can assume he is talking about former CD1 candidate Bob Patterson who has announced in CD2 and David Richter who formed an exploratory committee to consider a campaign in CD2.

In my phone conversation with Grossman I explained to him why he is wrong on the issue of the party recruiting candidates.

First, it makes zero sense that the party would recruit two candidates to move into a district to run for the same office. If the party were involved they would have recruited only one candidate. Even back when we had poor party leadership they weren’t so stupid as to recruit two people for the same office.

Second, I know for a fact that Bob Patterson decided to run in CD2 all by himself. I know at least one county chairman who suggested he not bother trying to run in CD2.

Third, I am fairly certain no one at NJGOP headquarters asked David Richter to look at CD2.

Right or wrong, one thing cannot be denied, if Grossman decides he is in this race he is already more aggressive than he was in last year’s primary.

Primary 2020 might be exciting in South Jersey.

Note: While Bob has endorsed Brian Fitzherbert for next year’s CD2 primary, Steve is completely neutral and making no endorsement.

Apparently, Bob Menendez Took A One-Sided Look At The Border Last Week

Bob Menendez

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez went to McAllen, TX last week to tour the border and get “…a first-hand ability to see it in real life.”

He took the time to Tweet about his visit today saying:

This is what I saw at the border last week: Adults and children locked in cages. Overcrowding. Some haven't been able to make a phone call, shower, even brush their teeth. This is not the America I know—and it breaks my heart.

The thing is Menendez could have seen a lot more, another side to the story, but he chose not to, just like every other left-winger I’ve complained about in the past.

Menendez decided to share a story of despair with NJ.com, telling a reporter, in part:

“These parents overwhelmingly face a choice: Stay and see my daughter raped or have my child put forcibly into a gang and if not, they die,” U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said Friday after visiting the U.S. southern border with other Senate Democrats. “If that’s my choice as a parent, as a grandparent, I’m going to leave.”

Maybe the stuff he was told is true, maybe it’s not, but guess what, while unfortunate there are places right here in the United States with that kind of gang violence.

The thing Menendez fails to mention is that illegal immigration happens to bring the exact violence he spoke about to America. And that violence is not new. Way back in 2009 Latina.com wrote about the “rape trees” that are “popping up in Southern Arizona.” Rape trees aren’t only in Arizona, they’ve been found in New Mexico and Texas.

Imagine having to live among “rape trees” and avoiding areas near where you live because you know what happens.

Menendez, like many of his fellow Democrats, doesn’t want to know about the ugly realities of illegal immigration and the dastardly tactics used by “coyotes.” If he wanted to know he might try visiting parts of the border where there is no security. We could give him a list of folks to call who would be happy to show him around.

Those who listen to our radio show heard some of the stories earlier this year. We’ve talked time and again about how folks living along the border have to carry guns with them at all times.

One of our guests on a past show is a fourth-generation rancher who also happens to be a former county sheriff. He’s built a high fence around his home and has “two mean dogs” patrolling that fence line and still carries a gun at all times, “just in case.”

Think about that for a minute. Basically, this man had to build a fence around a property that’s already fenced in because of illegal immigration. That’s just wrong!

Menendez obviously doesn’t care. If he did care he would have sought out folks and listened to the other side of the story. I can only guess that the reason Menendez didn’t bother to talk with a single American citizen negatively affected by illegal immigration is that their stories would not fit his narrative.

It’s time for Menendez and his friends to stop playing politics with illegal immigration and start worrying about law-abiding Americans.

It’s Been 119 Days Since Testa Challenged Andrzejczak To A Debate And Still No Answer

Michael Testa

Back on June 25th we wrote that it had been 92 days since Republican candidate for state Senate in LD1, Michael Testa challenged temporary state senator Bob Andrzejczak to a debate.

In May we wrote that it had been 60 days since “Mike Testa, sent a letter to Democratic party temporary state Senator Bob Andrzejczak challenging him to a debate “regarding the $4.5 million in school funding cuts foisted upon our district by your Democratic Party leaders in Trenton.”

Both times we offered to create a fair venue for a debate between the two suggesting they debate on the Bob & Steve Show and offering to have two Democrats of Andrzejczak’s choosing co-host with us. I’ve talked with Testa about it, he even filled in for Bob on the show a couple of weeks ago and basically said he would debate Andrzejczak, any place, any time.

Andrzejczak on a debate? 119 days later and still crickets.

Not one word from Andrzejczak on our offer. It’s not like he doesn’t know where the radio station is. He went on another show on the station since Testa issued his challenge. The only word about a debate on that show was the host saying he would debate Testa, which of course had absolutely nothing to do with the two candidates debating.

So, even on an appearance on the radio station our show is heard on Andrzejczak chose not to say one word about Testa’s challenge to a debate.

I don’t necessarily fault the show’s host for not pressing Andrzejczak. When you have a member of the opposite party on your show you do have to be somewhat delicate if you want others to come on eventually. We once had the Senate President on and were very respectful, but we still asked questions we’re sure were uncomfortable for him. That said, I do fault the show’s host for not asking if there will be a debate. It’s a question that could have been asked in a respectful manner.

So, here we are, 119 days since Testa issued his challenge to debate Andrzejczak and there still is no answer.

Our offer still stands. We will happily host a debate, with two members of the Democratic party as co-hosts of Andrzejczak’s choosing. What could be more fair?

Imagine if it were the other way around and a Republican refused to answer a debate challenge from a Democrat. Local media would have a field day with that!

So what is it Mr. Andrzejczak, will there be a debate?