My Dad Would Beat Singh Or Rizzo In A Primary

Nick Kush

I haven’t blogged in what seems like forever, mostly because South Jersey politics have been pretty boring. Fortunately, the GOP gubernatorial primary has provided a little action lately, so finally, something to write about.

Watching the guy who appears to not like Catholics very much, Phil Rizzo and former beauty pageant winner Hirsh Singh fight on social media over who is more of a MAGA candidate is entertaining.

Of course, had I known that being the most pro-Trump candidate is what makes one a quality gubernatorial candidate I would have run my dad, Nick Kush, for governor. Unlike Singh and Rizzo, my dad has won a competitive GOP primary as the top vote-getter in the 5 candidate “Vote for 3” 2009 Camden County Freeholder (now Commissioner) Primary.

Unlike that Primary, I could have made some money this time. Plus, it would be fun to watch Singh try to call my father the establishment pick or a never-Trumper. Listening to my father’s views on Rizzo and Singh not paying property tax would be entertaining.

Enough of what could have been! The Rizzo – Singh fight is fun to watch.

Singh recently sent a mailer attacking Rizzo for not paying property tax on his home. The attack is accurate. Unfortunately, Singh completely ignores the fact that he lives at home with his parents and therefore does not pay property tax on his home.

In the same mailer Singh attacks Jack Ciattarelli as the “Establishment Pick.”

Apparently, Singh wants GOP voters to think he is anti-establishment. The problem is he is not anti-establishment. In a 2020 campaign press release Singh was happy to receive the endorsement of RNC Committeeman Bill Palatucci, RNC Committeewoman Ginny Haines, Ocean County Republican Organization Chairman Frank Holman, Ocean County Republican Organization Vice Chairwoman Barbara Lanuto, Ocean County Freeholder Chairman John Kelly, Freeholder Joseph Vicari, Freeholder Gerry Little, Freeholder Gary Quinn, Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy, Ocean County Clerk Scott Colabella, State Committeewoman Janice Fields, Atlantic County’s Linwood Republican Club, Montclair Republican Club, to name a few.

That’s a lot of establishment support from a guy who claims to be anti-establishment!

In 2018, when Singh was running for Congress, he issued a press release announcing the endorsement of establishment Republican state Senator Chris Brown. In the same press release he proudly listed the endorsements of the Burlington County Republican Committee, the Ocean County Republican Organization, the Camden County Republican Committee, and the Atlantic County Republican Committee.

Unfortunately for Singh, by the summer of 2020 the establishment that supported him in earlier runs finally saw through his crap and began distancing themselves from him. This caused Singh to call them all “never-Trumpers” in a July 1, 2020 press release.

The moral to this Hirsh Singh story is the establishment is great until they stop supporting him.

We will get more fun out of Singh because he has “met the criteria to debate” according to NJ.com. The article also states, “Ciattarelli is required to participate because he accepted two-for-one matching funds from the state and Singh raised at least $490,000 for his campaign.”

Frankly, I can’t wait to see Singh in a debate. He can remind us that he once proposed building a bridge from Cape May to Delaware at taxpayer expense. Maybe he will remind us of the time he attacked South Jersey’s farmers.

Or perhaps Singh can remind us of his love for former President Obama:

As to Rizzo, I don’t know much about the guy. I do know he doesn’t pay property tax, which a lot of folks will find to be unfair. I also know folks aren’t happy with his past anti-Catholic statements. That story was broken by our friend Matt Rooney over at SaveJersey.

Apparently, what Rizzo said was, “It’s a very strong Catholic stronghold here. In a one-square mile town there’s seven Catholic churches,” said Rizzo. “I don’t know if these people have ever heard the gospel. Not only are they in bondage to their sin but they’re in bondage to religion.”

I’m not the most religious guy in the world, or the state, or even my town and I might even be in bondage to my sin, but I do know that one-third of the folks in this state are Catholics. I also know Rizzo has done nothing to explain the statement or even attempt to deny they are his current beliefs. But he has whined that pointing out the anti-Catholic remarks were attacks from a “professional politician.”

I do understand there are those who will continue to support Singh and Rizzo and that is their right. It is also my right to point out that these guys are not ready for prime time. My dad would beat these guys! Rizzo’s team couldn’t even file matching funds paperwork on time! If he and his team weren’t organized enough for that, how could he be expected to be organized enough to be Governor? Singh does nothing but yell, “MAGA.” The only chance one has at knowing where Singh stands on an issue is to research his past statements from the many other races he has lost.

Fortunately, there is a candidate ready for prime time, Jack Ciattarelli.

Murphy Vs Norcross. Republicans Probably Shouldn’t Get Too Excited

Gov. Phil Murphy - George Norcross

It’s an exciting time to be watching politics in South Jersey – insurgents are challenging the throne in Camden County and Governor Phil Murphy has decided to pick a fight with George Norcross.

All this appears to have the Norcross machine fighting a war on two fronts. South Jersey Republicans, especially the keyboard warrior types, are motivated. Rank-and file Republicans are motivated too. Over the weekend I chatted with a few GOP municipal chairs and other activist types who are helping some of the insurgent “progressive” Democrats.

Even soon-to-announce Republican congressional candidate in CD1, Josh Duvall, has met with at least one of the insurgent “progressive” Democrats.

I understand why Duvall would meet with Vida Neil, he has to try to find support where he can and Vida has been an outspoken critic of Congressman Donald Norcross.

What I don’t understand is why the keyboard warriors, a few municipal chairs and activists who actually go out and knock on doors for Republican candidates are lending a hand to these insurgent Democrats. It’s not like, win or lose, any of them are going to help Republicans come November. They proved that much last year in the special election for Assembly in LD5. Many of these insurgent “progressive” Democrats worked to ensure Camden residents could win the ability to elect their school board. The GOP candidate in that race, my father, Nick Kush, sided with them. Some of the same folks that are part of the insurgency made a point on social media to show they had the support of my father in their effort and being a good son I reached out to them on his behalf and every single one of them told me “I could never vote for a Republican.”

What makes Republicans think the insurgent Democrats will do things differently this time?

As to the other front Norcross is forced to fight on – the tax incentive issue, don’t get too excited. Norcross has the best lawyers money can buy. Does anyone honestly believe those lawyers allowed any laws to be broken to get those tax breaks? Sure, Norcross, or his people, may have walked up to the line, they might have even straddled it, but I’m sure those lawyers made certain not one single law was violated.

Some folks seem a little excited about a recent Star-Ledger opinion piece in which Norcross was referred to as “King George” in the headline:

I don’t understand the excitement. Here at the Bob & Steve Show we referred to Norcross as “the king of kings” in our first ever Naughty and Nice List (https://www.bobandsteve.com/blog/2018/12/25/2018-naughty-and-nice-list) and no one got excited:

At the end of the day nobody really knows how this whole tax incentive fight is going to work out, but my guess is it’s going to die because the budget needs to get done and no one wants a government shutdown. And the establishment Democrats aren’t going to lose any ground to the insurgents.

The only thing we know for sure is George Norcross never tried to steal $33 million from the state’s firefighters which makes Governor Murphy more evil than George Norcross.

PRESS RELEASE: Camden City Residents Should Have The Right To Elect Their School Board

Republican candidate for Assembly in the 5th District, Nick Kush, came out in support of the voters in Camden who want the right to elect their own school board this morning. The press release follows:

Camden City Residents Should Have The Right To Elect Their School Board

Kush: “I side with the parents who want to take an active role in the education of their children.”

RUNNEMEDE – Republican candidate for Assembly in the 5th District, Nick Kush, weighed in on a ballot question in the City of Camden today.

The ballot question, “Shall the Camden City Board of Education remain a Type 1 school district with the Board of Education members appointed by the Mayor of the City of Camden,” has become a contentious issue with many city residents. A “yes” vote “will result in members of the Camden City Board of Education being appointed by the Mayor, as is the current practice.”

“When I agreed to put my name on the ballot I was told winning is a long shot, but you can’t win without trying, so I’ve been meeting voters everywhere, including Camden,” Nick Kush said. “I was talking with one lady and she explained to me the mayor sent a letter to voters asking them to vote to allow him to keep appointing members of their school board.”

“As a father who has had five kids go through public schools, a grandson go through public school and several other grandchildren currently attending public schools, I know and understand the importance of having parents involved in the education of our kids.” Kush continued, “Having one person choose who serves on the school board is nuts. Electing your school board is the first step in parental involvement in education, it gives people who otherwise wouldn’t be interested a reason to be interested.”

“I stand with the parents in Camden who are fighting for the right to elect their school board and applaud them for wanting to take an active role in the education of their kids,” Kush said. “It’s a pretty safe bet the other guy running for Assembly is siding with the mayor on this, they’re in the same party and served on Camden’s council together. Me, I side with the parents who want to take an active role in the education of their children, something I’ll always do if I’m fortunate enough to be elected.”

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