Local Conservative Paper Endorses DFA Democrat Over Incumbent Republican Assemblyman

by Scott Shields, Tue Nov 01, 2005 at 05:04:20 PM EST

(Cross-posted at BlueJersey.net. This should make you rethink your view of Northeastern Republicans as 'moderates'.)

I never thought I'd live to see the day when the conservative Daily Record of Republican Morris County would endorse a Democrat for New Jersey State Assembly. Then again, rarely have we been so lucky to have a candidate like the DFA-supported Thom Jackson representing the party. Here's what they had to say in endorsing Jackson:

A lawyer from Morris Township, Jackson has been involved in state government as a member of a budget task force put together by acting Gov. Richard Codey. He correctly sees regionalizing small towns and school districts as a way to begin reducing property taxes. He supports the Highlands land preservation bill -- his Republican opponents do not -- and he understands the promise of embryonic stem cell research.
. . .
Our problem with Carroll is that we do not think that his views represent a majority of residents in the 25th District. He opposes embryonic stem cell research and in a recent fundraising letter suggested that it can lead to "fetal farming," which would be the use of late-term aborted fetuses. This is a very extreme and exaggerated position. He opposes measures to fund breast cancer prevention and similar legislation on the grounds that government should not mandate such things. We respect, but disagree, with Carroll's belief that government should do as little as possible. We think most residents want government to do what it can to foster a clean environment, to solve problems and to help the disadvantaged. Jackson shares that view; Carroll does not.
. . .
Republicans have had a lock on all Assembly seats in Morris County for 30 years. It's time to send a Democrat to Trenton.
It's not all good news from the Daily Record, as they opted to endorse Republican incumbent Richard Merkt over Janice Schindler, but it is an overwhelmingly conservative paper, so we should take what we can get. In an odd way, the fact that the Record split their endorsement should call Morris voters' attention to the fact that Michael Carroll is a dangerous radical, far out of the mainstream, even for a Republican.

Beyond Carroll's extremist rhetoric -- which both the Record and Blue Jersey have pointed out -- extends beyond embryonic stem cell research, unsurprisingly into the area of reproductive rights. Carroll is known for commonly referring to pro-choice voters as "pro-aborts." Opposing abortion is one thing. But this is the same language used by the anti-choice extremists who have been known to use violence in their protests. Here's a sample of Carroll's worldview from the now-defunct website, PracticalPolitics.net, still available thanks to the invaluable Google cache:

Now, anyone who understands the English language realizes that abortion ain't in the Constitution. Nor is "privacy." The pro-aborts, not Catholics or right-to-lifers, pervert the document to read as they believe it should read, not as it actually does.

The phrase "fully automatic rifle" isn't in the Constitution either, but Carroll has had no problems claiming that access to them is a protected right and that the federal assault weapons ban was "a silly law." Carroll also believes that it should be legal in New Jersey to carry a concealed handgun. It's safe to say that neither concealed handguns nor fully automatic weapons were what the framers had in mind when they talked about "a well regulated militia" in the Second Amendment.

But I digress. The point here is that things are looking very good in the state's 25th district for moderate voters to rid themselves once and for all of the radical 'mountain man' Michael Patrick Carroll. The fact that we could very well wind up with Thom Jackson in his place is all the better.




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My glory years (none / 0)

When I was a 12-year old kid in Mountain Lakes I threw 15 strikeouts in a Little League playoff game against Dover and the Daily Record mentioned it. Ahhh, living in the past...:)
by elrod on Tue Nov 01, 2005 at 08:00:58 PM EST

That's Good News! (none / 0)

I think its only a matter of time before we start seeing more parts of Morris County become very competitive. Right now other than Parsippany & Morristown, Republicans still have a Lock on the county.

However, many parts Morris county Demographics are definitely changing. You see a strong influx of Asians-Americans, Hispanics, & even African-Americans moving to different parts of the county.

It's only a matter of time!

BTW, I was at the June Choi campaign yesterday in Edison. This is going to be a tough & rough  week. I hope he can pull it off.

It really bothers me that never before has Edison Democrats split the party until an Asian-American candidate emerged as the favorite candidate.

If this was any other candidate, this would have been settled in the primary. He would have coasted to victory in democratic Edison & not to mention the Jon Corzine coattails.

I think the key in Edison will be the expected strong turnout of Indian, Korean, Chinese & Filipino voters.
They will have to if they expect to offset the Democratic white voter split & combined with a united Republican group.

by labanman on Tue Nov 01, 2005 at 08:04:25 PM EST

Is NJ the Northeast?? (none / 0)

Actually, this is really good news. But I do think there is a difference for what passes as moderate in NJ and the Northeast.
I was at my parents on Cape Cod last year at election time and got to read the handy little candidate bios in the local papers. All they could talk about was increasing education funding, renewable energy, cleaning up the polluted ground water, etc. The GOP candidates up there would be considered too liberal for many of the Dem districts down here in GA.
I also think that the GOP in parts of NY (I sat across the table from them as a budget analyst for the Assembly) is more moderate than some of the Dems down in these parts (after all we overwhelming passed an anti-gay marriage provision last year, so lots of Dems voted for it).
I'm not trying to say the GOP is okay back home, but there is some ideological cleavage that we should be taking advantage of.

by muscleheadblog on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 12:47:30 AM EST

assault weapons ban (3.00 / 1)

It continues to be the case that the Assault Weapons  part of the Brady Bill had no effect on the ability of Americans to buy fully automatic weapons, which you could do if you have the right licenses.  Indeed, here in Massachusetts, one of the local gun clubs has an annual machine gun shoot, which is a semicharitable event.

The Brady Bill banned certain semi-automatic (pull trigger once, weapon fires once) weapons.

This point regularly gets beaten to death on Daily Kos.

The reality based community should keep its laws straight.

by phillies on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 07:58:32 AM EST

I agree (none / 0)

We need to drop gun control, especially support for the Assault Weapons ban.  It was, in fact, a silly law.
by Geotpf on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 03:25:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Morris <3 (none / 0)

"The point here is that things are looking very good in the state's 25th district for moderate voters to rid themselves once and for all of the radical 'mountain man' Michael Patrick Carroll."

Heh heh heh.  The 25th district is most certainly not a moderate district.  There's a reason why that part of New Jersey regularly elects some very conservative Republicans -- it's a very conservative part of the state.

In fact, only one or two districts statewide (of 40) are more heavily Republican than this one.  Carroll will probably get his usual 2:1 margin, good challenger or not.

by Mr Moderate on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 10:16:14 AM EST

Oh please G-d! (1.00 / 0)

Carroll is a true blowhard.  Far right wing and an obnoxious prick.  I would LOVE to see that punk go down.
by JPhurst on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 12:45:23 PM EST


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