The latest in the Race for the State Senate & General Assembly – New Jersey, District 1
By HARRY HURLEY Political Columnist
The Hurley Line:
New Jersey District 1 Republicans have given themselves their greatest opportunity to win back a state legislative seat since former State Senator Nick Asselta and former Assemblyman Sam Fiocchi won election in 2004 (Asselta) and Fiocchi (won in 2013), under special circumstances; representing the only Team Van Drew member loss, ever.
Not to take anything away from Fiocchi, however former Assemblyman Nelson Albano was running for re-election under the cloud of a traffic stop scandal. In the Winter, 2012, Albano was stopped for speeding. Albano was driving to Trenton for a voting session.
Albano wrote a scathing letter to the New Jersey State Police Superintendent, claiming that the New Jersey State Trooper (Randy Pangborn) had “disrespected” him during the police stop. However, the police video directly contradicted Albano’s claims of mistreatment.
Albano had claimed that he was “humiliated, disrespected and embarrassed as a legislator.” The video told a very different story. The Trooper was respectful at all times. Albano made other false claims.
The Trooper got Albano in-and-out of the police stop in eight minutes and even apologized for issuing him a ticket. Albano had asked the Trooper to give him a break. The Trooper advised him to speak with the court about that.
In Albano’s defense, this unbecoming conduct was unusual for him and came at a very vulnerable time for him. This incident occurred during the same month that the man who killed his son was released from prison and Albano also had a heart attack.
Albano apologized for what he had done, dismissed his complaint and paid his fine. To provide our readers with context as to exactly what happened back in 2012, here is the transcript of the actual police stop as it occurred:
At 1:13 p.m. February. 21, 2012, Albano was pulled over for driving 71 mph in a 55 mph zone on Route 29. “Good afternoon,” Pangborn said. “License, registration and insurance card, please.” Albano had not yet received his permanent registration card. “No paperwork with it, sir?” said Pangborn. “Just the thing that’s on the back window,” said Albano. “OK,” said Pangborn. “I got you at 71, it’s a 55.” “I actually thought it was 65, I apologize,” said Albano said. “OK, stay in the vehicle please,” said Pangborn.
Panghorn returned to Albano’s car a few minutes later. “All right, sir, a little fast, sorry about that,” Pangborn said. “Ah, 71 in a 55, you need to contact court, number’s on the back, they’ll explain how to take care of that, all right?” Albano does attempt to talk himself out of the ticket at this point. He tells Trooper Panghorn that he was the legislator of the year by the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association. Albano admitted that “I remember saying, yes, ‘Can you cut me a break? I’ve always supported the State Police, I was elected as legislator of the year because of what I have done supporting the police, can’t you cut me a break?’” Pangborn politely declined the request, saying “Well, you know, you have to contact court and then we can just go through there, OK sir?”
The truth is that Tooper Panghorn was a gentleman throughout and Albano didn’t do anything that any other citizen would do. It’s just perceived differently when an elected official tries to get out of something by using their elective office as a privilege.
This is a detailed recap of why Albano was so vulnerable for re-election less than a year later and why Fiocchi was able to win in a perfect political storm. In other words, this is what it has taken for a Republican to win a state legislative seat in the past nearly decade-and-a-half.
Getting back to this year. Michael Testa won the Cape May County Republican Endorsement Over former New Jersey Assemblyman Sam Fiocchi 116 to 33. Cape May Republican Chairman Marcus Karavan has done a great job managing the organization since former Chairman Michael Donahue became a New Jersey Superior Court Judge.
Karavan is fair-minded and talented. He has positioned his Party to their best chance to win a state legislative seat in a long, long time.
For his part, Fiocchi has graciously withdrawn from New Jersey State Senate District 1 Campaign. This now allows the Republican ticket to not have to burn through cash and speak harsh words to/about one another for the next three months.
Testa will be the Republican Nominee and he will face the appointed incumbent State Senator Bob Andrzejczak in the November 5, 2019 General Election.
“I’m honored to have the support and endorsement of the Cape May County GOP,” said Testa. I thank former Assemblyman Sam Fiocchi for his gracious decision to withdraw from the race. He was a certainly a formidable opponent.”
“Together, we’re going to Flip the First and bring real conservative leadership to Trenton,” said Testa.
Testa previously won the Cumberland County Republican Committee endorsement over Fiocchi by a margin of 45-7.
Lower Township Mayor Erik Simonsen and Ocean City Councilman Antwan McClellan will run on the Republican ticket with Testa and face Assemblymen Bruce Land and Matt Milam.
This now sets the stage for the first test of a new “Team Van Drew” era. Van Drew has possessed flawless coattails in each and every General Election in District 1 for decades. Even when Van Drew himself was not on-the-ballot, his candidates have always prevailed.
Some are wondering, does this change now that he is United States Congressman Jeff Van Drew?
It’s always hard to bet against Van Drew. His effective, hard-working nature and almost super natural voter appeal that has consistently cobbled Democrats, Independents and a surprising number of Republicans, who are willing to cross over and support him has reached almost mythical proportions.
The Van Drew Team is now running two appointed members (Andrzejczak and Milam) for the State Senate and Assembly.
Can Van Drew do what he’s always done from Washington, D.C.? Also, does the bitter national climate hurt Van Drew’s non-partisan effectiveness in the District?
In fairness to Van Drew, he has gotten off to a spectacular start during his Freshman term in The United States House of Representatives. He is the Vice Chairman of the Blue Dog Democrat coalition. This bumper crop of 24 Democrats is something that hasn’t existed since President Ronald Reagan was in office.
Van Drew has kept his word at every turn. He has bucked his own party on numerous occasions during his first three months as a Member of Congress. Van Drew has voted both with and against President Trump; always in a manner that is in keeping with promises made and his own voting conscience.
The General Election here is District 1 is going to be a barn-burner on November 5, 2019. Testa wants it bad. And, The Van Drew team almost never loses. It’s highly competitive for the first time in many years.
The debates will matter. The overall campaign messages waged. The campaign collateral materials. The television and radio advertising. Any mistakes made will be amplified.
In the end, all roads still lead to Van Drew and he’s not even on the ballot this year. Can he do it, again? Stay tuned.
Harry Hurley is the president of Harry Hurley Consulting and Communications, LLC. He hosts the daily talk radio program “Hurley in the Morning” 6-10 a.m., weekdays on Townsquare Media, WPG Talk Radio 104.1 FM & 1450 AM, where he also serves as the senior programming consultant. Harry was elected to both the Philadelphia (2013) and New Jersey (2015) Radio Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Harry Hurley has also been selected (2015-2018) as one of the Top 100 Most Important Talk Radio Hosts in America by Talkers Magazine. Hurley is also doing national fill-in, on-air talent work for FOX News Radio on their nationally syndicated platforms. He has hosted various programs for local television and is the editor and publisher of his news and information website, www.harryhurley.com. Send comments to HarryHurley@aol.com
