Man Vs. Machine Primary for Open N.J. Senate Seat

[brooklynite]

Source: Roll Call

t’s man vs. the machine: Newark Mayor Cory Booker and Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. are on track to have a New Jersey-style knockout primary for the Democratic Senate nod in 2014.

“It changes the landscape,” Pallone said minutes after Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg’s retirement announcement. “I’ve always been interested in the Senate, and I’m going to continue to explore it.”

...snip...
Booker upset party elders when he announced his exploratory committee in mid-December. Many Lautenberg loyalists are furious with him for not being patient and allowing Lautenberg a graceful exit. In the end, Booker only needed to wait two months to make his move.

Meanwhile, Pallone bent over backward to take the opposite approach as he quietly prepared for a run.

Read more: http://www.rollcall.com/news/man_vs_machine_primary_for_open_nj_senate_seat-222464-1.html?ET=rollcall:e15175:31875a:&st=email&pos=epol

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How much clout does the Party have in a Statewide primary?

[graham4anything]

1. The man is Cory Booker. I will NEVER vote for Macine Pallone in a primary. EVER.

As I only vote for democratic candidates in the general election, whomever is chose I will vote.
I have ZERO respect for Pallone and think he and Lautenberg and the repubs were behind the recent smearing of Sen. Menendez(that is my personal opinion) because Pallone just assumed the Lautenberg seat was his and he is fuming so he wants to open a second avenue.

Booker has my vote.100% guaranteed.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Jersey is a basket case when it comes to politics

See Boardwalk Empire as a biopic of how it was and still is. Seeing what happened in Newark with their city council and Booker, he is apparently ready to rock and roll with the best of them.

[The Wizard]

3. Trying to run Newark

is like petting rabid pit bulls. Many of Newark's citizens want Sharp James back in City Hall. After all, he served his prison sentence.
Frank Pallone wins in a red district and may have locked himself into that position. The Democrats don't want to lose another seat in the House.