Union County...

[TreasonousBastard]

where the Dem county leader and state Senator is Ray "Who, me?" Lesniak, mayor is Chris "Here's the special elevator for contractors" Bollwage, and my city councilman is Carlos "What check? I don't know anything about a check" Alma.

Congressman is Don "Am I still head of the Black Caucus?" Payne. Payne actually isn't such a bad guy, but he seems to owe his soul to Sharpe James, where most of disrict lies. That gives him just about the safest seat in the country. Now, if he'd just do something with it...

I live in the land of Traditional Urban Democrats, proudly upholding the traditional urban Democratic values of stealing anything not nailed down, and one or two things that are. But the place does look prettier now. They work under the Chicago theory that as long as the trash is picked up, no one will notice the other stuff. We got nice, new parks, too.

Republicans? They're over in Summit or some damn place. There's a few on the county Board of Chosen Freeloaders, but no one really knows what they do besides complain a lot.

[Kahuna]

1. Payne does have the safest seat in the country.

I in Essex County. But I spend a lot of time in Union County.. Of course because we're next door neighbors. :hi:

[rocktivity]

2. I'm two blocks from the Union Co. line

Where Irvington meets Hillside. I do all my shopping in downtown Hillside because so much I'm closer to it than downtown Irvington!

:headbang:
rocknation

[NewJerseyDem]

3. No republicans on board of freeholders

They haven't been able to win for several years because the freeholders are elected countywide and the county is democratic despite republican tendencies in the northwest of the county and in Westfield and Scotch Plains. I would prefer that republicans occasionally won because right now there needs to be competition. Right now there is a one-party county government so it likely to be more corrupt and less responsive to the concern of constituents.

The county party is pretty disgraceful. John Gregorio is corrupt and he seems to run a significant part of the party.

Donald Payne is a pretty good congressman with solid liberal credentials in the House. He is active on foreign policy due to his senior position on the International Relations and is particularly active on issues involving Africa (he is the ranking Dem. on the Africa subcommitte). When it comes to local politics, I have some problems because Sharpe James is horrible and Payne should oppose him strongly. Also, Payne's attempt to throw out St. Senator Nia Gill was pretty disgraceful.

Now, I'm in Mike Ferguson's district who is a pretty conservative republican. He is moderate on some issues like the environment but he is too right wing for the district. Bob Franks was better, but I would much prefer a democrat.

[Suziq]

4. Hi NJDem . . .

I live in Westfield. I agree that Westfield has republican tendencies (a lot of old money in this town), but a few years ago, we elected a dem mayor for two terms!

My husband ran into the guy (I must look up his name) who will be running against Ferguson. Time for a change.

I also noticed quite a large number of democratic lawn signs before the 2002 elections.

:hi:

[Kahuna]

6. I used to work in Westfield during the 80s. I'm very impressed..

to find out that Westfield elected a Democratic mayor. :toast:

[NewJerseyDem]

10. Republicans have taken back control though

They have the mayor's office now and 7 of the 8 other council seats. However, all the elections seem to work out for narrow republican majorites. Unfortunately, the terms are now 4 years so the republicans will be in control for a while. But, it doesn't matter that much what the party in control is for a town of 30,000. Partisan views are kind of irrelevant when it comes to parking decks and speed bumps. However, the fact that democrats are doing well in local elections is symbolic of the change that has occured in the town.

[Suziq]

12. Parking decks and speed bumps . . .

I have been living in Westfield for fourteen years (migrated from NYC)and they have been talking about a parking deck since I arrived. The town has changed dramatically - all the mom & pop stores are gone (too bad - so much for progress). It is now a "mall town" with little to no parking. Great planning, huh?

When I took the train into the city (I started driving to Jersey City after 9/11 and taking the ferry over to Manhattan), parking was ridiculously expensive if you were lucky enough to get a permit.

The speed bumps are a joke! People who live by them are complaining that trucks are going over the bumps at high speed and the noise is unbelievable. The bumps seem to be a token effort to slow down traffic, but practically no one in Westfield stops at stop signs!

:hippie:

[bleu]

7. agree

Ferguson must go

[PfNJ]

8. Steve Brozak.....

http://www.stevebrozakforcongress.com/

also, I think I need to change my username, didn't know there already was a "newjerseydem".....

I also live in ferguson's district, and it upsets me that I live in Woodbridge, a solid Dem town, in a solid Dem county, in a solid Dem area of the state, but I'm stuck in a republican Congressional District.....

Steve's office is in Westfield, I'm volunteering for his campaign, bush and ferguson both need to go.....

[Suziq]

9. Thanks for the link

I have definitely seen him around town.

I think it is most important to gain as many democratic seats in the House as possible.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[PfNJ]

11. It's good to be here.....

I certainly believe we have a chance to send Steve to Washington, it's a tough district, but we are in New Jersey, so I don't think it can be considered a "safe republican seat", and there are a few Democratic strongholds in the district (parts of Woodbridge and Edison, South Plainfield, North Plainfield, Roselle Park, Green Brook), I'm certainly going to do all I can for the campaign, as well as volunteer for Kerry in Pennsylvania pretty soon (try to get out the vote in Philly and the suburbs, I certainly think we can win Pennsylvania for Kerry), besides, I don't think there's much I can do for Kerry here in NJ, fortunately, since he should take upwards of 55% come November (can't wait for those debates!!!!!!!!).....

Taking back the House will be tough, but I believe we'll take back the White House, and there's even a good chance we can take back the Senate this year, too.....

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Yeah...

I lost track a while ago. Republicans come and go in county gummint. Elizabeth, Rahway, Linden, Plainfield, Hillside, maybe Roselle are Democratic strongholds, with pretty much everyone else leaning Republican. The trick, as always, is getting anyone to vote in an off-year. I'll be damned if I know whether the current crop of Freeloaders are Dunne Dems or Bollwage Dems.

AFIK, Lesniak has kept Gregorio and a few others one step ahead of the sheriff, but when he retires, watch the indictments come down. This place will look like Hudson county. I got pushpolled about the Elizabeth primary the other night, and the questions lead me to think Melendez is going to step in big time pretty soon. It's gonna be interesting. There are a lot of scores to be settled in the next few years, and indictments are a basic element of Joisey Dem campaigning.

I remember the year they didn't put the Jersey City mayor's name up on the Parsippany reservoir 'cause they were never sure if he'd be jailed by the time the paint dried. What was it? Three in a row in the slam?

Sorry to hear you're stuck with Ferguson now. You've probably noticed the push to purge moderate Republicans. What they did to Marge Roukema was despicable, and they haven't yet figured out the real reason that wingnut Schundler got his ass kicked. They figure that in places like Morris County any Republican is a shoo-in, and they're running the wild-eyed wingnuts. I just hope the trend wipes itself out. We gotta have a few Republicans, and I can live with standard-issue Joisey Republicans like Keane and Roukema.

James, alas, wishes to die with his boots on, with or without that new stadium. Methinks he's already got his cut in his pocket anyway.

[Cornus]

13. New Arrival

Have lived in NJ most of my life and just last year I moved from Middlesex to Union county.