An ancient proverb argues that the enemy of your enemy is your friend. But in New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary, the race between Brigid Callahan Harrison and Amy Kennedy has opened a political and financial fissure between the state party’s establishment power broker and a political newcomer with a dynastic political legacy.
The two frontrunners, along with three other candidates, hope to challenge Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) in the general election. Cook Political Report rates the race as “lean R.”
Van Drew angered South Jersey Democrats and the national party after changing his party affiliation to Republican leading up to President Donald Trump’s impeachment vote.
Van Drew narrowly captured his seat in 2018, winning a district Republicans controlled for more than 20 years. With a Cook Political Index of R+1, the race would seem competitive for Democrats.
Political science professor Brigid Callahan Harrison and former public school teacher Amy Kennedy, along with three other Democratic candidates, are seeking to challenge Van Drew. Politico reported the race has become a test of New Jersey’s Democratic machine leader — businessman and DNC committeeman George Norcross — and the Kennedy family — a group not often found on the outside of Democratic politics.
Harrison, a scholar in American politics and democracy at Montclair State University, is the preferred candidate for Norcross. With his support, Harrison received endorsements from many powerful elected officials like Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.). She also received the support of various state labor unions, including powerful building trades and a teachers union, who have been contributors to Harrison.
However, when Kennedy joined the race, she called on those who had given their endorsement to reconsider, even though Norcross had made his choice. Now, Kennedy — wife of former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) and daughter-in-law of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) — finds herself as the challenger of the Democratic establishment’s pick in Harrison.
Kennedy — in her quest to take on the Democratic machine — has outraised Harrison by almost a 4-to-1 margin, raising nearly $1.4 million compared to Harrison’s roughly $365,000.
Both Harrison and Kennedy also have major outside spending in the race. Much like the two candidates, the money reveals a battle between an entrenched machine and a family dynasty.
General Majority PAC has spent $210,000 to support Harrison. Norcross is the main contributor to the 527 group, which has been a major point of conflict between Kennedy and Harrison in the primary. The New Jersey Globe reported that Kennedy called for Harrison to reject the group’s spending and urged General Majority PAC to stay out of the race. Kennedy argued that the PAC’s spending only proves that Harrison is the “machine candidate.”
Kennedy, though, is also backed by PACs and is under scrutiny for campaign finance issues.
Blue Organizing Project, a super PAC supporting Kennedy, received $500,000 from one donor — the candidate’s husband. So far, Blue Organizing Project has spent $75,000 in digital ads opposing Harrison’s candidacy, the New Jersey Globe reported. The Globe reported Kennedy received criticism for running on a platform to get big money out of politics while being supported by a super PAC funded by her husband. Kennedy publicly requested Blue Organizing Project to remain out of the race.
Another PAC, America’s Future First, has spent more than $50,000 on behalf of Kennedy. The New Jersey Globe reported the PAC is connected to Democratic National Committeeman John Graham, who is a longtime friend of Kennedy.
Large sums of money do not always indicate a strong challenge in the general election, particularly in Van Drew’s district.
The district has proven historically difficult to unseat an incumbent. Even in the middle of Democratic takeovers in Congress, voters kept Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) as their representative from 1995 to his retirement in 2018, though the district has a roughly even partisan split. Without an incumbent in 2018 and in an election cycle that favored Democrats, Van Drew still only won with 53 percent of the vote.
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