The Record today explains why the failure of the Bergen GOP to garner enough $10 contributions to qualify for public financing is not a failure of the state’s clean elections pilot, but a failure of the Bergen GOP. Essentially, the heavily Democratic 37th is not exactly hospitable to Republicans, but there was no excuse for the party’s candidates not to get at least 400 contributions and qualify for partial funding. That’s 400 contributions in a district with 220,000 residents.
(T)he Clean Elections program is a worthy experiment that offered the GOP an unprecedented level of parity in exchange for a minimal show of will — not to mention the sort of ethical rectitude that Republicans have loudly championed amid Democratic scandal in Trenton.
Reports suggest there has been a serious effort on the part of local Republican candidates, particularly Nibot. That they fell short suggests a failure of the party organization.
Tellingly, the only other candidate who hasn’t yet met the requirements is a Libertarian Assembly hopeful in Central Jersey. The Bergen Republicans, meanwhile, are facing third-party status in a two-party race.
The GOP failure does point out a flaw in the program — one that can be addressed by including primaries. The GOP is not likely to mount much of a campaign in the 37th, where state Sen. Loretta Weingberg remains popular.
The primary is the key in this district — as recent history proved, with Weingberg leading a slate against the county party apparatus and winning. And the primary is key in most districts, which are not competitive and are not likely to be.
So let’s expand this thing next time out.
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Hank Kalet 