Is a shakedown behind the NJGOP’s double-standard on data access?
/By Rubashov
Officially, the NJGOP is being very stingy on allowing access to its controversial data center, which it uses on license from the Republican National Committee (RNC) with the understanding that it is made appropriately available to party organizations and candidates throughout the state. In practice, however, NJGOP field operatives (part of its “Victory” program) are handing out access to pretty much anyone they “recruit” to become part of their field operation.
This is a very low bar. Recruitment consists of saying that you will agree to participate in one of the following training programs: Poll Worker, Voter Registration & Voter Contact, and Challenger. Access is being offered to potential “trainees” without them being vetted or even a basic voter registration check done.
While this loose program is the case at the grassroots level, access to the data center is being withheld from the legislative leadership of the Republican Senate and Assembly Caucuses. According to the NJGOP’s executive director, discussions are “ongoing.” One possible reason for this has been offered by several sources in a position to know.
Just as former Senate President Steve Sweeney was replaced on the Legislative Redistricting Commission by the Chairman of the Democratic State Committee (NJDSC), sources claim that the Chairman of the Republican State Committee (NJGOP) is angling to do the same to former Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean Jr. This would enable the NJGOP Chairman to play a more direct and active role in the negotiation process.
What would that mean?
It is no secret that the NJGOP Chairman is very “woke” on social issues and very establishment on economic issues – in other words, at odds with both the social conservative traditions of Ronald Reagan and the populist economic policies of Donald Trump. When the current NJGOP Chairman was selected last June by 2021 GOP gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli, it made some sense because he closely matched Ciattarelli’s social liberalism on issues like illegal immigration, the Second Amendment, and abortion.
Since Ciattarelli’s defeat and announcement that he is a candidate for the 2025 GOP gubernatorial nomination, sources believe the NJGOP Chairman’s continued tenure serves as a vanguard for Ciattarelli – to tamp down potential gubernatorial opposition and clear a path through the 2025 primary. The idea is to make it appear as if the 2025 nomination – nearly four years away and undecided – has already been decided, with Ciattarelli the nominee in continuum.
Of course, this is neither honest nor democratic.
The form of the NJGOP’s field (aka “Victory”) program is something in the nature of a public make-work program. Poll worker training in February? If national averages hold you will lose upwards of 9 percent of them by November, simply to moving house.
From what we can make of it, this “Victory” program is most focused on those counties that need it least – all those successful places where Republicans have no problem winning. They come unbidden to places that don’t need them and instead of spending their time beefing up a few swing municipalities in a few swing legislative districts – so that we might have a legislative chamber or two in the Republican column – the “Victory” team appears drawn to those places that already produce… victories.
It seems a pointless way to spend resources. And that might be because it is designed to be. Instead of measuring success by the number of seats won, the old-fashioned way (seats = control = the ability to pass or block legislation), the “Victory” team measure their success by individual actions. Like the number of calls made, or the number of doors knocked – not the message delivered, not the result, just the action. Very Soviet in its inspiration.
So hold on to your hats, because this program is coming to every district and county and town where Republicans have already won. It’s as if you opened a store and now it’s successful – and along comes the NJGOP, who wants to make you “an equal partner” in your business. Meanwhile, there are other stores that could use partners – equal or otherwise – that have a chance to be as successful as your store, but no interest is shown.
Weird way to do business.
As there can be no recruitment or voter registration drives without a message -- an annunciation of principles -- here is a short video that expresses the oft forgotten, more often ignored, "first principles" of the Republican Party.
“In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
George Orwell
