Political violence, misinformation, social media rants and divisions so deep they separate people from their friends and family. If you are wondering how the country has gotten to this point, look no further than New Jersey.
It’s hard to believe that we’ll ever resolve this polarization when we live in different realities. It’s one thing to have differing opinions but quite another when we can’t agree on what’s true or what representatives believe in. That only leads to straight party-line votes.
How is this playing out in New Jersey? Let’s take a look at the race for the 7th Congressional District. It pits incumbent Tom Malinowski against Tom Kean Jr. This race is considered a bellwether and is expected to be the most competitive in New Jersey. This is Kean’s third try for the district’s seat. In 2020, he lost to Malinowski by only 1%.
Due to redistricting, the 7th is more Republican this time, as party officials chose to move voter registrants around and add Democrats to neighboring districts. The idea was to shore up the fortunes of fellow Democrats Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11th) and Andy Kim (NJ-3rd), who were also facing tight races. With a 1% margin last time around, that could be enough to change the outcome.
The Kean legacy
Tom himself is an amiable fellow and served as state Senate minority leader. He’s the scion of a celebrated political family and can trace his lineage back to the region’s early Dutch settlers. An ancestor was the first governor of New Jersey and his grandfather and great-grandfather served in Congress. Most notably, his father Tom Kean served as governor and is greatly admired on both sides of the aisle, known for his moderation, independence and integrity. The Kean name means something in New Jersey.
In this political year, emotions are running high. Inflation, COVID-19, the January 6th raid on the Capitol and the Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade have created relentless tension among the electorate. In an effort to avoid too much controversy, Republicans — and to be fair, at least one Democrat — are keeping their heads down in many purple (and red) states.
Kean seems to have taken a page right out of this playbook. He avoids contact with journalists, Malinowski and even much of the general public. He prefers to rely on TV ads and Republican gatherings.
Yet, even though most voters expect candidates to shade the truth, Kean’s behavior is extreme. He doesn’t take questions or return calls from mainstream journalists (although he has appeared on Fox News and Breitbart) and due to the outcry about this behavior, he has begun to raise his profile. Still, Kean hasn’t had a town hall. He’s turned down an editorial board interview request from NJ.com/the Star Ledger, the state’s largest news outlet. He has also refused invitations to debate from any TV broadcast outlets (including our own).
The two debates he has agreed to were untelevised (although they can be found on YouTube). The first true debate was set up by the Gateway Chamber of Commerce and was limited to business and the economy. Candidates were given the questions in advance. The second was by the New Jersey Globe, which is run by former Republican operative David Wildstein.
The only other time Kean agreed to share a stage with Malinowski was a forum by the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ. Unlike a debate, the candidates were not given time to contradict one another, just answer questions from the audience. In that appearance, Kean flubbed his response about abortion by saying he was pro-choice, despite the fact that he has long called himself pro-life and voted against codifying abortion rights in New Jersey.
Probably the most disheartening example of his behavior is the fact that he has two different website messages. His public-facing site has a platform statement of only 29 words. But a hidden page on this site was made especially for Republicans. That page is more expansive and promises to vote with Republicans in Congress, including protection of the sanctity of life.
As an aside, Malinowski is known as a policy wonk and it shows on his website. His opinions span many pages and he goes into great detail on his platform.
Let me just say it: By hiding what he really believes in, Kean is insulting the voters in this swing district — one of the wealthiest and most educated in the state. Instead of being clear with voters — and letting them decide for themselves — he seems to be counting on a red wave and coasting on his name for victory. One wonders how unaffiliated voters can make an honest choice.
Can you call this campaign a bellwether? Maybe so, since Republicans across the country are taking similar tactics. But it certainly doesn’t seem like the New Jersey Republicans of the past, which his father exemplified. Nor does it encourage political discourse. What it does do, of course, is create a climate whereby the electorate believes in “alternative facts.” Like I said, if you are trying to understand how the country has become so divisive, you don’t have to look much further than New Jersey.