Pick an issue from a list of culture war topics — like abortion — and it pops up in New Jersey’s 16th Legislative District race. The pro-choice incumbent Democrat, Sen. Andrew Zwicker, cast his daughter in a campaign ad that attacks Republican challenger Mike Pappas, who has stated he wants to ban all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest.
Pappas is “completely out of touch with the vast majority of New Jerseyans,” Zwicker says. “And to be clear, that’s not a Democratic or unaffiliated or even mainly Republican issue, right? It crosses party aisles. It’s an extreme, extreme case.”
“My position has been established many years ago and has not changed,” Pappas said. Referring to Zwicker, he said, “His position is among the most radical of any legislator in New Jersey. He voted for a measure to permit abortion right up to the moment of birth.”
In off-year elections, Republicans and Democrats need to galvanize their base and get those voters to the polls when no big names top the ballot. For many Democrats this fall, it means rallying around abortion rights even though those rights are already protected by state statute. But funding and access are not, according to Planned Parenthood, which endorsed 97 legislative candidates including Zwicker.
“The legality of abortion is protected in New Jersey, but access for abortion still … very much sits in the hands of the Legislature and the governor,” said Jackie Cornell, executive director of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey.
But, according to Republican strategist Chris Russell, “Certainly abortion is an issue and I’m not surprised the Democrats are going there … And they’re going there because they don’t want to talk about the other issues that are facing the state right now, like parental rights and what’s happening in schools about keeping secrets from parents…”
Pappas is connecting with voters on the parental rights issue. And with school board seats also on the ballot in November, that may draw voters who wouldn’t ordinarily have turned out for legislative races.
“It’s an advantage for Republicans because in a low turnout election, these votes are magnified, right?” Russell said.
Pappas challenged Zwicker for this senate seat in 2021 and lost by some 5,200 votes. This is the rematch.
