TOMS RIVER, NJ – When New Jersey Democrats vote in privacy, they are overwhelmingly voting for Congressman Andy Kim in 2024 U.S. Senate convention circuit. When Democrats have to vote in public view, they are not surprisingly, voting for New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy.
It’s a good sign for Kim, as history has shown what happens to Democrats on Murphy’s bad side. Luckily for Kim, the June Democrat primary will be a private ballot and nobody has to fear the wrath of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy for casting their vote against Tammy Murphy on Election Day
Kim (D-Moorestown) won in a landslide at the Ocean County Democratic convention, marking his sixth organization endorsement in his campaign for the U.S. Senate. Representing Ocean County during his initial four years in the House, Kim won the convention with a decisive 86% of the vote against Tammy Murphy, who secured 13%. Activist Patricia Campos-Medina placed third with a nominal share of the votes.
Notably absent from the Ocean County convention were former Newark school board member Lawrence Hamm and newcomer Patrick James Merrill. The incumbent, Senator Bob Menendez, has yet to declare his intentions for re-election amidst legal challenges and has not engaged in the preliminary electoral processes, including county conventions and petition gathering, with the March 25 filing deadline approaching.
Kim’s campaign momentum has been bolstered by victories in secret ballot votes across Monmouth, Burlington, Hunterdon, Sussex, and Warren counties, despite setbacks in Bergen and Somerset against Murphy. Furthermore, Kim has garnered pre-convention support from Democratic groups across various Ocean County municipalities, strengthening his position in the upcoming electoral contest.