TOMS RIVER, NJ—It might sound like a radical agenda, but longtime Democratic social activist and progressive organizer Zach Doughtery, a former volunteer of Democratic U.S. Senator Cory Booker and Democratic U.S. Congressman Andy Kim, is hoping for a blue wave in Toms River this year.
Dougherty, who volunteers for the League of Women’s Voters and attends college in D.C., hopes to sway Toms River voters to back the Democratic party, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, on the November ballot.
It sounds like an impossible dream in a town where more than 70% of voters consistently vote Republican.
Doughtery has been named as one of the most prominent up-and-coming progressive Democrats in New Jersey, according to InsiderNJ, a political blog site.
Dougherty, a former U.S. Senator Cory Booker intern, will replace Susan Gato in the November election. Party insiders stated that Gato, despite winning the party’s June primary, was viewed as too moderate by Democrats and unpopular, so like President Joe Biden, the party swapped out candidates without input from those who voted for Gato in the June election.
Dougherty is trying to paint himself as a strong, all-American, good old boy from Toms River on his campaign website. That website also hides his close ties to the Democrat party, including Governor Phil Murphy, Cory Booker, and Andy Kim, and his activism in such events as March for Life and the George Floyd protests in Newark, New Jersey. He has no official public job experience, according to his LinkedIn profile.
According to Ocean County tax records, Doughtery, 23, does not own a home in Toms River, lives with his parents, and is running against William Byrne, a former Teamsters driving instructor.
He served as the lead Teamsters Northeastern U.S. driving instructor for Gulf Oil.
“I am bringing decades of experience to the table in Toms River,” Byrne said. “The Democrats are running radical left-wing organizer and a career college student and progressive activist. While I admire his spirit, Toms River needs experienced leadership to help us get through these difficult times his running mate, Kamala Harris, has put us in.”
According to his website, Dougherty wants to increase taxes and spending in Toms River and restore all of the spending cuts made by Republican Mayor Dan Rodrick. Since taking office, Rodrick has cut millions of dollars in unnecessary spending in the township by eliminating dozens of politically connected jobs. He also switched to a politically connected healthcare insurance company owned by Democrat power boss George Norcross to save millions of dollars on employee healthcare.
According to New Jersey’s Election Law Enforcement Commission, Doughtery has failed to file financial reporting forms to disclose his campaign and its funding.
This tactic is often used by New Jersey Democrats to shield the public from knowing about their donors. Byrne’s financial disclosures and filings are current through the primary election campaign.
The next reporting deadline is October 7th.