By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog
Perhaps there was never any hope for a clean GOP primary in CD3 this cycles, Save Jerseyans. The latest TV spot to hit the airwaves is indicative of what we have to look forward to over the next two months:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R83p6bR6YrU
A theme is emerging. You may have heard Mark Levin read an anonymously-authored post from Red State on air last Wednesday evening, titled “Why did the National Republican Congressional Committee Young Gun Program just endorse a RINO in New Jersey?”
The post echoes many of the points included in the Lonegan ad above, a post which candidate MacArthur labeled “creepy” in a fiery letter to his primary rival since it cited his daughter’s Facebook page to allege that he still doesn’t reside in CD3 (aside: both candidates are transplants from North Jersey).
My honest take?
Regardless of which side you’re taking in this year’s hottest New Jersey congressional contest, it’s a mistake for anyone — candidate, surrogate, commentator or spectator alike — to reflixively cast the CD3 GOP Primary campaign between Steve Lonegan and Tom MacArthur (the accused “RINO” mentioned in the title above) as yet another recycled establishment vs. the base passion play.
Regular readers know my feelings on the topic. It’s a lazy story line that’s easier for national conservative media types to regurgitate than the alternative, which involves digging deeper, speaking to local sources, and gaining a true sense of the true nature of the race’s combatants.
It’s a logical fallacy to assume that a candidate is automatically RINO-ish because the establishment happens to support him or her. There are thousands of examples across the country where local, state and federal conservative officials have the backing of their regional parties. Too many folks on our side don’t understand the nature of the beast. GOP “establishment” types are ideologically agnostic, not liberal. They make business decisions for good or ill. Sometimes it benefits the right ideas. Sometime we’re justified in rebelling against their choice.
Having gotten to know both men fighting in the 2014 CD3 contest, this race strikes me as one of competing personalities, not ideologies.
I interviewed Tom, looked at his background, talked to numerous South Jersey GOP’ers who have questioned him in recent months when approached by him seeking their support, and I’ve concluded that there aren’t too many policy differences between the candidates. They’re both vocally pro-life, support the full repeal of Obamacare and believe in reducing job-killing regulations.
It’d be much more helpful to turn down the rhetoric and see both men discuss where there are nuanced albeit significant policy disagreements. For example? Lonegan is a classic supply-sider who supports the implementation of a flat tax. MacArthur is an old school budget hawk who supports lower taxes but wants to focus on reducing spending.
Neither position does a RINO make, Save Jerseyans. And wouldn’t it help the party to have an intelligent debate which proved, once and for all, that the Republican Party is the one with the ideas?
RINO bomb-throwing reinforces the Tea Party caricature that Democrats use to raise money online.
To be 100% fair, I don’t know if the Lonegan campaign can be blamed for retweeting an article that’s critical of its primary opponent unless evidence comes to light that they were somehow behind its publication.
However, the nameless and faceless Red State poster should really try to get his or her facts straight before wading into a primary unarmed with a requisite quotient of truth capable of supporting the post’s woefully uninformed claims and suppositions. Unless, of course, the poster’s intention was to get it wrong…
Both the ad and Red State piece zero-in on MacArthur’s tax record in Randolph. Steve’s local tax record in Bogota is also mixed. Bogota received $250,000 in additional state aid for 2006 and $100,000 more in 2007 secured with the help of arch-liberal state Senator Loretta Weinberg. In those same years, Bogota raised taxes on its citizens by 3.7 % and 6%, respectively, by way of the municipal budgeting process.
Is it all Lonegan’s fault? Does it make him a RINO? Of course not.
Pension costs are a huge problem for municipalities to tackle and it’s largely out of their hands, hence why the Democrat Assembly deserves to be run out on a rail for recently letting the arbitration cap expire. Lonegan did try to cut spending where possible.
But how can he then turn around and accuse MacArthur of RINO-ish behavior for the same alleged offense?
We’re better than all of this. Or at least we should be.
It’s interesting that you are so in the tank for MacArthur and haven’t bothered to look at his record in Randolph where he campaigned on reducing taxes and then raised them. Lonegan was on the city council for twelve years. He kept taxes low.
Tried to read the blog posting you mentioned and amazingly, the link doesn’t load, either from your article or directly from redstate.com.
What was wrong in the ad? So are you saying that MacArthur didn’t raise taxes? Also stop saying we are better than this. This is how elections are won. You show me a candidate who runs a 100% and on the issue campaign and I will show you a losing candidate. MacArthur is certainly not above the fray bringing up incidents with illegal immigration from Lonegan’s past. If you think this is bad just wait for the general when the DCCC is going to paint MacArthur or Lonegan for exactly what they both are political opportunists or carpetbaggers who have no connection to the district other than summering on LBI, which isn’t in the district.
It sounds like you’re a big MacArthur fan. That said, you’re right- the Dems love RINO name-calling because it divides our party and consequently makes them more powerful. Since neither candidate has any alarmingly liberal stances, and both of their records have their ups and downs, let’s focus on winning in November. Fighting over who’s more conservative is childish. I lean towards Lonegan simply because he has the name recognition and carried CD3 in 2013. MacArthur is a newbie, and the last thing we need is an inexperienced candidate.
So what you’re saying is savaging each other on the basis of bad info is okay because the bad guys are going to do it, too? Interesting logic. Do tell me more…
Glad we agree on the fruitlessness of the RINO hunt.
Did you even read the post? Apparently not. Bogota raised taxes under Mayor Lonegan, too. My point is that it’s a dumb argument. Your point is that Matt Rooney criticized a Lonegan ad so therefore let’s discredit him, too, with more stupid name-calling. Doesn’t all of this negativity wear you out? It’s not healthy for the soul, my friend.
How is it bad information? Are you suggesting that MacArthur didn’t raise taxes? That is the crux of your argument. If MacArthur did not do that, yes the ad has no place. But if MacArthur did raise taxes it is perfectly relevant ad. As for the logic that we should do it because others are going to do it, that is not what I was saying. I am saying going negative wins races. People complain about negative ads and say positive ads are better, but those same people remember the negative message and are influenced by the negativity. Positive ads, unless they are super super creative, are in one ear and out the other.
Matt, you’re probably aware, though you didn’t mention, that the real “Establishment” favorite was Rear Admiral Mo Hill of Toms River. He got 40 votes at the OC Convention, and would have won except for the fact that he had no money and no name recognition. But he was clearly the favorite among those attending the convention. As you said, it was purely a business decision on the part of Gilmore et al that though they personally favored Mo Hill they voted for MacArthur because he had the money.
All’s fair in love, war, and unfortunately politics. Steve Lonegan, who proposed raising taxes on 70% of New Jersey’s working families, is really going to throw the “L word” around? I spoke with Steve at length about the race and the district. Steve was worthy of consideration in the election until he started pulling stunts like this. Every dollar his campaign spends on ads such as this one opens the door for Democrats, the REAL liberals, to win in November.
Don’t worry, Tom. There’s a fiscal conservative/social moderate from a State-wide organization that will be in the race either way in November. If you would rather have your values AND someone with a genuine vested interest in the District’s future – and who wears no “party handcuffs”, look no further than Fred LaVergne.
Two decent, acceptable candidates, both with some virtues and an ace or two up their sleeves. Hey, that’s more than we usually get to choose from in the national primaries!
No. My “argument” is that you can’t criticize someone else for doing the exact same thing that you did. Am I speaking Japanese?
It really is fruitless. I don’t think having the support of the establishment makes someone a RINO either. But the important thing is to put up Republican victories in November, and the Dems will use any dirt Lonegan and MacArthur throw at each other now to take down whoever wins the primary down the road.
Tip from a concerned reader: this story could be improved with a carefully placed cartoon rhinoceros.
Just wait until people find out what happened at MacArthur’s old firm, York.
What happened?
If that was your argument why did you write this:
“However, the nameless and faceless Red State poster should really try to get his or her facts straight before wading into a primary unarmed with a requisite quotient of truth capable of supporting the post’s woefully uninformed claims and suppositions. Unless, of course, the poster’s intention was to get it wrong…”
Based on this statement you seem to be claiming the Redstate article and the TV ad had bad information. After making these claims with no evidence, you go into the hypocrisy thing, which I agree with. But if you wanted your point to be about hypocrisy there was no need to say the information in the article or Lonegan’s ad was inaccurate.
New rule, if you don’t pass the ideological purity contest, you get burned to death. Take notes, Lonegan, take notes.:
http://www.vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=9711329
I have attended various events and rallies that were spearheaded by Steve Lonegan over the past few years on behalf of fellow New Jerseyans. Went to DC with him and his group a couple of times for anti-Obamacare rallies. Also went with them on a trip to NYC for a rally against RGGI where we were joined by Hermann Cain. Observed him testifying to legislative bodies in Trenton and giving support to Diane Allen and Mike Doherty at an anti-RGGI event in Burlington City. Have attended a couple of seminars his staff gave on topics such as social media. Sarah Palin and Mark Levin spoke at a rally on his behalf when he was running for senator last year. He has been a tenacious fighter for the rights of the people of New Jersey, and I would be proud to have him as my Congressman.