NJ-03 Republican primary hopeful Ian Smith offered his tongue-in-cheek congratulations to incumbent Democrat Andy Kim on Wednesday after the two-term congressman received the NJEA’s formal endorsement.
“I’m sure Congressman Andy Kim is thrilled that he received the endorsement of a hyper-partisan organization beholden to Governor Phil Murphy,” Smith said in a statement. “The NJEA was happy to march in lockstep with Murphy and fought to the bitter end to keep masks on kids.”
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“The officers of the NJEA were quick to attack former state Senate President Steve Sweeney in January for being ‘unwilling to include an extension to the mask mandate’ and then, only a month later were proud to stand with Murphy and expressed their optimism that ‘the mask mandate can be safely relaxed in the near future,” added Smith, co-owner of Bellmawr’s Atilis Gym who made a name for himself by refusing to comply with Governor Murphy’s Covid-19 mandates. “The NJEA, like Andy Kim and Phil Murphy, love their mandates. To them, it was always about power and no one cared what school shutdowns and masks were doing to our children.”
As large as Joe Biden’s dismal job approval rating looms over the 2022 midterms nation-wide, the waning popularity of Phil Murphy’s Covid-19 response promises to play a central role in the primaries and the fall general election contests.
“Unlike the NJEA, Andy Kim and Phil Murphy, I always followed credible science and stood with parents during the pandemic.” Smith continued. “Congratulations to Andy Kim on his endorsement from the hyper-partisan NJEA and showing us all that he is just as beholden to Phil Murphy as the officers of the NJEA.”
Smith’s primary opponents include yacht manufacturer Bob Healey (who has the Monmouth County line) and attorney Nicholas Ferrara.
The NJEA endorsed every Democrat seeking reelection to Congress this cycle in New Jersey back on February 11th.
