Something unusual happened under the State House Dome on Thursday:
A sitting senator – Sam Thompson (R-12) – stood up and begged for support as he faces down a primary challenge.
“I do feel deserted by my friends and my colleagues who have not responded,” Thompson shared with the chamber. “I would appreciate anyone who wants to speak up on this at any time.” His plea was met with silence except from the Democrat Senate President who credibly plead ignorance as to the internal GOP primary dynamic.
Awkward? You bet. The incumbent is sweating a difficult challenge from Old Bridge Mayor Owen Henry, and Thompson’s aggrieved response to the challenge – on and off of the Senate floor – is to point out that “age discrimination is illegal.” Of course, “age discrimination” doesn’t apply to political campaigns, nor does friendship for that matter. A veteran politician like Thompson shouldn’t be surprised that the chamber was silent, and if he was taken off guard, then his critics might have a point. But I digress…
Thompson will turn 88 in July. Born in Mobile, Alabama, he moved to New Jersey half of a century ago but never lost his Southern drawl. He’s been in Trenton since the ’70s and the legislature beginning in 1998 (when yours truly was 13-years-old). He’s not the legislature’s most reliable conservative warrior (in fact, he got a big assist from the NJEA when he last faced a serious primary contest in 2012), but Thompson is nevertheless considered a competent and hard-working legislator by those who’ve worked closely with him.
So is 88 too old? Frankly, I don’t think that’s the right question.
Joe Biden is in his ’80s and is decidedly less sharp than Thompson (and Trump for that matter who is only a few years away from his own big milestone birthday). Everyone ages at their own pace, and there are men and women in their golden years who have more talent and sense in decline than many 30 and 40-somethings trying to solve the world’s problems from the safety of their smart phones.
The decisive variable for LD12 Republican voters should be time in Trenton, not on the planet.
Can someone spend too much time in Trenton? Is there inherent value to fresh perspectives and new ideas? Was our system designed for career politicians or citizens who take time away from successful private sector careers to lend their industry and wisdom to the state?
I think the answer to those questions is unambiguously YES.
This website doesn’t take sides in primaries as a general matter; we trust readers to make their own judgments with the information provides. I do hope, however, that Thompson vs. Henry answers the right questions. Our state is in very bad shape, and the Trenton GOP caucus has far-too-often shown itself to be ill-equipped (or less-than-enthusiastic) for the fights that need to be picked with the ruling Democrat establishment. Which man – regardless of the quantity of their respective tree rings – can help change that? It’s the only thing that really does matter.
