A journal of an attempted campaign–

crossposted at http://robfornj.com

I write this in advance of anticipated disappointment.  I have one more day to achieve a signature goal, and barring a miracle I’m not going to reach it.
Perhaps I should start from the beginning.  It has been my intent to run as a Democratic Candidate for New Jersey’s first Congressional District in the United States Congress.  I harbored no illusion that I had more than a thousand-to-one shot of winning a race like this,  I merely hoped that I could make some noise and draw attention to some key national issues from the progressive left side, and show at least some token opposition to the George Norcross machine.  A bit about George Norcross– anyone can Wikipedia or Google him, but noteworthy to mention is that he is Chairman of one of the largest insurance brokerage firms in the country, Chairman of the board of Cooper Health System, and majority owner of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  He is known as the unofficial head of the South Jersey Democrats, and could be the most powerful man in the state.

  My impetus for running was a moment of disgust– I’ll let others judge if that disgust was warranted or naïve.  Until February 4th 2014, the 1st District seat had been held by Rob Andrews.  Facing an ethics investigation in the house, Andrews announced his resignation as of February 18.  This had the immediate effect of making the house investigation go way and let Andrews plan a soft landing at a regional law firm.

Within 15 minutes of the news breaking (give or take a few minutes)  Steve Sweeney, the president of the New Jersey Senate endorsed State Senator Donald Norcross, brother of George.  Before sundown, all Democratic members of the U.S. House endorsed Don Norcross, both senators, and almost every mayor, assemblyman, and freeholder in the South Jersey region.  The fix was in.  I am not disparaging Don Norcross.  I think he has a decent, but not great record as a State Senator for the four years he has been in office.  Rather I wonder if he was so much better than anyone else who could have run.  Why the instant free ride?  And why did the endorsements fall so quickly, and so obviously planned in advance?

There are two potential answers to those questions.  One is that Don Norcross is so popular and so effective that everyone clamored for him to run as a white night for the Democratic party in District 1. That could very well be.  It could also very well be that no one, up to two incumbent US Senators dared withhold their support.  The truth, as the cliché, goes, will be left as an exercise to the reader.

A word about endorsements from the South jersey wing of the Democratic party– It’s no badge of honor to have those endorsements.  They covered themselves in absolute shame the way they sold Barbara Buono down the road in a quid pro quo to save their seats against the insanely corrupt and malevolent governor we have in Chris Christie.  She had no help at all.  George Norcross ostensibly endorsed her in January 2013 and then did everything he could to make sure her campaign was undermined.  But that’s no shock.  He has a really good “working relationship”  with Christie.  Google is again your friend here.

Regardless, your essayist–an IT professional, part-time artist, and armchair political junkie– said to himself, “Damn it, somebody ought to run against him just on f-ing principle! (Your essayist has a bit of a coarse tongue).  As my spouse listened to me rant (and talk about a shoestring campaign built on making my own website, writing to all the blogs I usually just lurk or comment on,  and trying to reach other disgusted people) she suggested (and I agreed) that I should see if anyone else was planning on running.  There were two people- a grad student who  dropped  out after being discouraged by Norcross’ support, and Frank Minor, mayor of Logan Township in Gloucester county with a population of about 6000 people.  What little I found of Minor in the press had him “considering”.  His strong points were he was apparently considered as Buono’s running mate, and has touted not raising taxes while he’s been mayor.  OK.  I wrote to Frank Minor asking him if he was serious about running– saying I’d rather help someone run, but I needed to do something.   I waited several weeks and never got a response.

That left me in back to my nagging compulsion.  My wife (who was wisely dubious about this plan) asked me to speak with people I trusted and see what they thought.  Them and my Tea Party Dad all said it would be extremely tough and near impossible, but no one said NOT to do it.  My Dad, God bless him, encouraged me strongly.

At this point  we are about 3 and a half weeks out.  So what are the requirements?

Wow, just 200 signatures.  OK, 200 signatures from people registered to vote in your district.  Oh, 200 registered voters in the party whose nomination for whom you wish to contend.  And each gatherer (mainly me) would have to get all the signatures notarized. Not difficult. Or…

So the first things I did were as follows:   I registered a domain name (kudos to my unnamed buddy for suggesting http://robfornj.com ). I opened a new website account (in addition to my art site http://rooktoven.com ). I set up WordPress, and commenced to writing an introduction as to whom I was and what were the central tenets of my campaign.   Then I made the announcement on Facebook and started to think about signatures.

I figured I`d start where I work (the firm has about 60 employees).  This is where I started to realize it isn’t so cut and dried.  I knew not everyone was a Democrat there, but figured a majority were.  Not so fast.  Lots were independents.  All would have signed, but rules are rules.  Some lived in Pennsylvania, some lived out of district.  I asked my kids’ preschool teachers, and sitters, and local friends.  No one who was eligible turned me down.  But that still wasn’t many.

I spent some lunch periods, and some time before dinner  for a few days going to businesses in Collingswood and residences, again, those who were eligible almost always signed, but still I didn’t have a lot of signatures.

Then I got sick.  I had four days of mostly being in bed, after that I worked, but wasn’t feeling in shape (due to crap in the lungs) to walk around a lot.  I lost almost two weeks.

If you have ever seen the Shawshank redemption, you will hear Morgan Freeman’s voice echoing what enabled Aandy Dufresne to escape.  Pressure and Time.  Money can obviate the need for both of those in a campaign, but without money, you better have pressure (or patience) and especially time– at least for laying the groundwork.

A few things about me.  I’m not a solitary person, but my friends tend to be spread out around the country and (given my non-American spouse) the world.  I have friends in Camden County, but not as many as I should.  I also have in addition to my older teenagers from a previous marriage a five year old and an almost four year-old at home and my wife and I both work.  No family around so we don’t go out a lot without the kids.

Nevertheless, I like interacting with people.  At first knocking on doors and talking to people in residences and businesses seemed like cold-calling.  But after a while I felt my groove.  I enjoyed chatting up strangers, and finding out what they liked about my platform, and hearing what they thought.  Those conversations are priceless.  But time.

Last night I went to a local coffee shop in where a couple of my favorite local musicians were playing.  They graciously let me hang out and approach people outside for signatures.  I got around thirty in about three hours (some were from people who thought they were Democrats, but weren’t sure.  OK, I have to get overflow anyway.   But again, the conversations were great.  I talked to a guy who was a Green, who thought the Greens ought to be part of the Democratic party like the Tea party is to Republicans (great idea!).  I spoke to a fellow who was frustrated about Christie vetoing an adoption knowledge bill.  I spoke to (a few) people who were so cynical about anything ever changing that they thought the system was hopeless.  They still signed.  It was one of the most enlightening nights I ever had.  I felt like I got it.  But time.

Today my older son and daughter helped me canvas.  It rained hard, all day.  We hit houses, train stations, and the mall.  Twenty five signatures.  I realistically (to account for what could be challenged) need a hundred more.   It’s going be tough.

I don’t regret doing this, I don’t regret reaching high instead of running for a local position first, as I’m a firm believer in a non-professional Congress.  If I couldn’t be at least as coherent as your typical member of Congress I wouldn’t throw myself out there.  I know I can debate well– both in print and face to face.  I know I can speak well in front of people.  I just wish I had considered the initial part a little more thoroughly.  I’ve got until 2pm on Monday before I need to drive those petitions to Trenton. We’ll see how that goes.