Rob Andrews Presents New Jersey Democrats with an Historic Opportunity

At the beginning of April, New Jersey Democrats were presented with a rare opportunity: Electing one of the most talented and respected politicians in the state to the U.S. senate. When Congressman Rob Andrews declared his surprise candidacy, it invigorated a state party and its grassroots supporters since this definitely did not fit the model of "wait your turn" in N.J. politics, and his candidacy definitely challenged the state hierarchy.   The senate primary race between Andrews and 84-year-old incumbent Frank Lautenberg has been framed by the mainstream media as a North Jersey vs. South Jersey battle, but the complexities of this challenge go far beyond regional affiliations, even though New Jersey hasn’t elected a senator from south of Trenton in 60 years.

Andrews is currently my representative in the 1st congressional district. I can personally vouch for how talented, thoughtful, and approachable Andrews is. After writing a few posts in support of his candidacy, I heard personally from Andrews himself via email, when he thanked me for the kind words. One poster on Blue Jersey described Andrews thusly, in relation to his co-sponsoring a bill to create a Department of Peace: "He has always been responsive, concerned, knowledgeable and reflective, even when we have not agreed on issues.  Plus, he is not afraid to change his mind, a crucial trait in a wise politician." Andrews grew up in Bellmawr, N.J., in a union household as the son of shipyard workers and has been racking up the labor endorsements in this primary. Two local newspapers, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Courier Post, have lauded Andrews’ work as congressman, with the first one urging Gov. Corzine to pick Andrews, rather than Bob Menendez, as his replacement senator in 2005; and the second, The Courier Post, calling Andrews  "one of the best elected officials in a state where there are not enough good politicians." Andrews, who earned his J.D. from Cornell, has quietly been building the Democratic base in South Jersey, getting politicians such as Assemblyman Fran Bodine and others to switch from the Republican to Democratic Party.

On the issues, Andrews has presented an ambitious plan to get U.S. troops out of Iraq, which includes a 12-18 withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq, regional nations contributing to Iraq’s infrastructure and stability, and a 75,000 Iraq force experiment to see if they can govern themselves (see the link below for more specifics). Thus far, Lautenberg has presented no such plan to redeploy American troops out of Iraq, has ducked and avoided debates with Andrews at every step, and decided to go negative early in his campaign against Andrews. The problem with Lautenberg is not his age per se; it is a question of his effectiveness as a senator and his drive to serve New Jersey interests; unfortunately, according to the Tax Foundation, New Jersey ranks dead last in terms of federal dollars returned from taxes sent to Washington, and Lautenberg’s best bills and legislation are years, if not decades in the past.

Pollster Stuart Rothenberg, who worked with Andrews at Bucknell University describes the race as difficult, but achievable: "Lautenberg starts as the favorite. But don’t kid yourself: Andrews is for real, and this is a primary worth watching."
Andrews is absolutely the underdog in this race, but his talent, drive, and ability are undeniable, and state voters would do well with him as their senator. Because of Andrews’ strong record on the environment (fighting to keep a deadly nerve agent out of the Delaware River; a 100% League of Conservation Voters rating; and more), his commitment to middle class issues (expanded health care, keeping private health care for veterans while on active duty, strong support for SCHIP), and his vision on domestic and international issues, I strongly urge all Democrats and Independents to vote for Rob Andrews in the 3 June Democratic primary in New Jersey.

Find more about Rob and his campaign here:
http://www.robandrewsforchange.com/

Sources:
http://www.bluejersey.com/...
http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blo...
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
http://www.robandrewsforchange.com/...
http://www.taxfoundation.org/...

•  Andrews is a rubber stamp for bad Iraq policy

  No thanks!

  by unertl on Mon May 12, 2008 at 12:56:21 PM PDT

  •  Exactly, Andrews played a major role in getting

    us into Iraq. That was the worst foreign policy mistake since Vietnam. I supported Dean in 2004 because I have been opposed to the Iraq War from the beginning. andrews will not get my vote in the primary. Andrews record is also less progressive than Lautenberg's. No thanks.

    by blue jersey mom on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:01:29 PM PDT

•  Thank you! Go Andrews!

  I do not believe that Frank Lautenberg has earned the right to serve in the Senate for life.  Very few people have earned that, such as Robert Byrd and Ted Kennedy.  Senator Lautenberg, who I like, is not one of those people.  I will be voting for Rob Andrews, who I met while working on Sen. Menendez's campaign, because he is pragmatic, a great speaker, and undeniably progressive.  He might not vote "our way" every time, but he'll always have a good reason for it.  Plus, it gives South Jersey its counterpart to Sen. Menendez.

  by Pragmaticus on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:00:20 PM PDT

  •  To be fair, Andrews has been in the House

    for 18 years, which is as long as Lautenberg has been in the Senate.

    by blue jersey mom on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:13:35 PM PDT

    •  No.

      Lautenberg has been in the Senate for 24 years: 1982-2000, & 2002-present.

      by davybaby on Mon May 12, 2008 at 02:24:40 PM PDT

  •  Lautenberg stepped in and saved the Party

    from losing the NJ Senate seat when Torricelli bowed out. For that he has my undying and everlasting gratitude.

    by Dartagnan on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:18:41 PM PDT

    •  My concern is his age.

      If he dies in office after 2009, and Gov. Corzine loses his re-election bid, we'd lose the seat.  That's my primary concern.

      by Pragmaticus on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:48:36 PM PDT

      •  Understood., I suspect Corzine will be re-elected

        There's not a real undercurrent of anger against him that I see. Usually that's what's needed to sink an incumbent Democrat in New Jersey. He got a lot of sympathy when he was in that car accident as well, even though he wasn't wearing a seatbelt.

        by Dartagnan on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:53:31 PM PDT

        •  Hey, I'm as pro-Corzine as anybody.

          I gave about 3 months of my life working my butt off to get him elected governor.  I love JSC.  But I see a genuine risk that he'll lose re-election.  He's done a lot of politically unpopular things that may have been right but also pissed people off.  I'm really very worried.  New Jersey usually chews up and spits out well-meaning politicians who do unpopular things.

          by Pragmaticus on Mon May 12, 2008 at 02:16:30 PM PDT

          •  Maybe. I think he wins. n/t

            by Dartagnan on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:01:12 PM PDT

•  Andrews' remarks over a year after Iraq invasion:

  "Our decision to go to war with Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision. The record shows that at various times the defeated Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein possessed biological and chemical weapons and desired to possess nuclear weapons. Failure to oust Saddam Hussein would have put the American people at a grave risk." -- Rob Andrews, 7/8/04

  by cmangin on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:00:54 PM PDT

  •  I should also add..

    Lautenberg was totally on board for the invasion as well. Here's an excerpt from Hannity & Colmes in February 2003:

    COLMES: Are you convinced that we can avoid war with Iraq at this point in any way?

    LAUTENBERG: I'd like to believe we can, but I've got to tell you this, that -- I'm on the president's train on this one.

    COLMES: Why?

    ...

    LAUTENBERG: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)..I think that menace has been in existence for such a long time that you can no longer abide the excuses, excuses...

    by cmangin on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:10:50 PM PDT

•  So Martin...

  Do you work for the Andrews campaign?

  by Muboshgu on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:01:16 PM PDT

  •  First diary. No comment history.

    I am a bit skeptical.

    by blue jersey mom on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:05:18 PM PDT

  •  Martin has posted a response below

    He is a regular at Blue Jersey, even if this is his first diary here.

    by John DE on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:22:19 PM PDT

•  I interned for Andrews in 2002

  He was my representative in Congress growing up, and I got my start in politics interning in his DC office the summer after my junior year of high school. It was a great experience and I have a lot of respect for Rob Andrews personally, even if I don't agree with him on Iraq.

  by democrattotheend on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:03:04 PM PDT

  •  With Andrews, We Can do Better as a State

    Look at some of the negative comments here towards Andrews; very few (not all) point to any genuinely convincing reason we New Jerseyans should support Lautenberg for one final term. Lautenberg's best years as a senator were in the 1980s, and he hasn't passed meaningful legislation or been active in the state for a while, despite being the senior senator.

    With Andrews, we get a "policy wonk" who will know the ins and outs of health care legislation, particularly important with Pres. Obama's move for near-universal health care; we get someone who, despite originally erring on Iraq, has a real plan to get us out of that country responsibly; and we get someone who would work day and night for state issues (federal funding for N.J., federal support for environmental issues and open space funding, more federal support for higher ed in the state).

    We can do better as a state than we're currently doing under Lautenberg. Andrews gives us a real opportunity for substantive policy change in Washington.

    by MartinOne on Mon May 12, 2008 at 02:56:10 PM PDT

    •  I would also like to see S. Jersey represented

      New Jersey politics is so North-Jersey-centric. When Menendez and Kean had a debate in Camden in 2006, both of them knew embarassingly little about South Jersey. I would really like to see one of the two Senate seats occupied by a South Jersey politician, and Andrews is one of the few who is not in bed with George Norcross and the machine. He is a little too centrist for me but I think he's a decent person and I hope he wins the Senate primary. I don't vote in New Jersey anymore, but I hope my parents will decide to vote for him. My mom is torn...she likes Lautenberg's policies better but thinks he's too old. My dad will probably vote for whoever my mom or I tells him to vote for. If we give him conflicting instructions I'm not sure what he'll do (I don't think that's ever happened before. My mom and I are usually in lockstep.)

      by democrattotheend on Mon May 12, 2008 at 04:45:57 PM PDT

•  Andrews utterly blew it on Iraq

  I don't want this assclown in the Senate.

  by Dartagnan on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:04:16 PM PDT

•  I'm offering to sell my vote...

  in the N.J. Senatorial primary to whichever candidate pledges to cast his superdelegate vote for Barack Obama.  As of now Andrews is pledged to Clinton and Lautenberg is undeclared. They're both progressives, so there are no other issues separating them as far as I can tell other than getting Hillary out of this race.

  by Greasy Grant on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:09:59 PM PDT

  •  Iraq

    Look at comments above.  

    by JeremiahTheMessiah on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:11:08 PM PDT

•  I work for no one

  For the record, I am paid by no one and work for no campaign. This is me, btw, just in case you want to ensure I'm not some paid shill ideologue for a campaign:
  http://otherspaces.blogspot.com/

  http://www.bluejersey.com/...

  If you want to criticize me, then criticize the ideas in this diary or the substance of it. I really believe in Rob and think he's a far superior candidate to Lautenberg -- that's all.

  Both Andrews and Lautenberg supported the Iraq War initially. It is much more important now, in my mind, to discern how will get out of that country and who has the superior plan (Andrews).

  by MartinOne on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:13:16 PM PDT

  •  Do you know what Andrews thinks now about

    how the country was led into the war?  What would he do differently now, if he could?

    by Fasaha on Mon May 12, 2008 at 02:07:49 PM PDT

•  I'm a little disappointed

  I thought this diary would be about how Rob Andrews vacating his seat presents New Jersey Democrats with an opportunity to actually have a progressive in NJ-01.

  by Crisitunity on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:13:35 PM PDT

  •  haha nt

    by cmangin on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:20:43 PM PDT

•  Here's a little bit of information on

  Andrews' Legislative history:

  Robert Andrews has sponsored 576 bills since Jan 5, 1993, of which 570 haven't made it out of committee . His record is considered exceedingly poor is relation to his colleagues.

  His attendance record is also poor in relationship to his House colleagues. He is not someone I want representing me in the Senate.

  by blue jersey mom on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:23:45 PM PDT

•  If anyone fits the DINO model,

  it's Rob Andrews.

  It is that reason alone that this New Jerseyan will not voe for him.

  by Nedsdag on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:37:45 PM PDT

  •  I mean,

    vote for him.

    by Nedsdag on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:39:50 PM PDT

  •  This isn't Hawaii 2006

    When Rep. Ed Case, who actually was pretty DINO-ish, challeged Sen. Daniel Akaka, 82, in the primary.

    This election isn't about ideology; rather, it is about age (Andrews is 51 while Lautenberg is 84) and geography (Andrews is from South Jersey while Lautenberg is from North Jersey).

    by davybaby on Mon May 12, 2008 at 02:32:27 PM PDT

•  Andrews sucks

  Hardcore DLC.  Pro-Iraq war.

  Vote for Frank!

  by Paleo on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:40:16 PM PDT

•  how come you mention Lautenberg's age?

  And you don't mention Andrews age?  I've read good things about Andrews and have felt that he would be a good future candidate.  However, I like Frank Lautenberg a lot.  He is very progressive and he votes his heart.  He has done a lot for the party and the state.  I have not seen a deminishment of his effectiveness and he uses he senority very well for the state.  

  Unless Andrews can point out policy reasons why Lautenberg should not be re-elected, Lautenberg has earned my vote.  

  by arogue7 on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:43:50 PM PDT

  •  He lost all his seniority

    When he came back in 2002.  He has as much seniority as Lindsey Graham or John Cornyn or anyone else first elected in that class.  It may not be fair, but that's what happened.  He has less seniority than you think.

    by Pragmaticus on Mon May 12, 2008 at 01:50:58 PM PDT

    •  Age is mentioned when people lose

      their bearings.  But I've known so many really young people with lost bearings that I'm not sure of its significance.

      by Fasaha on Mon May 12, 2008 at 02:09:09 PM PDT

•  This is similar

  to the HI 2006 primary between Sen. Akaka and Head Case.  Thankfully Akaka won, otherwise we would have had another Lieberbush.  

  Same here, Andrews is worthless.

  by IhateBush on Mon May 12, 2008 at 02:20:28 PM PDT