Kim Wins Hunterdon County, Thrashes Murphy

Yesterday, Burlington. Today, Hunterdon.

U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-3) this afternoon won the backing of the Hunterdon County Democratic Committee, while keeping his winning streak alive. Kim defeated First Lady Tammy Murphy in their contest to succeed jammed-up incumbent U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ).

Kim: 120

Murphy: 64

It was a bumpy ride for county committee members, as chaos erupted at Sunday’s Hunterdon County Democratic Convention when party leaders suggested that both Senate candidates share the “county line.”

More on that HERE.

Many progressives and party players object to what they see as Governor Phil Murphy using his powerful perch to help springboard the First Lady into a Senate seat. Today’s win enabled Congressman Kim’s supporters to celebrate the facility with which their unlikely hero continues to kick sand in the face of a bully.

The party is already suffering the sulfuric aftermath of a federal indictment of sitting Senator Menendez (D-NJ), dubbed “Gold Bar Bob,” for his alleged willingness to be a tool for Egypt and Qatar in exchange for lavish gifts.

While the Murphys appear to be in scummy New Jersey-politics-as-usual mode by seizing on the upper-hand of Phil Murphy’s governorship to double up on power with the First Lady, Kim – a former national security advisor in the Obama Administration – positions himself as an anti-corruption good guy.

When he announced his U.S. Senate candidacy before consulting with party organizations willing to keep Menendez afloat between indictments, many of which signaled an early comfort zone with Tammy Murphy, Kim turned into the progressives’ political folk hero of the year.

His embarrassment of Murphy in Monmouth two weeks ago amped his followers and made more than merely revolutionary lefties sit up and take notice.

Now, Murphy’s allies claim they aren’t yet in total freak-out mode, as they look to rely on big machine counties up north later in the convention process to offset Kim’s early suburban gains.

Essex and Hudson will be especially critical for the first lady if she intends to beat Kim in the June Primary. So will Middlesex County, where the front office enjoys a strong alliance with the Middlesex County Democratic Committee.

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