Tom Kean Jr. has history in mind.
In a recent TV ad, the CD-7 congressman brings us back to 2006. That’s when then state Sen. Kean ran for the U.S. Senate against Bob Menendez.
That was an interesting race. Menendez, who had been appointed to the Senate (replacing Jon Corzine) was running statewide for the first time. Kean lost by about eight percentage points.
The point of Kean’s ad is not to review 18-year-old arithmetic, but to stress his opposition to “corruption.”
Here’s part of the script:
“Nearly twenty years ago, I took on one crooked politician. I also fought corruption in Trenton. And just last year, voted to expel a member of my own party for violating the law. Now, I’m supporting a bipartisan bill to ban members of Congress from trading stocks, and authored another, to make certain that public officials aren’t investing in foreign adversaries. I’m Tom Kean, Jr. and I approve this message, because you deserve a Congressman that you can trust.”
The reference to taking on “one crooked politician” is about Menendez. And just in case people don’t get it, the ad shows a clip of a 2006 debate between the two.
Now, there are those who think all Hudson County politicians are corrupt – sometimes with good reason. But in truth, Menendez at that time had not been implicated in anything as remotely serious as the crimes of which he was just convicted.
No matter. Kean’s point is that he’s against corruption.
His other reference is to his vote to expel fellow Republican congressman George Santos because of various misdeeds.
This is a positive ad and one that does not mention Sue Altman, his Democratic opponent.
Altman, however, seems to have had a reaction.
In a social media post, Altman ridicules Kean’s status as a fierce fighter of corruption.
“I began my career fighting for the people and taxpayers of New Jersey. Whether it was standing up to Chris Christie when he was defunding our public schools or exposing Democrats’ corruption in South Jersey, I’ve always made clear whose side I’m on.
While I was fighting for working families, @KeanforCongress was cozying up to Christie and corrupt cronies in Trenton. Our representative in NJ-07 should be someone we trust, not the politically connected. Tom Kean, Jr. is the DEFINITION of politically connected.”
The race in CD-7 is the only truly competitive House race in the state, and as such, will likely get loads of national attention over the next two months. The district, which leans Republican registration-wise, covers at least parts of Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties.
Fairleigh Dickinson University is in the midst of sponsoring a series of candidate forums.
Senate candidate Andy Kim was there on Wednesday; his Republican opponent Curtis Bashaw is expected to appear later this month.
It was announced Wednesday that Altman would appear on Sept. 18. As for Kean, he turned down an invitation, according to Ruthi Byrne, one of the organizers of the program.
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In a recent interview with Insider NJ, Republican candidate Bob Hugin’s campaign manager Mike DuHaime discussed Tom Kean Jr.’s opposition to Senator Bob Menendez in the upcoming election. Kean, who is running against Menendez for the Senate seat in New Jersey, has been vocal about his disagreements with the incumbent senator on a number of issues.
One of the main points of contention between Kean and Menendez is their differing views on healthcare. Kean has criticized Menendez for his support of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, arguing that it has not been effective in lowering healthcare costs or improving access to quality care. Kean has proposed a number of alternative solutions to address these issues, including allowing individuals to purchase insurance across state lines and expanding health savings accounts.
In addition to healthcare, Kean has also taken issue with Menendez’s record on immigration. Kean has accused Menendez of being soft on illegal immigration and failing to secure the nation’s borders. Kean has called for stricter enforcement of immigration laws and increased funding for border security measures.
On the topic of taxes, Kean has criticized Menendez for his support of tax increases and his opposition to tax cuts. Kean has argued that lower taxes stimulate economic growth and create jobs, while Menendez’s policies have stifled business growth and hurt the middle class.
Overall, Kean’s opposition to Menendez is based on a fundamental disagreement on a number of key issues facing New Jersey and the country as a whole. As the election approaches, voters will have the opportunity to weigh the candidates’ positions and decide who they believe will best represent their interests in the Senate.
