Is Rob Andrews Actually Leaving The House After Failed Senate Bid?
Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ) seemingly gave up a safe House seat to make his failed primary challenge against Sen. Frank Lautenberg.
Or did he actually give it up, and do the inner workings of New Jersey machine politics give him a potential way back if he wants it?
The new Democratic nominee for Andrews' seat is none other than Camille Andrews, his wife, who is an associate dean at the state law school. She launched her candidacy after her husband had begun his Senate campaign and just before the filing deadline.
Mrs. Andrews is quite openly running as a placeholder candidate, and could potentially step down and allow South Jersey party leaders to replace her on the ballot with someone else.
From the very start, the Lautenberg campaign pounced on this as proof that Camille Andrews was simply "keeping the seat warm" for Rob, providing him with a safety net so that he could run for Senate and still go back to the House.
The Rob Andrews campaign denied this, of course, and on primary night Rob Andrews said again that he's not interested in going back to his House seat. But as it turns out, a top state legislative supporter is already calling upon him to reconsider.
As of now, there are three possible outcomes: 1) Camille Andrews herself remains as the candidate, transitioning Rob from the ranks of Congress to the ranks of congressional spouses; 2) Camille quits and is replaced by someone else from a very long list; or 3) Rob ends up as the replacement candidate, after all.
We'll be following this story at Election Central, and the various twists and turns that happen from here.
I don't understand why New Jersey keep electing and re-electing a lousy Senator. No one, absolutely no one is more ineffectively and less respected than Lautenburg. Other than his occassionally stupid burst of words against bush, he has accomplished nothing. Just show you how unrespected he is - he filled in as an emergency candidate when other candidates, including Andrews and Pallone passed the opportunity to face a well-funded Republican. He won but his seniority was not restored! How could that happen!!!
June 5, 2008 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll tell you why I voted for Lautenberg:
In general, he backs policies that I agree with. However, there have been several high-profile votes in recent years in which I have strongly disagreed with him. Stuff like the Military Commissions Act, for example.
These things were important enough that I've actually been really, really looking forward to voting against Lautenberg in the primary.
But then the primary actually rolls around, and who is my other choice? Another Congressman (Rob Andrews) who has also voted for all sorts of crap like that. Plus who seemingly has a hard-on for anti-flag burning amendments and other assorted junk.
At that point, I consider the third candidate. What's his name, Cresitello. Never heard of him, but whatever. Find out that he's the mayor of Morristown. OK so far. But then I find out that he seems to constantly be screaming about illegal immigrants. Build a gazillion mile fence and giant robots who shoot lasers out of their eyes to patrol it.
So, what are my choices?
Lautenberg, a guy who's just as bad as Lautenberg in the ways I think Lautenberg is bad and worse than Lautenberg in other ways, and a guy who is shouting "EVEN WHEN IT WAS THE BEARS I KNEW IT WAS THE IMMIGANTS".
I'll take Lautenberg, thank you. At the very least, it means that not much money has to be wasted defending the seat from the Republicans.
June 5, 2008 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
well, because maybe they like his service?
June 5, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe because Lautenberg opposed the war while neocon Andrews was one of Bush's biggest supporters.
June 5, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
So have have crawled out of your pathetic anti-Hillary hole? Man, you should get a life and not be a troll here! I thought you have certain self-respect with certain name recognition. You are shameless and shallow beyond repair. Crawal back behind your rock, would you?
June 5, 2008 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your argument is so shallow that is laughable. It appears you think voting for the resolution, not for the war, disqualifies someone for public service. What about John Kerry? did you vote for him last time? Do you think biden, Dodd, Edwards, and all should also be sent home just for the war vote?
June 5, 2008 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
"New Jersey voters also say 65 - 31 percent that going to war in Iraq was the wrong thing to do."
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1299.xml?ReleaseID=1145
That was in Feb. 08. That couldn't have anything at all to do with Lautenberg's win, right, Almey May?
June 6, 2008 12:57 AM | Reply | Permalink