Election years traditionally make the best Walk to Washington train trips, as gubernatorial hopefuls walk the train in an endless quest for votes.
These one-on-one encounters offer a chance for a sneak peek at the state of the race.
Because there are so many candidates in both parties, the ROI-NJ unofficial poll added a twist to the simple question of, Who is your pick for governor? We asked: Who is your second choice?
The response surprised us.
More often than not, the respondents picked someone from the other party as their second choice.
Perhaps we are a purple state.
Consider this:
Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (28%) edged Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer (24%) and former Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (20%) for the most votes on the train, but it was Ciattarelli who had the most votes for their second choice (28%) – many of which came after a respondent said Sherrill or Gottheimer was their first choice.
Ben Dworkin, the founding director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship at Rowan University – and the moderator of a Friday morning panel with the gubernatorial candidates on the trip, was not necessarily surprised.
“Yes, it’s a purple trait,” he said.
But Dworkin noted the audience.
“These are business leaders, people who are used to – and need to – work with both parties.”
It still could make for an interesting fall.
The wide-open nature of the field, one where no candidate may approach 50% of the vote, could open things up for a spoiler.
Then there’s this: The wide-open nature of the field, one where no candidate may approach 50% of the vote, could open things up for a spoiler.
Someone like former State Sen. President Steve Sweeney, a Democrat.
Sweeney had just 8% of the vote, but a number of riders said he could be the one to watch – that bringing in a substantial part of the South Jersey vote in the primary could be enough to top a crowded North Jersey field of Democrats that currently includes Sherrill and Gottheimer as well as Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller.
