NJ FightBackBetter Pro-Palestine Voting Guide 2024 – Work-In-Progress

This opinion does not affect news coverage of the candidates who are in the struggle against genocide. I do not pretend that everyone is awaiting my recommendations but this is possibly the most important election ever – not because of Trump but because of genocide so here are my opinions.  I probably will annoy everyone at least a little but I hope you appreciate that I am offering what I believe is the best of all worlds right now.

NOT A FAN OF DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

As a rule I never encourage people to vote in the Democratic Primary.  As is clear with this genocide, the Democratic Party is in the lead role due to its control of the presidency and US Senate.  This is always the case with US intervention and war abroad that Democrats are in support of the war effort – but sometimes it is more in a support role when the Republican Party has the lead role.  But since my first vote for president in 1980 I have never voted Dem nor Pub for president – always for Green Party, socialist or independent leftist.  My take on the primaries is that suggesting it is like inviting people to join the Democratic Party which I believe is a mistake – we need to use our political clout supporting demands and right now the demand against the genocide.  In this editor’s opinion the best way to do that is outside the Democratic Party.  So I am not trying to drag folks to vote in the primaries.

IF YOU ARE VOTING IN THE PRIMARY ANYWAY

However I do want to encourage everyone who is voting to make their vote count in the very best way.  So if you already are voting in the primary please consider the following.

For president – in NJ – do not vote for Biden.  Vote Uncommitted or a write in vote or just do not vote.  Personally I did not embrace the Uncommitted effort but if you are there anyway – it can not hurt to pull that lever.

For US Senate there are two candidate choices in the primary that have been outspoken opponents of genocide and have called for a cease fire.  Personally I am supporting a third also cease fire candidate, Christina Khalil who is not in the primary but is running for US Senate as the Green Party candidate in the general election.  That being said – if you are indeed voting in the primary – my recommendation is to consider a vote for either Lawrence Hamm or Patricia Campos-Medina – both are solid excellent candidates and I hope that one or the other is successful so that there can be two good US Senate candidates in November.

Of the two – not that there is any drum roll for this sentence, I would suggest Lawrence Hamm.  That is not intended as a deference to Patricia – it has to do with decades of collaborative work that I have done with Lawrence Hamm and the Peoples Organization for Progress. I know that Lawrence Hamm has for at least 3 decades – probably longer – been an advocate for Palestine, speaking at, organizing and coordinating pro-Palestine events of all sorts.

Patricia Campos-Medina’s Palestine support is equally as strong – I am just going by what I know from my personal activist connections.  Patricia Campos-Medina indeed has also been in struggle for decades – having lived through the US support for the death squads in El Salvador in the late 70s and 80s.  I was involved in opposing that US intervention then and have a song called Farabundo Marti that maybe I can sing for Patricia sometime.  They are both very strong candidates and you can do well supporting either one.

As for the Congressional seats, my support is for the full field of Green Party candidates vying for 11 of the 12  NJ congressional seats.  However if you are voting in the primaries I would suggest that you would consider John Hsu in the 6th (against genocider Pallone) and Mohamed Khairullah in the 9th (against genocider Pascrell).

AFTER THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

If any of the cease fire candidates win the Democratic primaries, I would suggest a meeting with them and their Green Party candidate counterpart with an open discussion exploring any possibility of a convergence strategy. I would normally not even suggest that but in the year of fighting genocide we need to at least explore all options.

Should it come to pass that any of the good Democratic Party ceasefire candidates are unsuccessful in the primary – I suggest a meeting between them and the Green Party counter part candidates to discuss options.  I would also appeal to the voting supporters of those candidates to continue to use your electoral clout to oppose genocide – by supporting the Green Party candidates. They will continue to challenge the pro-genocide candidates every day through election day. No matter what happens June 4 there will be a way to demand an end to genocide with our vote in 2024 in November and with our electoral campaigning until then.

WHAT ABOUT BONNIE WATSON-COLEMAN NJ-12?

As it turns out the one seat that the Green Party was unable to recruit a candidate for is the seat of Bonnie Watson Coleman.  She happens to have the best voting record in NJ regarding Palestine – though not perfect.  But I am only pointing out that you do not have to worry about the Green Party trying to challenge your vote for her in November – by coincidence that is not going to happen – at least as it currently seems.

WHAT THIS EDITOR DISLIKES ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CANDIDATES’ STRATEGY

I believe some of the Democratic Party candidates have suggested that they will vote for and support their rival prevailing Democratic Party candidate if they are not successful.  (John Hsu has not stated such a commitment in regard to Pallone). That is most problematic and that is one thing I do not support about the candidates who say that.  I am hoping that they find a nuanced way to back away or go less than 100% be it for Kim. Pallone, Pascrell and definitely for Biden – all genociders!  It is unconscionable and that is the biggest contradiction of the primary vote strategy. 

FOR PRESIDENT: JILL STEIN

This editor last July was very much interested in the Cornel West for President effort and I coordinated an effort to start a campaign in support – together with Green Party and grassroots folks from all over NJ.  Cornel jumped ship from the Green Party so that removed that option.  JIll Stein who was initially Cornel West’s defacto campaign manager then stepped forward to offer to run for President and she has demonstrated a true commitment to the struggle to end the genocide including taking blows holding the line with the students at Washington University in St. Louis Missouri.  She was assaulted by a cop with his cop bike and arrested for assaulting the officer!  

If you are not overly thrilled with Jill Stein, then I am suggesting that you decide upon Cornell West or Claudia De la Cruz of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES VOTE FOR JOE BIDEN

No way – he is genocider – perhaps more guilty than Netanyahu – without the weapons the genocide would not have been so furious, depraved and overwhelming.

THE VOTERS

For those voters who are participating in the primaries – please be clear that it does not make sense to vote against genocide in June and then vote for genociding Democrat candidates in November.  This editor has no problem with those who want to vote for Bonnie Watson-Coleman – she has said many decent things and has one of the best voting records in the House.  But in the rest of NJ’s congressional districts – please build to support an anti-genocide vote in November in support of the Green Party candidates, Christina Khalil for US Senate and the following candidates per each district:

Robin Brownfield NJ CD-1

Thomas Cannavo NJ CD-2

Steve Welzer NJ CD-3

Barry Bendar NJ CD-4

Beau Forte NJ CD-5

Herb Tarbous NJ CD-6

Andrew Black NJ CD-7

Christopher Robins NJ CD-8

Ben Taylor NJ CD-9

Jon Serrano NJ CD-10

Lily Benavides NJ CD-11

That is the suggested nuanced voting plan for NJ in 2024.  We will continue to fairly cover the pro-cease fire candidates regardless of these pronouncements.