Sen. Torricelli (D-NJ) quits race: Why do Dems think they can submit another candidate?

AndrewR

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,157
0
0
I just read the article at MSNBC.com, and I really am curious why the Democratic Party thinks it can submit a new candidate name for the election despite the Sept. 16th deadline imposed by New Jersey law (as stated in the article). Apparently, they have a current representative in mind to replace Torricelli's name on the ballot, but it sounded like that deadline was fairly absolute. Is it arrogance or stupidity, or is there something else at work here? I'm not being partisan -- I'm honestly curious.

It would be AMAZING if NJ elected a Republican senator. It would be nearly as amazing as seeing Kennedy voted out of Massachusetts! :)
 

Waveslidin

Senior member
Apr 28, 2002
297
0
0
Because they support the notion of breaking election laws if it helps them get elected. See the 2000 election for President...luckily the Supreme Court stepped in and enforced the law that was on the books.
 

SuperTool

Lifer
Jan 25, 2000
14,000
2
0
Why do Dems think they can submit another candidate?
Because the NJ attorney general can allow for this, and he is a democrat.
I know Republicans would like NJ people to chose between a crook and a republican, but maybe the voters want other choices.
I hope the Supreme court steps in. That way we can have Supreme Court picked president and senate at the same time. That would be something.
 

SuperTool

Lifer
Jan 25, 2000
14,000
2
0
Also, from what I read, if Dems cannot appoint a new candidate, than Torricelli can just plain resign now, and then a special election will be scheduled for later date, after Nov 5.
 

rufruf44

Platinum Member
May 8, 2001
2,002
0
0
Originally posted by: SuperTool
Now I want to know
Why do Reps think they can win in New Jersey? :D

Because the Reps candidate is vast gaining support after Torricelli's scandal, and a new democrat candidates won't have enough time to express his views and gain support for the election. Its a win-win situation for the Republicans, and they will regain control of the Senate.
Bush must be quite pleased right now.
 

charrison

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
17,033
1
81
Originally posted by: SuperTool
Now I want to know
Why do Reps think they can win in New Jersey? :D

Because the republican candidate currently has a double digit lead in the polls.
 

CantedValve

Member
Sep 8, 2002
199
0
0
Originally posted by: SuperTool
Why do Dems think they can submit another candidate?
Because the NJ attorney general can allow for this, and he is a democrat.
I know Republicans would like NJ people to chose between a crook and a republican, but maybe the voters want other choices.
It was the voters that chose him in the first place. The voters don't (or shouldn't) get anyone else than who they chose. If they don't like it, you know what, they should have been smarter the first time around and not nominated a crook in the first place.

I like the way Forrester put it, "The laws of the State of New Jersey do not contain a `We-think-we're-going-to-lose-so-we-get-to-pick-someone-new' clause." You know what? That is ALL that is happening here. If Torricelli had a double digit lead, the Democrats wouldn't even THINK about asking him to step down. That SHOULD be the criteria by which it is decided if he should be replaced.

Seriously.... ask yourself... if he wasnt getting creamed in the polls, would he a) be pulling out of the election, and b) comtemplating resignation so as to force a "special election" in the future?

You cannot seriously answer that question, and then tell me that the right thing to do is let the Democrats have another bite at the apple.
 

CantedValve

Member
Sep 8, 2002
199
0
0
Originally posted by: SuperTool
Also, from what I read, if Dems cannot appoint a new candidate, than Torricelli can just plain resign now, and then a special election will be scheduled for later date, after Nov 5.
Talk about hijacking the peoples' votes and tossing them out the window...
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
2
0
It was the voters that chose him in the first place. The voters don't (or shouldn't) get anyone else than who they chose. If they don't like it, you know what, they should have been smarter the first time around and not nominated a crook in the first place.

i'm sure if they knew he was a crook, they wouldn't have voted for him. i mean seriously, what would people think if stores refused to allow returns on defective products saying "you should have been smarter than to buy a defective product"?
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
2
0
Originally posted by: CantedValve
Originally posted by: SuperTool
Why do Dems think they can submit another candidate?
Because the NJ attorney general can allow for this, and he is a democrat.
I know Republicans would like NJ people to chose between a crook and a republican, but maybe the voters want other choices.
It was the voters that chose him in the first place. The voters don't (or shouldn't) get anyone else than who they chose. If they don't like it, you know what, they should have been smarter the first time around and not nominated a crook in the first place.

I like the way Forrester put it, "The laws of the State of New Jersey do not contain a `We-think-we're-going-to-lose-so-we-get-to-pick-someone-new' clause." You know what? That is ALL that is happening here. If Torricelli had a double digit lead, the Democrats wouldn't even THINK about asking him to step down. That SHOULD be the criteria by which it is decided if he should be replaced.

Seriously.... ask yourself... if he wasnt getting creamed in the polls, would he a) be pulling out of the election, and b) comtemplating resignation so as to force a "special election" in the future?

You cannot seriously answer that question, and then tell me that the right thing to do is let the Democrats have another bite at the apple.

the right thing is whatever it takes to prevent republicans from getting control of the whitehouse, the house, and the senate :) :p

long live stem cell research!
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
2
0
if the NJ AG has the power to allow this, then you really have no place to gripe...
 

CantedValve

Member
Sep 8, 2002
199
0
0
Originally posted by: gopunk
i'm sure if they knew he was a crook, they wouldn't have voted for him. i mean seriously, what would people think if stores refused to allow returns on defective products saying "you should have been smarter than to buy a defective product"?
Aww.. you know better than that! Democrats by nature are defective :)

No seriously.... this information was available before the primaries for people willing to look for it. People are just to lazy and/or stupid to go and actually RESEARCH a candidate before they vote.

I was doing some more searching... seems that Torricelli didn't pull-out in time (hehe... wow... so many places that could go). Supposedly the deadline is 51 days before the election. I am no expert on NJ law though... so this is probably either inaccurate or superceded by something else.
 

zzzz

Diamond Member
Sep 1, 2000
5,498
1
76
Originally posted by: Cyberian
Because the republican candidate currently has a double digit lead in the polls.
The Republican candidate is currently the only candidate.

didnt asscroft lose against a dead guy?

 

Lucky

Lifer
Nov 26, 2000
13,126
1
0
Originally posted by: CantedValve
Originally posted by: gopunk
i'm sure if they knew he was a crook, they wouldn't have voted for him. i mean seriously, what would people think if stores refused to allow returns on defective products saying "you should have been smarter than to buy a defective product"?
Aww.. you know better than that! Democrats by nature are defective :)

No seriously.... this information was available before the primaries for people willing to look for it. People are just to lazy and/or stupid to go and actually RESEARCH a candidate before they vote.

I was doing some more searching... seems that Torricelli didn't pull-out in time (hehe... wow... so many places that could go). Supposedly the deadline is 51 days before the election. I am no expert on NJ law though... so this is probably either inaccurate or superceded by something else.


no, its correct. the US supreme court has to authorize it.
 

CantedValve

Member
Sep 8, 2002
199
0
0
So because its "too late" to pull out, the US Supreme Court has to "accept" the resignation.... or they have to "accept" the new candidate?
 

308nato

Platinum Member
Feb 10, 2002
2,674
0
0
Originally posted by: zzzz
Originally posted by: Cyberian
Because the republican candidate currently has a double digit lead in the polls.
The Republican candidate is currently the only candidate.

didnt asscroft lose against a dead guy?

Actually, he lost against a dead guys wife....after he quit campaigning when the accident occured and she did not, after she was illegally put in as a candidate in her husbands stead which ashcroft refused to contest in court and the polls in Democratic districts were allowed to remain open 3 hours past deadline when the republican precincts were closed at the proper time (which he also did not contest).

Does that help.

Consequently, it really doesn't matter what happens in New Jersey. The senate election in Missouri is a "special election" as the dead guys wife is only serving as a temporary fill in till this election. Whoever wins this election takes office immediately, as in the next day. The dead guys wife is an ignorant wench and the sympathy factor is long gone because she has proven herself to be useless to the state of missouri in congress. The republican looks to win as of now and the balance of power would shift back to the other side of the aisle anyway.

Then there is the clusterf@ck in iowa where the incumbent dimocrap senator has been busted in his mini watergate tape affair. He very well looks to lose now as well as his poll numbers have dropped double digits in the last week.

All in all, it looks to be an interesting November if you like to watch liberals wring their hands and weep.

 

mithrandir2001

Diamond Member
May 1, 2001
6,545
1
0
In NJ you have to name your candidate within 51 days of the election. We are past that stage.

The Democratic Party will file for some kind of extension or exclusion. They might have the courts on their side because NJ is run by a Democratic governor who recently tipped the balance of the NJ Supreme Court to 4 Dems, 2 Reps, and 1 Indie. I don't think they deserve a "second chance". If they put so much stock in a tainted candidate, they should pay the price.
 

Red Dawn

Elite Member
Jun 4, 2001
57,529
3
0
It was the voters that chose him in the first place. The voters don't (or shouldn't) get anyone else than who they chose. If they don't like it, you know what, they should have been smarter the first time around and not nominated a crook in the first place.
You mean the Dems could run any candidate and he/she would beat which ever Republican would run against them? If that's the case then don't you think the voters of New Jersey should have a Representitive in the Senate that speaks for the Majority of the New Jersey voters?
 

CantedValve

Member
Sep 8, 2002
199
0
0
You mean the Dems could run any candidate and he/she would beat which ever Republican would run against them? If that's the case then don't you think the voters of New Jersey should have a Representitive in the Senate that speaks for the Majority of the New Jersey voters?
Actually, there isnt a politician out there (regardless of political affiliation) that actually represents his/her constituents. All we do these days is elect the official that we hope/pray will vote as we want... but they are not bound to do so. That is my major beef with the current political system.

Oh... even if Forrester won with Torch in the race, he wouldnt have represented the majority of NJ constituents (was only 47% last I looked).