Democratic Machine Looms Large in New Jersey

“The race to unseat Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) next year is pitting a third-term congressman against the governor’s wife, who has secured the backing of much of New Jersey’s unusually powerful Democratic machine since she announced last week,” the Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: “In New Jersey, the endorsements of county chairs — such as Paul Juliano of Bergen County, LeRoy Jones Jr. of Essex County and Kevin McCabe of Middlesex County — as well as power brokers like George E. Norcross III of South Jersey hold considerable weight. That’s because a candidate with county endorsements typically receives preferential ballot placement under the state’s county line system.”