Rep. Andy Kim defeated first lady Tammy Murphy on her own turf at the Monmouth County Democratic Committee convention on Saturday, garnering more than enough votes to get plum placement on county ballots for the Democratic primary to replace Sen. Bob Menendez in June.
Monmouth County’s vote is notable because it was the first time a Democratic Party organization in New Jersey held a secret ballot vote for all its members. Many of the largest party organizations in the state have endorsed Murphy without having their members vote — and that has raised questions about the endorsement process’s fairness because of the governor’s outsize influence and power.
“I’m really heartened by just the turnout that we had here – that is incredible,” Kim said after the vote. “If we can win here, where they’ve lived for decades, I think that sends a very strong message across all of the counties that the energy that we have is real and it should not be underestimated.”
Murphy received the endorsements of eight Democratic Party county committee chairs in the five days after she announced her candidacy for Menendez’s seat. Most of those committees do not hold secret ballot votes.
Monmouth committee members lined up and waited an hour to crowd into the Portuguese Club of Long Branch, which was standing room only. Many committee members said it was the first time in many years that so many people had shown up for the annual convention.
Kim received 265 votes to Murphy’s 181.
Menendez has not stepped down despite facing his second federal indictment on corruption charges.
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