Senate, Assembly Candidates Debate

COURT HOUSE – The League of Women Voters of Cape May County held a candidate forum for First Legislative District positions at the Historic Courthouse Oct. 28.  
For the Democrats, incumbent Robert “Bob” Andrzejczak is seeking to win the Senate seat to which he was appointed, following U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s (D-2nd) departure. 
Running with him for the two Assembly seats are incumbents R. Bruce Land, seeking his third term, and Matthew Milam, a Cumberland County businessman who served in the Assembly, representing the First District, from 2008 to 2013. Milam was appointed to Andrzejczak’s vacated Assembly seat in January.
The Republican ticket is headed by Vineland Attorney Mike Testa, Jr., with Assembly candidates Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan. Simonsen, a long-term educator, serves as mayor of Lower Township. He is also the athletics director at Lower Cape May Regional High School. 
McClellan, a member of Ocean City Council, works as public information officer and personnel director in the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office (CMCSO). 
Each candidate gave opening and closing statements. During the debate, the candidates responded to eight questions, many from the public, presented without preview by a League of Women Voters staff member.
Senate Seat
In his opening remarks, Testa said, “Make no mistake about it. This election is about (Gov.) Phil Murphy.”
Testa claimed Andrzejczak is controlled by George Norcross, through the General Majority PAC. “He claims to be independent, but he has his political bosses,” he said. 
He added that Andrzejczak “voted with Murphy 95% of the time,” including a vote “to slash funding for our school.”
Andrzejczak quipped that he had not expected his opponent to “get so negative so quickly.” He then went on to remind voters of his military service, his long recovery from losing a leg in Iraq, and the support many in the county gave him at a time he needed it most. “I wanted to give back to the county,” he said.  
He voiced his commitment to lowering taxes and creating opportunity for the young of the county. “I want my children to be able to have a better life here in South Jersey.”
The questions for the Senate candidates ranged from taxes to Senate President Stephen Sweeney’s Path to Progress agenda, from the Second Amendment to legalization of recreational marijuana, and from the county sheriff’s struggle against the state’s directive ending an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to climate change. The candidates were also asked about the accessibility and effectiveness of veterans’ health care services, and the extension of Route 55.
Andrzejczak frequently pointed to the record of accomplishments he said the “First District Team” has delivered on in Trenton. He listed the repeal of the shore rental tax and the boat sales tax, as well as the team’s efforts on the senior tax freeze and the doubling of the veteran tax credit.
Testa argued that not enough has been accomplished in Andrzejczak’s time in Trenton. He said six years is enough time to expect more results. “It is all sizzle, but no steak,” he said.
On taxes, the candidates agreed that property taxes are too high, and should be lower. None presented a specific plan to lower them, but both pledged to fight for lower taxes.
Testa complained that Cape May County sends $550 million to Trenton in tourism-related taxes, and gets $1 million back. He said he would fight for a greater return for the county, pointing to the need for funding for the Wildwood Boardwalk.
Testa painted Andrzejczak as someone who was not getting the job done on lowering taxes, while Andrzejczak countered that Testa was naïve in the ways of Trenton, and how quickly things can change, while again pointing to what he considers real accomplishments and proof that the First District Team of Democrats can make a difference.
Both candidates came down strongly in support of the Second Amendment, and both were critical of New Jersey’s strict gun laws.
Both candidates also said they would vote no on the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Testa, a criminal defense attorney, explained that his practice has given him ample proof that marijuana is a gateway drug, leading many to much more serious addictions to opioids and heroin.  
Andrzejczak said while he would vote no on recreational marijuana, he favored expanding the medical marijuana program in the state. He said he also favored some movement on decriminalization and expungement within reasonable limits.
On the issue of decriminalization, Testa countered that the system has sufficient pathways available, with conditional discharge programs and pretrial intervention.
The question of climate change arose in response to a Stockton University poll, claiming that two-thirds of the state’s residents believed climate change was a crisis. The candidates were asked to describe their views and what they would do to address the problem.
Testa joked that he did not place much faith in Stockton polls, a reference to polling on the election rather than climate change. He went on to criticize Gov. Murphy’s energy plan, which he called “insane.” 
He then spoke of the East Point Lighthouse in Cumberland County, which he said may soon be lost if action is not taken. He didn’t clearly state his view on the subject. 
Andrzejczak spoke about the need for bold steps, while dodging the question of the causes of climate change.
“I am no scientist, and I can’t speak to whether or not climate change is caused by human activity,” he stated. He then went on to support moving away from fossil fuels, a move almost always justified by the acceptance that human use of fossil fuels contributes to climate change.
Andrzejczak’s focus was on what the state could do in the face of rising sea levels. He strongly supported beach replenishment, saying that he has advocated doubling the state funding available to “build up our beaches.”
Both candidates offered support for Sheriff Robert Nolan and his agreement with ICE. For Testa, the action by the attorney general to order an end to the ICE agreement is both illegal and immoral. Testa is working pro bono as an attorney of record for Nolan in a federal suit against the attorney general.
Andrzejczak stated that he also supports the sheriff, and his work on immigration law enforcement. Testa disputed that fact, claiming Andrzejczak has not done enough to show real support.
Testa called Sweeney’s Path to Progress initiative disingenuous. The initiative, spread over 27 separate but related bills, is an attempt to reduce burdens on the property tax through activities like school district consolidation and pension changes.
For Testa, it is a political sham with legislation introduced that Sweeney knows “full well will be vetoed by the governor.”
Andrzejczak again dismissed Testa’s remarks as grandstanding, noting that the complex set of legislative initiatives had both good and bad in it. He pledged to resist any move to dilute state pensions. He also said he would have to see the plan on school reorganization, and was not ready to support it.
Both candidates support extending Route 55. For Testa, it is a critical piece of infrastructure for South Jersey economic development. While not disagreeing on the project’s potential economic impact, Andrzejczak stressed the public safety aspect of the roadway, noting that it is a critical element to any viable emergency evacuation of the county.
Testa feels the proposed extension has not moved fast enough, and Andrzejczak cited progress being made on an issue that has defied lawmakers in Trenton for far longer than he has been in the Legislature.
On veterans’ health care, the candidates split, with Testa favoring a system that would allow veterans to use government-paid access to private medical care, and Andrzejczak defending the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical system. Both expressed positive feelings about the opening of a veterans’ clinic as part of a county redevelopment project in Rio Grande.
Assembly Race
The same format covered a list of different questions for the Assembly candidates.
Questions concerned lowering tax rates, timely disaster relief aid, a potential path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, the use of the social security number as an ID, negative campaigning, wind turbines, and minimum wage increases. Candidates were also asked to describe their best character trait.
In opening remarks, McClellan stressed his long roots in the county, and his work history from a position in an Atlantic City casino to his current position with the CMCSO. McClellan used the time to discredit Democratic campaign literature that placed a negative spin on his character due to involuntary homelessness and the loss of his employment for a year after he was victimized by Hurricane Sandy.
Simonsen also emphasized his roots in the county before detailing his years as an educator and municipal leader in Lower Township. He stated that a recent audit found the township to be in the best financial shape in its long history. “That goes back to the 17th century,” Simonsen said, noting that this achievement occurred during his term as mayor.
Milam highlighted his past service in the Assembly, explained his need to leave that body while assuming responsibilities for a family business on the death of his father, and placed policy emphasis on the need to make the state more attractive to business investment.
Land joked that he was a late bloomer in politics, gaining election for the first time at 65 years old in 2016. He provided a brief biographical sketch, including his service during the Vietnam War and his long career as a corrections officer, a career from which he retired with the rank of captain. 
Land did not use the opening remarks to discuss policy issues, but he did stress his independence from demands to vote with his party’s leadership in Trenton, noting that it has “gotten me in hot water” a few times. 
The candidates all agreed that property taxes in New Jersey are too high, and that some form of tax relief is needed. They differed on the pathway to that goal.
Land lamented the loss of the state’s young. “They leave for college and never come back,” he said. Land did not offer any specific action plan, but allowed his support for the successful rollback on taxes for shore rentals and boat sales to demonstrate his commitment.
McClellan focused on the need to finish Route 55, saying that this major roadway would be a big factor in economic development in the county. Presumably, this economic growth would lead to property tax relief.
Milam called for a freeze in state spending, arguing that the state appears unable to keep spending within the limits of its revenue. He did not explain the direct line between excessive state spending and property taxes, which are largely used for purposes that do not rely on state spending.
Simonsen said county residents should be able “to use the state income tax toward property taxes,” a move which he said would also allow the restoration of the recently reduced levels of school funding. He did not have time to explain in specifics how his proposal on state income tax would work, and did not return to the proposal later in the forum.
All candidates agreed that improvements were needed in getting disaster relief funding to those impacted by storms like Sandy.
McClellan used his personal story as proof of his commitment to the issue. “I will always be there,” he said.
Simonsen called for a restructured formula that would get more funding to shore towns, while also arguing that there is a need for improving the mechanisms for the disbursement of those funds.
Land used the topic to emphasize the need for Route 55, not as an economic development engine, but rather as a much-needed evacuation route.
Milam praised the response of former Gov. Chris Christie to Sandy, calling it a true bipartisan effort.
On the issue of aiding undocumented immigrants and providing a path to citizenship, most of the candidates moved instead to stress the need for immigrants to enter the country the “right way.”
Milam stressed the importance of immigration to the country, and expressed positive support for finding a solution that would allow those immigrants here a pathway to citizenship.
Both Land and Simonsen repeatedly stressed the need to do things the “right way,” but did not explain what that “right way” would be for those already here. It was not clear if they supported deportation or the development of some mechanism to allow for citizenship or residency.
McClellan expressed a desire to see immigration laws that are “less restrictive.”
The four candidates did not differentiate themselves on the issue of the use of the Social Security number as a formal government ID. All favored removing it as the state tax ID and no longer requiring it on state documents. No one offered an alternative ID. All stressed a need to protect seniors from scam artists.
Similarly, all of the candidates decried negative campaigning, with McClellan claiming that he was a victim of negative Democratic PAC ads that his opponents did not disavow publically.
Milam revived an old argument in American politics when he argued that negative campaigning is one of the major reasons why the “best people” do not run for office. This argument has been central to politics for almost 150 years, so its power to persuade politicians to run clean campaigns appears limited.
All candidates expressed concern about the potential negative impact of large wind farms in the ocean off the county’s coastline. A major fear is the damage the farms could do to the county’s fishing industry. All called for further study.
On the issue of the minimum wage, there was support for raising the wage, but a lack of support for doing it as quickly as the state is doing. It’s “too much too soon,” Land said. Simonsen argued for a longer time frame for achieving the top rate. McClellan worried about the impact of the rise on small business and said he could not support it. Milam decried the link to the consumer price index, noting that it will continue “to go up every year” to the detriment of local small businesses.
In their closing remarks, the candidates made their last pitch for support.
Land said, “I love my job and I would love to continue to do it.” 
Milam stressed that “serious issues require serious people,” implying that the experience of the Democratic teams would serve the county well.
Simonsen expressed “love” for his opponents, and then added, “I just don’t like the job they have done.”
McClellan said, “I am about facts.” He cited Ocean City’s experience as a place with “the best tax system” as a positive for his candidacy.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.