With in-person early voting for New Jersey primaries beginning tomorrow, End Citizens United // Let America Vote joined Congressman Andy Kim and Sue Altman yesterday for a roundtable discussion on how high the stakes are for democracy in this election. Congressman Kim and Altman, who are leading two of the most pivotal races in the Garden State, are centering their campaigns on a pro-democracy, anti-corruption platform. Their agenda has resonated with New Jersey voters and both campaigns are building upon the grassroots enthusiasm from across the state.
“New Jersey has been the face of political corruption and anti-democratic machine politics that protects the well-connected while undercutting the voice of the people,” said End Citizens United // Let America Vote President Tiffany Muller. “Thankfully, we’re beginning to see a new era of grassroots energy supporting champions of democracy, like Congressman Andy Kim and Sue Altman, who are fighting to root out corruption, unrig the system, and protect the voice and vote of every American.”
Photos courtesy of the Andy Kim for New Jersey Campaign
NorthJersey.com: Candidates Andy Kim, Sue Altman tackle voter apathy, ‘broken’ system at Central NJ forum
Katie Sobko
05/28/24
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Rep. Andy Kim, the Burlington County Democrat seeking his party’s nomination for U.S. Senate, and Sue Altman, who is challenging Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional district, met Tuesday with grassroots activists to talk about how they would move a more progressive agenda in Washington forward.
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Kim and Altman, along with Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United and Let America Vote, held a forum at the Somerset County Library System’s Bridgewater facility.
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“What happens with regard to the county line here in New Jersey, that does have any impact on the kind of policies that are engaged, accountability lawmakers will feel, the kind of power structures that determine what kind of people step up and run for office, what kind of public servants they are and who they feel beholden to, is it party leaders or is it the voters and how does that manifest,” Kim said.
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The congressman said that he wanted to have a conversation to make sure he’s “not living in some bubble” because he wants to know where people stand on issues like this since there is “power in the reform agenda” and “it’s not just people in New Jersey who feel like the system is broken.”
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Altman said money in politics “changes the way you think about power building and the acquisition of resources during the campaign.
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“We’re talking about a major industry that politics is, that has a lot of hands in that pot, the least of which is the American people,” she said.
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Muller, of End Citizens United, joined the candidates at Tuesday’s event. Muller echoed Altman by pointing out projections estimate $10 billion will be spent during the 2024 election cycle.
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The residents who came out to hear the candidates speak noted that they try to get involved on the local level and that they are often faced with apathy in their communities and that they have concerns about election deniers running for office.
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Kim said that can be traced back to big money as well because “when people feel like the only people that can participate are the ones who are well off or well connected, it creates that sense of apathy amongst others.”
Insider NJ: Kim Teams up with Altman
Fred Snowflack
05/28/24
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“I think there is power in the reform agenda.”
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Kim was the featured speaker along with CD-7 candidate Sue Altman at a Tuesday afternoon forum in the local library about the “influence of money in politics.”
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Altman is the Democratic candidate challenging incumbent Republican Thomas H. Kean.
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Also on hand was Tiffany Muller, the president of End Citizens United/ Let America Vote. As the name suggests, the group’s goal is to overturn the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision that cleared the way for unregulated campaign expenditures on behalf of candidates.
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Kim acknowledged that “big money” in politics combined with what he said are attempts to curtail voters’ rights are still a major problem. He said the current system is just grand for corporations and in a swipe at Elon Musk, for “billionaires” who build rocket ships.
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As Muller noted, the people retain the power to change things, which is very much what happened in New Jersey. Kim’s Senate campaign took off and so-called grassroots support allowed him to win endorsements from many county committees throughout the state.
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Apathy is one problem.
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Kim described it as realizing you do not need to “get permission” from party bosses to run.
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Altman described the problem, or was it a challenge.
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She said that after holding a number of events with college students, she realized why they are apathetic, cynical, or a combination of both.
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“In their entire lifetime, they have never witnessed the federal government ever working properly,” Altman said.
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