Rojas: Black, Latino Vote, Participation Critical To Win NJ D2 Democratic Primary, General Election
By Wilfredo “Wil” Rojas, M.Ed. | AC JosepH Guest Blogger
Anyone doubting the power of the print media needs to Google an article, published on March 9, 2020 entitled, “Will primary battle weaken Democrats against Van Drew?” published in The Press of Atlantic City.
I was struck by the warring words exchanged between the two Democratic candidates in the 2nd Congressional District for the right to take on Democrat-turned-Trump Republican incumbent Jeff Van Drew.
It is reported that fireworks erupted, after Amy Kennedy picked up the support of Atlantic County Democrats at their convention, infuriated with Brigid Callahan Harrison’s failure to get this coveted endorsement, one of her senior advisers blamed Atlantic City powerbroker Craig Callaway for Kennedy’s victory. He later said, “We anticipated the strong winds of the Callaway political machine – would fill her sails.â€
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Kennedy’s campaign manager is reported in the same article, responding to the Harrison campaign, with, “We get that Brigid is angry her plan to rig the Atlantic County convention failed, but throwing mud at the African-American community because she couldn’t win is pathetic, divisive and no better than the politics of the Trump Administration.â€
Craig Callahan is the former mayor of Atlantic City and his sister Gwen Callaway Lewis is the municipal chair of the Democratic Party in Atlantic City. These two individuals are African-Americans. This is where this column comes into perspective.
I am sure both campaigns and other trailing campaigns would agree that money is the lifeblood of politics and candidates with access to big donations to their campaign provide the cash to purchase both material and human resources. But they cannot forget that personnel and resources will be necessary going down the stretch of the campaign season to mobilize African-Americans and Latinos to vote. A key strategy must be put in place to register new voters in these two communities, educate them on how issues of concerns will be addressed through legislation and appropriations.
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Heading down the stretch toward the July 2, election, I would suggest to the campaign, particularly of these candidates, to immediately hire African-Americans and Latinos to recruit paid volunteers from both the African American and Latino community as facilitators and educators who will become active in helping with voter registration and education in their own communities.
This has to be done following coronavirus federal guidelines, New Jersey executive mandates, state, county, and local orders, mandates, and regulations.
In speaking to African-Americans and Latinos on social media and on the telephone, I’ve learned that the lack of voter participation is attributed to confusion about the difference between political parties and the different factions therein and candidates; they voiced to me their doubts about the impact that their participation would have and many expressed interest in knowing how to become involved beyond the act of voting.
All candidates appearing on the July 2 ballot, must target grassroots men and women from the African-American and Latino communities for training and develop their understanding of the political and electoral process, so that can become leaders in their own neighborhoods, The leadership skills they develop will assist them in cooperating with other groups of people throughout NJ 2nd Congressional District to respond to the ever-growing challenges facing communities like South Jersey.
Increased political participation by African-American and Latino voters will lead to a higher representation of these two communities at the nation’s legislative bodies, which is not very representative of the growing African-American and Latino populations, respectively. More and more members of these communities are moving to our Garden State and South Jersey, in particular.
The campaign of those looking to serve in improving the lives of all the groups that make up the 2nd Congressional District must invest money to expand the educational component of their efforts so that the political power of African-American and Latino voters can be nurtured and sustained and not lost.
This is my take. Respectful opinions are welcomed here on the FrontRunnerNewJersey comment page.
Spanish Language Version
Cualquiera que dude del poder de los medios impresos necesita buscar en Google un artÃculo, publicado el 9 de marzo del 2020 titulado: ¿La batalla primaria debilitará a los demócratas contra Van Drew? Publicado en The Press de Atlantic City. Me sorprendieron las palabras de guerra intercambiadas entre los dos candidatos demócratas en el 2do Distrito del Congreso por el derecho a enfrentar al demócrata convertido en presidente republicano de Trump, Jeff Van Drew.
Se informó que los fuegos artificiales estallaron, después de que Amy Kennedy recogió el apoyo de los demócratas del condado de Atlantic en su convención, enfurecido por el fracaso de Harrison para obtener este codiciado respaldo, uno de sus principales asesores culpó a Craig Callaway, el corredor de poder de Atlantic City, por la victoria de Kennedy. Más tarde dijo: “Anticipamos los fuertes vientos de la máquina polÃtica de Callaway, llenarÃan sus velas”.
El gerente de campaña de Kennedy se informa en el mismo artÃculo, respondiendo a la campaña de Harrison, con: “Nos damos cuenta de que Brigid está enojada porque su plan para manipular la convención del Condado de Atlantic fracasó, pero arrojando barro a la comunidad afroamericana porque no podÃa ganar es patético, divisivo y no es mejor que la polÃtica de la administración Trump”. Craig Callahan es el ex alcalde de Atlantic City y su hermana Gwen Callaway Lewis es la presidenta municipal del Partido Demócrata en Atlantic City. Estas dos personas son afroamericanas. Aquà es donde esta columna entra en perspectiva.
Estoy seguro de que tanto las campañas como otras campañas finales estarÃan de acuerdo en que
el dinero es el alma de la polÃtica y los candidatos con acceso a grandes donaciones a su campaña proporcionan el efectivo para comprar recursos materiales y humanos. Pero no pueden olvidar que será necesario personal y recursos durante la temporada de campaña para movilizar a los afroamericanos y latinos a votar. Se debe establecer una estrategia clave para registrar nuevos votantes en estas dos comunidades, educarlos sobre cómo se abordarán los problemas de interés a través de la legislación y las apropiaciones.
En el camino hacia la elección del 2 de julio, sugerirÃa a la campaña que participe, particularmente a estos candidatos a contratar inmediatamente a afroamericanos y latinos para reclutar voluntarios remunerados de la comunidad afroamericana y latina como facilitadores y educadores que se convertirán activo en ayudar con el registro de votantes y la educación en sus propias comunidades. Esto debe hacerse siguiendo las pautas federales de Coronavirus, los mandatos ejecutivos de Nueva Jersey, las órdenes, mandatos y reglamentos estatales, del condado y locales. Al hablar con los afroamericanos y los latinos en las redes sociales y por teléfono, aprendà que la falta de participación de los votantes se atribuye a la confusión sobre la diferencia entre los partidos polÃticos y las diferentes facciones y candidatos; me expresaron sus dudas sobre el impacto que tendrÃa su participación y muchos expresaron interés en saber cómo involucrarse más allá del acto de votar. Todos los candidatos que aparecen en la boleta electoral del 2 de julio deben dirigirse a hombres y mujeres de base de las comunidades afroamericana y latina para capacitarse y desarrollar su comprensión del proceso polÃtico y electoral, para que puedan convertirse en lÃderes en sus propios vecindarios. Les ayudará a cooperar con otros grupos de personas en todo el 2do Distrito del Congreso de NJ para responder a los desafÃos cada vez mayores que enfrentan las comunidades como el sur de Jersey.
Una mayor participación polÃtica de los votantes afroamericanos y latinos conducirá a una mayor representación de estas dos comunidades en los cuerpos legislativos de la nación, que no es muy representativa de las crecientes poblaciones afroamericanas y latinas, respectivamente. Cada vez más, miembros de estas comunidades se están mudando a nuestro Garden State y al sur de Jersey, en particular. La campaña de aquellos que buscan servir para mejorar la vida de todos los grupos que conforman el 2do Distrito del Congreso, debe invertir dinero para expandir el componente educativo de sus esfuerzos para que el poder polÃtico de los votantes afroamericanos y latinos pueda ser alimentado y sostenido y no perdido.
Este es Wilfredo “Wil” Rojas, M.Ed. y esta es mi opinión. Las opiniones respetuosas son bienvenidas aquà en la página de comentarios de NJ Frontrunner.
Bio: Wilfredo “Wil†Rojas is an award-winning columnist, veteran civil rights activist and former officer with the Gloucester County NAACP. He is the cofounder and retired director of Philadelphia Prison System’s Office of Community Justice and Outreach.
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I totally agree with Wilfredo rojas voter apathy has reached the pinnacle among the black community because the two party system is hopelessly corrupt and beholden to corporate donors And we have to admit it is a rigged system with voter suppression And people stay at home because they have seen how our neighborhoods get worst and the black afro american latino gets let down tinw after time by the politicians that look like us who work against our interests .