OP-ED: CD-2 Candidate Terri Reese Responds to FRNJ Opinion Piece on Lee Atwater-Tim Alexander Campaign Comparison
Photo courtesy of Terri Reese
EDITOR’S NOTE: On March 16, Front Runner New Jersey.com’s Editor Clyde Hughes posted the opinion piece “Joe Salerno’s Comparison of Tim Alexander’s Campaign to Lee Atwater Misses by Grand Canyon Lengths.” FRNJ invited Salerno and other Congressional District 2 candidates to respond in kind. Here is the response from candidate Terri Reese.
BY TERRI REESE
Thank you for the invitation to respond to your opinion piece regarding Joe Salerno’s invocation of Lee Atwater, and for the work you do to connect and inform the Black and Hispanic communities across South Jersey.
Those communities are a vital part of who we are, and any candidate asking for the privilege to serve should be showing up, listening, and building real relationships there.
I read your piece carefully, and I think it points to something a lot of people are feeling right now, even beyond this one race.
When we start invoking figures like Lee Atwater, or any people of note, we have to consider all of their past words and actions and not selectively choose that which suits our own purpose. It is incumbent on anyone speaking in the public space to be deliberative and thoughtful about how and why any comparisons should be introduced, and to address how the whole of the person fits into the discourse.
What I hear from people across this district and how I also feel as a voter is pretty simple. They are tired of the back-and-forth, the personal attacks, and the kind of political noise that does not actually improve their lives or move the needle.
They want to know what candidates are going to do. They want to know how we are going to lower costs, expand opportunity, and make government work for them again. And if one candidate needs to call out the actions, words, or behaviors of an opponent, it should be done in such a way that it addresses the facts of the matter, why it is important in this election, and what are the consequences if the behaviors and actions continue.
That is the lane I am trying to stay in.
I have said from the beginning that I am not interested in being the first arrow shot over the bow, but that does not mean addressing important conflicts or avoiding tough conversations. If something needs to be brought to the public’s attention,
I will address it directly and honestly. And there is a way to do that without coming across as bitter, resentful, or losing sight of why we are here in the first place.
Primary elections are part of the process, and there will be differences between candidates, however since we are all running as Democrats a lot of our priorities are the same.
Any differences should be about ideas on how to affect change in the future, about how our experiences will be best suited to represent our district, and about our vision for the people and communities South Jersey.
When things start to feel more personal or rooted in past grievances, we risk turning people off at a time when we need to focus on bringing them in.
At the end of the day, we are all running to represent a district that has defined significantly over the years. People are struggling, and they are looking for leadership that is authentic, focused, grounded, and serious about delivering for them. That is what I offer.
I appreciate opening up the opportunity for this conversation. I welcome the chance to speak with you further about my campaign. Best regards,
NOTE: Terri Reese is running in the Democratic Primary to the District 2 Congressional seat, which will be held in June. The winner will face Republican incumbent Jeff Van Drew in the November general election.
Note from AC JosepH Media: If you like this story and others posted on Front Runner New Jersey.com, lend us a hand so we can keep producing articles like these for New Jersey and the world to see. Click on SUPPORT FRNJ and make a contribution that will go directly in making more stories like this available. You can reach Editor Clyde Hughes at chughes@acjosephmedia.com. Thank you for reading!
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