Pelosi gets 9 votes from New Jersey, including Kim

The new Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, received nine votes from the New Jersey delegation.

The only real surprise was Rep. Andy Kim (D-Marlton), who broke a campaign pledge in his first vote as a Member of Conrgess and voted for Pelosi.

Two other freshmen Democrats, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) and Jefferson Van Drew (D-Dennis), did not support Pelosi.  Sherrill voted for Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois), while Van Drew voted “no.”  Since “no” was not a candidate for speaker, his first vote was recorded as “present.”

Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff), Donald Norcross (D-Camden), Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-Paterson), Donald Payne, Jr. (D-Newark), Albio Sires (D-West New York), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) voted for Pelosi.  All eight had previously indicated their intention to do so.

Rep. Christopher Smith (R-Hamilton), the only Republican in New Jersey’s congressional delegation, voted for Kevin McCarthy for Speaker.  McCarthy will be the House Minority Leader.