Atlantic County Democrats are reshuffling their legislative ticket in the competitive 2nd district, with County Commissioner Caren Fitzpatrick replacing Victor Carmona in the race for State Senate against Republican incumbent Vincent Polistina (R-Egg Harbor Township).
The winner of the Democratic primary, Pleasantville Councilman Victor Carmona, announced his withdrawal from the Senate race this evening during a conference call with party leaders. He had been widely viewed as a placeholder since entering the Senate race in March.
Fitzpatrick had been seeking an Assembly seat, and her decision to switch races accompanies a decision by South Jersey Democrats to make a serious play for Polistina’s seat this year in a bid to bolster their block of Senate seats, which has dropped from seven in 2019 to four after the 2021 election.
“I have the experience, attitude, and empathy to do this,” she told the New Jersey Globe. “I get a lot of crossover votes from Republicans and independents.”
Lisa Bender, a marine scientist, will replace Fitzpatrick on the Assembly ticket and run with newcomer Alphonso Harrell, a U.S. Marine veteran and kindergarten teacher, against freshman Republicans Don Guardian (R-Atlantic City) and Claire Swift (R-Margate).
“Polistina had his shot representing the 2nd district. He’s proven himself incapable of anything but pandering to extremists, and he has the record to prove it,” Fitzpatrick said. “The people deserve better, and I’ll put my record representing the people of Atlantic County against Polistina’s any day.”
Fitzpatrick, who said women’s health care and job creation will be among her top issues, accused Polistina of being politically expedient and said the two are “very different ideologically.”
“He brought Donald Trump, Jr. here in 2018,” she said. I was outside at the rally opposing him.”
Offshore wind
Fitzpatrick and Polistina will undoubtedly spar over the construction of offshore wind turbines.
After dead whales and other marine mammals washed up on New Jersey beaches, Polistina emerged as one of the state’s leading opponents of offshore wind farms; he called for a moratorium on development until experts could determine the cause of deaths of the mammals. His position cost him the endorsement of the New Jersey State Building and Construction Trades Council.
Fitzpatrick is on the other side of the issue.
“I’m a very vocal proponent of offshore wind,” she said. “It’s a good thing for Atlantic County and the entire region. It’s very disappointing that people can be turned by big oil money. This is the right thing to do, and it will create jobs.”
The addition of Bender to the ticket indicates a readiness by Democrats to use double down on support for offshore wind; Bender received her master’s degree in marine science.
Democrats accused Polistina of aligning with extremists and dark money groups to spread disinformation about the offshore wind industry.
This is Bender’s second bid for public office: she sought an unexpired term on the Somers Point City Council in 2022 but lost to Republican Richard DePamphilis by a 58%-42% margin.
If Fitzpatrick wins, she will become the first Atlantic County woman to serve in the New Jersey Senate; until Swift won in 2021, the 2nd district had not sent a woman to Trenton since the venerable Assemblywoman C. Delores Cooper (R-Atlantic City) retired 32 years ago.
Fitzpatrick has demonstrated an ability to win countywide races in Atlantic, scoring victories in 2017 and 2020. While Republicans have controlled county government during her six years in office, Fitzpatrick believes she’s been an effective leader from the minority.
“I am a conscience and a voice,” she said.
While Fitzpatrick is a self-described feminist – as the daughter of an Atlantic County College philosophy professor, she was taught to question “everything” – she calls herself a “fiscally responsible elected official.”
“That’s been my career, and I’m good at it,” Fitzpatrick said. “I do that in real life.”
The 64-year-old grandmother is the director of finance and administration for Visit Atlantic City, which promotes economic development in Atlantic City.
Over the last fifty years, the 2nd district has been New Jersey’s premier swing district. From 2005 until 2021, the district never simultaneously elected three legislators from the same party. Albeit under different turnout models, Democrat Joe Biden carried the district by twelve percentage points in 2020, and Republican Jack Ciattarelli won it by seven points in his 2021 bid to unseat Gov. Phil Murphy.
Democrats made a serious play to flip the district two years ago, after GOP State Sen. Christopher Brown (R-Ventnor) announced he would not seek re-election. They ran their strongest possible candidate, four-term Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo (D-Northfield), but with Murphy losing Atlantic County by 9,241 votes, Polistina won the seat by 2,275 votes, 52%-48%.
Republicans flipped two Assembly seats in 2021, with two-term Democrat John Armato (D-Buena) losing. Fitzpatrick came in fourth in that race, running 4,513 votes behind Guardian, a former Atlantic City mayor.
Polistina, 52, captured an Assembly seat in 2007 and spent four years in the lower house before challenging Democratic State Sen. James Whelan (D-Atlantic City) in 2011.
Capturing the three Atlantic County legislative seats is not necessarily a priority for all New Jersey Democrats; some don’t want to see George Norcross’ South Jersey organization increase the size of its delegation in Trenton.
Since returning to the legislature, Polistina had forged a working relationship with Murphy and his chief of staff, George Helmy. The 2nd district Republicans voted for Murphy’s budget in 2022 and 2023 and touted over $200 million for Atlantic County projects.
Carmona had not reported raising any money for his Senate bid. As an Assembly candidate, Fitzpatrick raised about $53,000 with roughly $43,500 left after the primary election.
Polistina reported a post-primary warchest of $110,827, with another $183,629 in a joint campaign account with Guardian and Swift.
But in South Jersey legislative races, fundraising for individual Democratic candidates is inconsequential; Norcross typically takes care of that.
The Democratic county committee in the 2nd district will need to hold a special meeting to formally nominate Fitzpatrick and Bender by the August 24 deadline.
Carmona said he would instead focus on his local government post.
“After much thought and consideration, I have decided to end my run for State Senate in the 2nd District. My work in the community of Pleasantville as councilman and police department chaplain is where my heart is and must remain my top priority,” he said. “I extend my deepest gratitude to Atlantic County Democrats for nominating and supporting me. We must continue to build momentum, show up with all the strength, and with as many people behind us as possible to support Caren Fitzpatrick and the Democratic slate to take back the 2nd District.”
Despite inaccurate reports of Norcross’ retirement, South Jersey Democrats have been working to increase their footprint in the legislature.
Democrats are looking to reclaim the 3rd district seat they unexpectedly lost in 2021 when Republican Ed Durr ousted Senate President Steve Sweeney – their candidate is former ten-term Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Paulsboro). They are also seeking to hold the 4th district, where Democrat Fred Madden (D-Washington Township) is retiring after 20 years in the Senate; their candidate, nine-term Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-Washington Township), faces Republican Christopher Del Borrello, a former Washington Township councilman.
Speculation that they might replace their 8th district Senate candidate, Evesham Councilwoman Heather Cooper, has quieted down but not gone away; it’s still not clear how much South Jersey Democrats plan to invest in a bid to flip that seat.
But a bid to oust State Sen. Michael Testa (R-Vineland) in the 1st district appears to be off the table. Democrats lost the seat in November 2019.