Sweeney joins LD2 assemblymen’s attacks over Brown’s Veteran Day speech

Update: After this story was published, Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo again declined to rule out a bid for State Senate.

Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) joined Democratic assemblyman from the second legislative district in condemning comments made by State Sen. Chris Brown (R-Ventnor City) during a Veterans Day speech.

“We can’t allow these types of hateful comments to go unchallenged. They are spiteful and harmful, and they do not reflect the values of equality and respect for all of our citizens that are so important,” Sweeney said. “The fact that they were spoken at a Veterans’ Day ceremony meant to honor the men and women who have served our country makes them more offensive.”

During a Veterans Day ceremony in Somers Point, Brown said “You give somebody who has 14 different genders a Citizen of the Year award and you have other people who have gone and fought, and they wind up not getting that type of recognition.”

He apologized for those comments on Thursday after Assemblyman John Armato (D-Buena Vista) hit took to Twitter to condemn them. Armato on Thursday declined to rule out a bid for Senate. Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo (D-Northfield) left the door open on a challenge to Brown last March. He again declined to rule out a run for higher office on Friday.

Sweeney’s attack is the second volley in what promises to be a barrage of strikes meant to drive up Brown’s negatives as Democrats prepare to flip one of only two New Jersey State Senate seats held by Republicans in districts that sent Democrats to the Assembly.

Reached by the New Jersey Globe, Brown declined to comment, instead pointing to yesterday’s apology.

“Watching my niece, Alexis, have the courage to come out, I witnessed the difficulty of growing up gay, which is why I’m disappointed in my poor choice words and I apologize because they in no way match my beliefs or my voting record that clearly shows I treat all families with the dignity and respect they deserve,” he said Thursday.

The second district is one of just three districts in the state with split representation. It’s one of only two districts where voters sent elected lawmakers of different parties. State Sen. Dawn Addiego (D-Evesham), who represents the split eighth district, was elected as a Republican but switched her party alignment last January.

Democrats will fight to keep that seat next year. They’ll also push hard to flip Brown’s seat and oust State Sen. Kip Bateman (R-Neshanic Station), though much about the state of these races remains hazy pending the state’s reapportionment, which would be delayed until 2022 if the state does not receive census data by Feb. 15.

So far, Democrats appear hopeful that the second legislative district will remain competitive, and their focus — at this early stage, anyway — is on dinging Brown’s record on LGBT issues.

“We have made a lot of progress here in New Jersey in the fight for equality for the LGBTQ community, but we can’t take that progress for granted,” Sweeney said. “We have to continue to be vigilant in protecting the principles of equal rights for everyone.”

They may find some trouble there, at least among voters who are familiar with Brown’s voting record on the issue.

He voted to in favor of bills allowing transgender residents to alter their birth certificates to align with their gender identity, requiring school boards to include LGBT history in curriculums and barring “gay panic” as a legal defense.