Hudson Democrats will have open presidential primary

Hudson County Democrats will hold an open primary for president, leaving Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders in a separate column on the June 2 ballot.

“The Biden and Sanders camps accepted an open primary,” Hudson Democratic county chair Amy DeGise told the New Jersey Globe.  “We’re proud to support having an open primary.  Democrats will reunite once the nomination is made.

The move leaves a slate of nine progressive freeholder candidates without Sanders at the top of their ticket.

“We’re happy that they were respectful of our organization,” DeGise said of the Sanders campaign.

According to DeGise, the Hudson County Democratic organization line will be headed by U.S. Senator Cory Booker and three incumbent congressmen: Albio Sires (D-West New York), Donald Payne (D-Newark) and Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-Paterson).

All four have primary opponents who are believed to be bracketing with the progressive off-the-line freeholder slate.

DeGise also said she opposes an all-VBM primary and would prefer that an in-person election be held at a later date.

“It’s just not in the culture here,” DeGise said of vote-by-mail ballots. “Our strongest voting blocks are not going to vote by mail.”

Vote-by-mail is more popular among groups of Democrats who don’t typically vote, DeGise said.