Larry Hamm, a progressive activist and a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, said this morning that he intends to vote “uncommitted” in this year’s New Jersey presidential primary in protest of President Joe Biden’s actions in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
“I believe voting ‘Uncommitted’ for president in the primary is the best way to send the strongest possible message to President Biden that his administration must do everything necessary to bring Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza to an immediate end,” Hamm said. “I demand President Biden take all necessary action to realize an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”
Biden only faces one opponent in the New Jersey primary: Terrisa Bukovinac, a little-known anti-abortion activist. But voters will also be able to select “uncommitted” instead of either named candidate, which could lead to some uncommitted delegates being selected to go to the Democratic National Convention this summer if they reach a certain vote threshold.
Eighty-four of New Jersey’s delegates to the convention will be elected by legislative district (with two legislative districts combining to make one delegate district), and another 28 will be elected at-large. If the uncommitted campaign surpasses 15% of the vote either statewide or in individual districts, some delegates running with the slogan of “Justice for Palestine, Permanent Ceasefire Now” could be elected.
Hamm is among the most notable New Jersey politicians to have called for an uncommitted vote in this year’s primary; former Assemblywoman Sadaf Jaffer (D-Montgomery) has also indicated she’ll vote uncommitted due to Biden’s Israel policies.
Most other New Jersey Democrats, on the other hand, are firmly behind Biden – including Hamm’s two Senate primary opponents, Patricia Campos-Medina and Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown). Kim said last year that he was supporting Biden for re-election, while Campos-Medina told the New Jersey Globe today that she too will vote for Biden, even though she may have some disagreements with the president on foreign policy.
“As a lifelong Democrat, I fully support President Joe Biden for re-election this year because the alternative of Donald Trump is unacceptable,” Campos-Medina said. “I will also continue to press the President to take action to support an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and halt arm shipments to Israel as 40 members of Congress (but not Congressman Kim) did on Friday.”
The campaign to vote “uncommitted” has not been limited to New Jersey, and pro-Palestinian activists have successfully elected uncommitted presidential delegates in Michigan, Hawaii, Minnesota, Missouri, and Washington so far. Those results, Hamm claimed today, have forced the Biden administration to more directly address the crisis in Gaza – but he said Biden still hasn’t made enough concrete policy changes to earn his primary vote.
“A change in the president’s rhetoric is not enough,” Hamm said. “There must be a clear change in the policy and actions of his administration on this matter. To make this change happen we must keep up the pressure on the Biden administration. Voting ‘Uncommitted’ in the primary is one way to do that.”