At the Democratic National Convention (DNC) this evening, New Jersey’s delegation cast 142 of its 144 votes for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, with the remaining two delegates voting present.
“New Jersey and these amazing delegates cast two votes present and 142 votes for Kamala Harris for president of the United States of America!” exclaimed New Jersey Democratic State Chairman LeRoy Jones as an instrumental version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” blasted in the background. “When we fight, we win!”
The vote tonight was a ceremonial one; the official roll call choosing Harris as the Democratic nominee occurred on August 6.
In New Jersey’s June primary election, President Joe Biden got 88% of the vote, with 9% going to a Palestine-focused “uncommitted” slate and another 3% going to obscure pro-life Democrat Terrisa Bukovinac. Because “uncommitted” received more than 15% of the vote in two delegate districts, two uncommitted candidates secured DNC delegate spots.
Once Biden dropped out of the race, New Jersey’s delegation – much like other delegations around the country – quickly got behind Harris instead. (Hypothetically, each of the delegates who had been elected to support Biden could have voted for any candidate they wished, but Harris quickly shut down the field and prevented an open convention.)
At last month’s Republican National Convention, State Sen. Mike Testa (R-Vineland) announced that all of New Jersey’s delegates had been awarded to former President Donald Trump, who won the New Jersey primary uncontested. But because the New Jersey primary came after a key summer deadline and the RNC declined to give the party a waiver, the state lost most of its delegates, and it was able to cast just 12 votes.
New Jersey Democrats, meanwhile, had no such issues, and were given 146 total delegate slots at the DNC. (Only 144 votes were cast tonight because Rep. Donald Payne Jr. died last spring, leaving his automatic delegate spot vacant, and now-resigned Senator Bob Menendez did not vote.)
Joeigh Perella, a former county commissioner candidate in Cumberland County, declared on the convention floor that she knew Harris would be a supporter of LGBTQ rights.
“I’m a proud resident of the Garden State,” said Perella, who would have been New Jersey’s highest-ranking transgender elected official if she had won. “I’m proud to stand with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, because they stand with the LGBTQ community. It’s time to turn the page on Trump.”
And Gov. Phil Murphy, completing the trio of New Jersey speakers, had an even simpler message.
“We’re from Jersey, baby – and you’re not!” he said. “In the great Garden State, we care about protecting women’s rights and lifting up vulnerable communities. That’s what we mean when we say the great Garden State.”