Stomping Grounds: County lines, John Nicodemo, Gannett’s Future, and N.J. politics in the movies

New Jerseyans aren’t always civil, but it’s still possible for a liberal Democrat and a conservative Republican to have a rational and pleasant conversation about politics in the state.  Dan Bryan is a former senior advisor to Gov. Phil Murphy and is now the owner of his own public affairs firm, and Alex Wilkes is an attorney and former executive director of America Rising PAC who advises Republican candidates in New Jersey and across the nation.  Dan and Alex are both experienced strategists who are currently in the room where high-level decisions are made.  They will get together weekly with New Jersey Globe editor David Wildstein to discuss politics and issues.

New Jersey Globe: The start of the 2024 U.S. Senate campaign and the 2025 Governor’s race has sparked another debate about organization lines.  Should they remain, or is it time to move on?

Alex Wilkes: Pretty much anything works in moderation, right? I do think that is true of “the Line” with the counterweight to its undemocratic and corrupting excesses being a robust, two-party system.

I stand by what I’ve said before that truly dedicated efforts can overcome the Line’s influence and that most of its loud and angry victims are people who weren’t willing to put in the time, money, and shoe leather to convince a few hundred County Committee members – let alone voters in a general election.

I might not understand the appeal of Andy Kim, but I think he does have some of that true momentum behind him that can topple the machine (i.e. MSNBC darling, outside money, etc.). Democrats are already frustrated with their ailing, octogenarian President and having a once-in-a-generation Senate seat close as quickly as it opened is enraging.

What I would say in earnest for the Andy Kim fans is that this is a natural consequence of Democrats so ruthlessly consolidating their power over the last few years. Whether it’s through permanent absentee voting lists made with a stroke of a pen or gerrymandering that leaves Republicans with only a quarter of the state’s congressional seats irrespective of our statewide vote totals, Democrats took power and every opportunity to solidify it along the way.

Now, if you’re an Andy Kim fan, maybe that worked for you when the Governor was using tax dollars to distribute and publicize property tax rebates at the same time VBM ballots dropped in the last election, but when the Governor assembles 3 men in a room to secure his wife a Senate overnight, it’s obviously not as fun.

Look at the whole picture here: on the one hand, you have places on the Republican side where a smart, five-figure investment can obliterate one county line and on the other, three or four county chairmen on the Democratic side who are empowered to effectively make statewide decisions before a single vote is cast. The lopsidedness of power here should demonstrate to defenders of the organizational line that its long-term viability depends on two strong parties to protect it.

Dan Bryan: I’ve gotta say, I’m not the smartest guy in the world, but even I find it hard to believe anyone would fall for Congressman Kim’s convenient, newfound stance on “the line.”

The Congressman, who happily sought and ran on “the line” in 2018, 2020, and 2022 (as well as seeking support from politically connected Super PACs), and is now actively seeking it throughout the state for the 2024 Senate primary, has come out against “the line” only when it was abundantly clear that he hadn’t done nearly enough work to win any support state-wide. At best, his stance is in word only, not in deed, since his actions admittedly contradict his stance. But in reality, even his *stance* is a clear cynical play to appeal to anti-line activists – I’d like them to ask him, as Senator, what actions would he take to eliminate the line? In his conversations with county chairs asking for their support, is he lobbying them against the line? His “position” is obviously a cynical play meant to appeal to those who don’t follow state politics closely, and I imagine that the more they learn about this situation, the less they’ll like.

“The line” is becoming a bit of a catch-all for people that wish the political class reflected their personal politics more closely. Does it grant candidates an advantage? Clearly, as does the institutional support that any endorsement brings with it. Whether or not Brian Stack runs on or off “the line,” he’ll blow out his competition. This was true when he won 2-1 off the line when he originally ran for State Senate.

I come at this from a bit of a unique perspective – in my career, I’ve won elections off the line, and lost elections on the line. I sympathize with wanting to change the political system at large – but I care far more about delivering results for people in our state that desperately need them, and that means working within the system that exists. Does that mean things are perfect, and we should never try to improve them? No, and if we can make things work better, we should.

I’d also like to point out what New Jersey’s Democratic establishment has achieved in New Jersey over the past six years: equal pay for equal work legislation, guaranteed paid sick leave legislation, guaranteed paid family leave legislation, the strongest minimum wage bill in the country, billions more in funding for public schools, a fully funded pension, a thriving economy, historic property tax relief for working families, legislation to expand democracy and make it far easier to vote, a millionaire’s tax, free community college, and much, much more. This all translates to having improved the quality of life for millions of New Jerseyans that transcend socioeconomic status, race, and geography. When some in the far-left rail against New Jersey Democrats, I’d like them to show me a state in the country that has accomplished anywhere near as much of a true progressive agenda.

As a side note: when I was in Hoboken City Hall, we had a nickname for those that found something new to oppose at every council meeting, regardless of the agenda: CAVE people, which stood for Citizens Against Virtually Everything. There are some in life that find it far easier being on the outside looking in, railing against every perceived impurity and holding everyone and everything to impossible standards. It’s easier than making real change.

NJ Globe: There are new allegations of prosecutorial misconduct against Deputy Attorney General John Nicodemo that are disturbing. What’s the best way to handle a prosecutor who might have lied to a grand jury?  

Dan: I don’t have any specifics on this case. But I do know that Attorney General Matt Platkin has more integrity than anyone I know, and I am sure that he will handle this case with the seriousness and the rigor that it deserves.

Alex:  I think Nicodemo is a product of an Attorney General’s office that is both leaderless and gutless.. Maybe Matt Platkin should stop suing parents and school boards and get his own house in order instead.

NJ Globe: To save money, Gannett has canceled LexisNexis subscriptions for their reporters.  How long do these old legacy newspapers last?

Alex: Probably not long with headlines like that. I’m sure someone will take me to task telling me that I’m completely wrong here, but this feels like a place where newspapers can be operating more nimbly but don’t. A blanket Lexis Nexus subscription for the whole newsroom is absurdly expensive and probably unnecessary. You could set up a basic process that lets reporters make their case for using the database as they would for any other kind of news gathering (e.g. travel to interview sources). To take a page out of the law, you could pass costs on to advertisers for displays on stories that involved more intensive use of the database. In our digital world, information is a precious commodity and it requires expensive upkeep and storage capabilities. Data centers like Lexis are costly for a reason, and it is surprising that there has been no thought given to this reality previously.  Newspapers need to do better in rooting out these inefficiencies while maintaining the integrity of their product.

Dan: It’s clear that Gannett couldn’t care less about journalism. They’ve gutted the Bergen Record, once one of the premier local newspapers in the country, beyond recognition. The good journalists and editors they have left are demoralized, overworked, and underpaid.

But of course Gannett doesn’t care – they’ll slowly strangle a newsroom if it leads to slim profits, quarter by quarter. And when it’s time to close shop, they get to claim a loss and save on taxes. Then, like the aliens in Independence Day, they find another host planet to suck the resources out of and leave for dead. Where are you when we need you, Randy Quaid…

NJ Globe: Since Dan is part of a team trying to get  Hollywood to film in New Jersey, what’s your pitch in a movie based on New Jersey politics? 

Dan: First, I’ll make a prediction: New Jersey’s film industry will rival Georgia’s and Toronto’s by the end of this decade. Governor Murphy has literally created a thriving industry from whole cloth, planting seeds that will benefit the economy for future generations.

It’s hard to top American Hustle, my all-time favorite movie about New Jersey politics. But here are five pitches I’ll make the next time I’m in LA:

1. The Life and Times of Jim McQueeney: Everyone’s favorite New Jersey politico finally gets the treatment he deserves. From his early days alongside Jim Carville and Paul Begala, to CODEL trips smuggling bibles into the USSR (a story he once told me), to helping the Yankees launch the YES Network, to his current role as the sage of New Jersey…no one in our state deserves a movie more than Jim.
2. Hoboken Confidential: No matter what happens throughout the rest of my career, nothing will top Hoboken. The characters, the stakes, the history, the indictments, the fistfights at Council meetings – it’s The Sopranos meets Parks and Rec!
3. Statehouse 2025: A documentary crew follows the 2025 gubernatorial candidates and their staffs in real time. My only demand will be to have a camera on Adam Alonso at all times.
4. On the Horizon: The story of a week in 2017, when our state government ground to a halt over Governor Christie and Speaker Prieto’s fight over the Horizon fund. The film will crescendo with Andrew Mills’ heroic flight over Island Beach State Park, as he hangs out of the plane and gets that perfect shot just in time. Bill Castner will be played by a young Harrison Ford.|
5. A Confederacy of Dunces: The American classic finally gets the movie treatment it deserves, as we watch the New Jersey GOP flail from one election to the other, acting as their own worst enemy a la Ignatius J. Reilly.

Alex: My first idea is one I have detailed for the movie we are owed for our continued humiliation and misuse of our taxpayer funds on Gold Bar Bob, the Egyptians, and Nadine with her, um, eclectic fashion sense.

My second idea is sort of a sequel in the form of a political thriller miniseries, “The Skeletons of Hudson County.” It’s a riveting tale of a scandal-plagued Senator and father using his decades of influence and power to strong-arm support for his son’s congressional seat hanging in the balance. In fact, Hudson County already has the perfect set.

And don’t worry, I already have a sponsor in mind: Lexus and their December to Remember Savings Event – except in this version, it’s Phil giving Tammy Murphy a car and a Senate seat wrapped in a giant, red bow.