State Senate candidates for the 2nd District may have different views on offshore wind farm development and some social issues, but they have one thing in common:
Both major party candidates spoke in interviews this week about the importance of economic diversification for Atlantic County, emphasizing the need to make New Jersey and the region more affordable.
Incumbent State Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic. and Atlantic County Executive Karen Fitzpatrick (D-Lynnwood) will face off on Oct. 19 in a one-hour debate hosted by Stockton University’s William J. Hughes Public Policy Center and Atlantic City Press. It will be held in the university’s Fannie Lou Hamer Room on the Atlantic City campus at 6 p.m.
Congressional candidates will then debate for an hour.
The campaign got off to a bit of a rocky start for Fitzpatrick, but he said this week that things are going well.
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She began running for Congress, and little-known Pleasantville City Councilman Victor Carmona ran for Senate on the Democratic ticket.
Mr. Carmona dropped out of the race in July, and was replaced by Mr. Fitzpatrick, who many in the party believed should have been his Senate candidate from the beginning.
Fitzpatrick said she remains concerned about protecting women’s reproductive rights in New Jersey, even though Gov. Phil Murphy signed the Reproductive Freedom Act in January 2022.
The law guarantees women’s self-determination in reproductive matters.
Regarding the right to abortion, Fitzpatrick said, “It’s not in the Constitution, and a simple majority can overturn (protections).” “That’s not completely decided. I can’t be overconfident.”
For Mr. Polistina, this year’s campaign is very different from the 2021 campaign, in which he and his team defeated two Democratic incumbents and won a landslide Republican victory.
“The big difference this year is we’re setting records as senators and representatives,” Polistina said. “We are the most bipartisan legislator in the state.”
Mr. Polistina noted the swearing-in of Atlantic County’s new prosecutor, William J. Reynolds, and the appointment of several of the county’s superior court judges.
This avoided the severe shortage of judges seen in other parts of the state.
Polistina nominated Mr. Reynolds. Reynolds will work with Sheriff Eric Scheffler, Atlantic City Police Chief James Sarkos, and social services agencies to ensure that repeat offenders with less serious charges receive drug and mental health treatment or opt out of treatment. In some cases, prosecutions have been filed.
Polistina also talked about the bipartisan approach in Trenton that helped secure millions of dollars in additional funding for AtlantiCare, Stockton University and the National Aerospace Research and Technology Park in Egg Harbor Township. said.
He and his running mates, Rep. Don Guardian and Rep. Claire Swift, were among the few Republicans to vote in favor of Gov. Phil Murphy’s budget proposals last year and this year.
Polistina cited the budget’s significant funding increases for Atlantic County agencies and projects as well as a strong property tax rebate program.
In interviews this week, the two candidates spoke about three major issues or areas of concern.
Protecting women’s access to health care and health care in general was a top priority for Fitzpatrick, “including affordable prescription drugs.”
“Sometimes things just slip away and before you know it, you don’t have that freedom anymore,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’d be happy to add (reproductive rights) to the state constitution…I’m hearing from people who would like to see that happen.”
Her next challenge is to grow the economy and make Atlantic County more affordable and attract more people because “it’s hard to attract investment when the population isn’t growing.”
Atlantic County’s population only increased from 274,549 in 2010 to 275,638 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census.
Mr Fitzpatrick, a strong supporter of offshore wind farm development, said the transition to renewable energy was a priority.
“We live in a very sensitive environment, so we’re seeing the effects of climate change,” Fitzpatrick said.
“I’ve had another bird in my backyard for the past few years,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s a white ibis. It shouldn’t be here.”
In the 1950s, it was as far north as North Carolina, but now it’s here because temperatures are warm enough, she said.
“It’s not theory, it’s reality,” Fitzpatrick said.
She wants public transportation and school buses to switch to electric vehicles.
And she wants public transportation in South Jersey to improve.
“We’re far from on par with the rest of the state. It’s definitely a barrier to employment. If you can’t get to a place that has reliable transportation, you don’t have a job.”
Polistina’s top priority is to diversify Atlantic County’s economy while continuing to support the tourism industry, which is a pillar here, he said.
“Obviously, it’s extremely important to our future,” Polistina said. “Providing opportunities for people will be key going forward.”
Next on Polistina’s list is working to keep his district, Atlantic City, clean and safe.
“We are always talking about the need for reinvestment and redevelopment of the city,” Polistina said. “It’s extremely important to the entire region.”
He would also like to see more street lights installed in the city.
“It’s not just fixing the lights,” he said of recent efforts to repair street lights that are starting to pay off. “But it’s also important to get more lighting, especially in tourist areas. I think that’s the key to solving crime and having a comfortable city.”
And secondly, Polistina said bipartisan efforts are important in Democratic-majority states.
“We have to find a way to work together across party lines,” Polistina said. “We have to support law enforcement, we have to support parents…we have to keep parents involved in their children’s lives.”
Parents should be notified when making important decisions, such as which gender their child identifies at school, he said.
Polistina, along with other Republicans, is encouraging a moratorium on offshore wind energy development until more is learned about its impacts on marine mammals, fisheries and the tourism industry, as well as its costs.
Reporter: Michelle Brunetti Post
609-841-2895
mpost@pressofac.com