It took Tammy Murphy just weeks to win the backing of key New Jersey Democratic leaders in her bid for Senate. In a state where party bosses still carry strong influence in elections, that could ordinarily be enough to ensure her nomination — giving the New Jersey first lady preferential ballot positioning right below President Joe Biden in many critical counties.
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Julia Sass Rubin
Let’s Keep Focus on “The Line” in NJ Politics
If you’re not in-the-know, The Line is where you want to be on the ballot if you’re running for office in New Jersey. Candidates granted The Line by NJ’s political gatekeepers are almost assured of victory, especially in a primary election. That’s why NJ’s powerful political machines invest so much time and treasure into determining who gets the line and (perhaps more importantly) who doesn’t.
A Senate Candidate Accused of Nepotism Has Another Edge: The Ballot
No New Jersey legislative incumbent chosen to run on the county line in all of the counties he or she represented has lost a primary election since 2009, according to a recent study by a Rutgers University professor, Julia Sass Rubin.
Wells Fargo Joins $5.5M Settlement With Oregon Over Inflated Tax Break
New Orleans-based Enhanced Capital, which was acquired by P10 in 2020, is one of the nation’s three big CDEs that have played a dominant role in the state programs, according to Rutgers University public policy professor Julia Sass Rubin.
US Senate candidates urged to help end NJ’s ‘party line’ ballot
Nearly every state legislative incumbent who faced a challenge over the last two decades and had the party line in every county won reelection, according to a study by Rutgers University professor Julia Sass Rubin.
Progressives want every Senate candidate from NJ to back a change to state’s ballot designs
Research by Julia Sass Rubin of the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University shows that placement on the county line gives candidates an average of 38% more votes than their competitors, and no state legislative incumbent has lost a primary since 2009 when they’ve been put on the county line.
The Weird Gimmick That May Decide New Jersey’s Next Senator
Rubin—who is neutral in the race—told The Daily Beast it’s possible that candidates can overcome the county line, citing a 2020 example when a county-backed political science professor lost in the primary to Amy Kennedy, the wife of former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-NJ).
How big an advantage does winning the party line really deliver?
“You can see the impact that the county line has on both parties in recent legislative races. Over the last few years, three incumbent female legislators lost their primaries after losing the county line in all or some of the counties in their districts.”
Tammy Murphy’s senate runs raises concerns over New Jersey ballot practices : NPR
No incumbent on the county line has lost a primary election since 2009, according to the researcher, Julia Sass Rubin, a professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.
Understanding the party line in NJ
“You can see the impact that the county line has on both parties in recent legislative races. Over the last few years, three incumbent female legislators lost their primaries after losing the county line in all or some of the counties in their districts.”