Central Jersey, by the numbers.

As I watched the national returns late yesterday, I could not help ask the question, “So, nu? How is this good for the 7th Congressional District and Linda Stender?

First of all, let’s look at my home town of Flemington. Republicans out number Democrats right now by about 2.7-1.


However, here is the vote break down from the primary for the major candidates:

McCain 185
Romney 82
Huckabee 47

Total Republican votes: 314

Clinton 185
Obama 158

Total Democratic votes: 345

So, the major Democratic candidates got more votes than the major Republican candidates. In a town where Republican registration is higher, that is significant. People want change. The Rush Limbaughs, Sean Hannitys, Anne Coulters, Mark Levins are falling all over themselves to be the biggest McCain basher. And that may have had an effect locally on Republican turnout.

Now, to the 7th.

There are four counties [or parts thereof] in the 7th Congressional District: Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, Somerset County, and Union County. Of those counties, Barack Obama won Hunterdon, Somerset, and Union. Mrs. Clinton won in the very traditional Democratic county of Middlesex.

What does this mean for Linda Stender?

By the numbers, Democratic voters came out to vote more than their Republican counterparts. Those are the voters who came out in large numbers to support BOTH Clinton and Obama. Largely, those voters are those who are opposed to the war, and wish for a strong change in leadership. Linda Stender stands solidly for those same values. While all the announced Republican candidates simply do not.

As I have asserted before, all the Republican 7th congressional candidates would vote with the rest of the Republican Party in Congress to sustain the war in Iraq and to oppose providing affordable healthcare for the working families of the 7th.