Your Turn
Richard J. Dinan
Guest Column
‘Miniconvention’ creates spirited contests

Recent newspaper editorials and articles have criticized the manner in which Monmouth County Republican Organization Chairman William F. Dowd chose a new candidate to replace Freeholder Edward J. Stominski on the Republican line.

It has been suggested open primaries are a more appropriate way to choose party candidates.

In practice, an open primary is a step backward in bringing ethics and fairness to our candidate selection process.

Victor V. Scudiery has been chairman of the Monmouth County Democratic Organiza-tion for 15 years.

Each year — before designating the line for candidates — he convenes a miniconvention to select candidates to recommend to him for designation.

Hundreds of delegates are appointed from amongst party representatives and public office holders from all regions of the county.

Any party member can be selected for any office simply by a nomination and second from any two delegates.

Candidates are given equal time to address the body and all delegates participate in a secret ballot.

This process has resulted in a number of spirited contests for nomination. A few years ago — after a vigorous contest with two other candidates — a first-time candidate won the endorsement of the convention and went on to upset an incumbent Republican congressman. His name is Congressman Rush Holt.

Chairman Scudiery has never vetoed the choice of the nominating convention.

However, he has continually maintained his right to do so if he felt someone slipped through the process that clearly opposed the values and principles of the Democratic Party.

He has repeatedly said he would never give the line to a "David Duke."

When compared to this process, an open primary would not be a reform, but a regression to power broker politics and pay-to-play abuses.

Without the added advantage of a fairly obtained endorsement on the county line, the average candidate seeking to run for their party would be at a great disadvantage.

New reforms are being proposed for regulating general election campaigns.

However, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled states may not regulate the political parties’ selection process.

Let’s face it, Monmouth County is fertile ground for developers, power brokers and other out-of-county interests who are willing to spend obscene amounts of money to gain control here.

What better way to do so than financing candidates in party primaries?

An honest, public-spirited candidate seeking support from their party has a better chance of being selected by an open and fair convention than competing with well-financed special interests in a primary battle.

The proof of this premise is the recent election of three excellent candidates elected to state office in the 12th legislative district — Sen. Ellen Karcher, and Assemblymen Bob Morgan and Michael Panter.

They had the advantage of having obtained the party line after appearing before a fair and open convention. Without that advantage, they may have had a difficult time raising enough funds to compete with the money pouring in from outside of the county to support their challengers in the primary.

It was only the well-financed challengers who were calling for an open primary.

Remember, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Richard J. Dinan is a resident of Hazlet