| Camden
County Republicans have picked up a former Democrat to run for State
Assembly in the 4th district.
At a rally tonight, the party plans to announce that
former Gloucester Township Councilman Eugene E.T. Lawrence will
switch parties and run as a Republican against incumbent Paul Moriarty
(D-Washington Twp.) and whomever Democrats pick to replace outgoing
Assemblywoman Sandra Love (R-Gloucester Township). Lawrence's
candidacy has been kept under wraps by Camden County Republicans, but
they hyped it as a "game changer" last week.
In a statement, Lawrence aimed squarely at Governor
Corzine's budget proposals, criticizing him for eliminating the
property tax deduction.
"The people of Gloucester Township and the 4th
Legislative District are suffering today, and they are suffering
because Jon Corzine has decided to try to balance his budget on the
backs of middle class families," said the former Camden County Chamber
of Commerce and NAACP leader.
Republicans championed Lawrence's work in favor of
affirmative action, noting that he wrote Gloucester Township's first
affirmative action policy.
Lawrence lost his bid for re-election to 2006 along with fellow
incumbent Marge Martin Martinis when Shelley Lovett and Dan Hutchison
swept in on the mayoral slate of Cindy Rau-Hatton.
Rau-Hatton will run with Councilwoman Shelley Lovett,
former Councilwoman Maureen McLaughlin, and former Board of
Education President John Custodio. Democrats are backing David
Mayer, a former Assemblyman and Councilman. Hutchison is seeking
re-election on Mayer's ticket.
McLaughlin's father, John McLaughlin, is a former Executive Director
of the Gloucester Township Democratic Party. He is expected to switch
his party affiliation to the GOP tonight, and will lead an effort to
move other Democratic leaders, specifically in the African-American
community, to the Republican ticket.
Matt Friedman is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via
email at matt@politicsnj.com. |
Former Gloucester Township Councilman
Eugene E.T. Lawrence will switch parties and run as a Republican for
State Assembly in the 4th district. |