Obama endorses Norcross in Dem primary
President Obama endorsed South Jersey Congressman Donald Norcross for reelection Wednesday, wading into a lopsided primary to help the brother of one of New Jersey's most powerful Democratic figures.
President Obama endorsed South Jersey Congressman Donald Norcross for reelection Wednesday, wading into a lopsided primary to help the brother of one of New Jersey's most powerful Democratic figures.
Norcross, a freshman Democrat and longtime South Jersey labor leader, is facing a primary challenge Tuesday from Alex Law, 25, a former IBM consultant making his first-ever run for public office.
His brother George Norcross III is the unelected leader of the South Jersey Democratic machine and is well-known to national party leaders. Rutgers University political analyst Ross Baker recently compared the primary match-up to David vs. Goliath.
"I am so honored and humbled to accept the endorsement of our president," Donald Norcross said in his news release.
Law, in an email, called it "a strange decision for a president to get involved in a primary election, especially considering the incumbent's record." He said Norcross had voted against Obama's stances more than any other New Jersey Democrat, including on high-profile issues such as the Iran nuclear deal and approving the Keystone pipeline.
This isn't the first time national Democrats have gone to bat for Norcross in a seemingly safe contest. In 2014, their congressional leader, Nancy Pelosi, stopped in South Jersey shortly before Election Day to raise money for Norcross as he cruised to an 18 percentage-point victory in a heavily Democratic district in Camden and parts of Gloucester and Burlington Counties.
The winner of this year's primary will face Republican Bob Patterson in November. Patterson is running unopposed for the GOP nomination.
@JonathanTamari