NEW BRUNSWICK — Political drama broke through the calm and secrecy of the state legislative redistricting process Wednesday, as leaks of a district map Democrats proposed on Tuesday showed the party sacrificing some of its own incumbents. The news set the party aflame, causing an outcry from parts of the party’s liberal base. State Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) was...
NEW BRUNSWICK — Political drama broke through the calm and secrecy of the state legislative redistricting process Wednesday, as leaks of a district map Democrats proposed on Tuesday showed the party sacrificing some of its own incumbents.
The news set the party aflame, causing an outcry from parts of the party’s liberal base.
State Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) was the first to raise a stink, saying Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), leader of the Democrats’ redistricting team, wanted to further his own career by pitting Vitale against Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex). That would create a district stretching from Perth Amboy to New Brunswick, with the aim of slightly increasing its Hispanic population. But it would also open up a Senate seat for Wisniewski if he wanted to pursue it.
Vitale said he learned about the proposal Wednesday, and said his career has involved "shaping policies that benefit minorities, women and the disenfranchised."
"He’s not serving the party. He’s serving himself," said Vitale of Wisniewski, who is also the Democratic state chairman.
Wisniewski said he was not drawing maps with his career in mind. "Everything I’m doing here is to make sure there’s a fair map," he said.
A number of liberal groups, including labor unions, bloggers and environmental advocates, quickly pulled together for a conference call supporting Vitale and Buono, and accused unnamed Democratic political bosses of seeking to silence independent voices within the party. "To us this seems to look like power brokers pitting two progressive incumbents against each other just to create an open seat," said NJEA Vice President Wendell Steinhauer.
The Democratic proposal would also pit state Sen. John Girgenti (D-Passaic) against state Sen. Robert Gordon (D-Bergen) in a Bergen County-based district, and put state Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex), a former senate president and governor, in a district with state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris), according to three sources with knowledge of the negotiations.
Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) deposed Codey from the top Senate spot in 2009. Girgenti, Gordon and Vitale backed Codey in that fight, while Buono has feuded with him on policy issues and is considered a potential rival for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2013.
The sources, who wished to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the plans, stressed the mapmaking plans are in flux and will almost certainly change by the time the new legislative district map is finalized Monday.
Removing Girgenti from his current district would give Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic), who is Hispanic, a chance at an open state Senate seat. Groups have pushed for more Hispanic representation in the Legislature, especially the upper house, where there is only one Hispanic senator.
Sweeney accused Republicans of leaking and "spinning" information to stir the pot, then doused water on the proposal.
"This helps create the anxiety, I guess, in the rank and file who are getting upset. I would be, too, if I were Joe or Barbara. But like I said, they’re friends of mine. It will all get worked out. This is not the final map," he said, adding that he would not confirm or deny its authenticity because he had signed a confidentiality agreement.
The Democrats’ proposal is not the only one that would pit incumbent lawmakers against each other. The plan Republicans proposed Tuesday would put some Democratic lawmakers in uncomfortable positions, including some minorities.
Details of the Republicans’ plan from Tuesday were provided by two sources with knowledge of the redistricting process who were not authorized to speak publicly. State Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer), who is African-American, would face state Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex) in a primary. Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, who is also African-American, would be in the same legislative district as Assembly members Joseph Cryan (D-Union) and John McKeon.
Republicans said their proposal would not reduce minority representation. "We’re committed to a map that reflects the demography of New Jersey," said Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-Morris), who is leading the Republicans’ redistricting effort.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the location of a new district in Middlesex County — it would stretch from Perth Amboy to New Brunswick, not Bayonne as originally stated.