I’ve heard the jokes since Election Day. “Lakewood can’t make up its mind.” “Who voted for Booker and then for Chris Smith on the same ballot?”
I did. So did thousands of my neighbors. According to the unofficial numbers TLS reported, Lakewood gave Cory Booker about 11,900 votes for Senate and gave Chris Smith more than 18,000 for Congress. On the local line, the two candidates leading for Township Committee are a Democrat, Mayor Coles, and a Republican, Deborah Fuentes.
Some people call that a mess. I call it a community that votes for people, not for colors.
We have never had the luxury of being a party town. We need busing that works, school funding that reaches our children, roads that can carry the traffic we already have, and officials who pick up the phone when a family is in trouble. Those needs don’t check whether the person on the other end has a D or an R next to his name.
When our community backs the candidate who has delivered for us, in either party, we are telling every elected official the same thing: earn our vote, and you can have it. Ignore us, and you can’t count on it.
That only works if we keep doing it with our eyes open. Bloc voting is a tool, not a religion. It means our rabbonim and askanim have to explain their choices, and it means each of us still has to read the whole ballot.
So to the people laughing at the split results: we weren’t confused. We were careful.
Now the hard part starts. The election is over. Let’s hold every one of these officials, from both parties, to what they promised.
A Proud Ticket-Splitter In Lakewood
perhaps you mean lets hold the askonim (and the rabbonim who backed them) by asking us to follow their advise on who to vote for
You mean vote based on freebies not on Torah values 🙁
Is it Torah values to support Donald Trump?? I’m sorry I can’t hear you. Please talk louder. IS IT TORAH VALUES TO SUPPORT THE ORANGE CHAZER DONALD J TRUMP?!
Yes
yes of course it is he loves jewish people. IHes a true oheiv yisroel
Well said!
has nothing to do with voting for colors, you vote for a person whose policies are in line with your own that protect the rights of all individuals and stand to uphold the laws
Sorry, what did Debby Fuentes promise you that you are holding her to it?
One simple reason i did NOT vote for Booker:
he is busy promoting cannabis business for the African American community, instead of promoting them to train/study all kind of
different options; be it in college technical studies , etc.
I happen to know African Americans that are skilled in construction, electricians, etc.
Obama , as much that I don’t like him, but he didn’t become President like that;
Dr. Ben Carson , a prominent surgeon, another good example
of someone who should be an example and inspiration.