Andrews nominated to run for his House seat
At a volunteer fire company in a blue collar neighborhood tonight, Robert E. Andrews simultaneously got forgiveness and a prize for breaking a promise to give up his U.S. House seat.
At a volunteer fire company in a blue collar neighborhood tonight, Robert E. Andrews simultaneously got forgiveness and a prize for breaking a promise to give up his U.S. House seat.
By voice vote at the Bellmawr Park Fire Co., almost 500 Democratic committee people loudly nominated him as their Nov. 4 candidate for the First Congressional District. Party leaders, including Andrews, quickly signed legal nominating papers, which were to be hand-delivered to the secretary of state tomorrow morning.
Andrews had promised to give up his House seat as he unsuccessfully sought to take U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg's seat in the Democratic primary. But last week he said his heart told him that reclaiming his seat was "the right thing to do."
All that remained between Andrews and getting his name on the ballot for the November election was the technicality of tonight's nominating convention. The Democratic committee people at tonight's meeting represent the congressional district, which runs through Camden, Gloucester and Burlington Counties.
Andrews thanked the committee people "from the bottom of my heart for your support."
He said the crowd had "given me a chance to be an active part in a wave that is going to change and sweep our country."
Andrews made another promise – to vigorously campaign himself and for other Democratic candidates. None in the crowd seemed to think that a broken promise should hold Andrews back from fighting to regain his seat.
"He has a right to take his time and reconsider," said Gwendolyn Joyce Brown, a 13-year Woodbury councilwoman. "I'm happy he did."
Those at the fire house were Andrews' loyalists. In the statewide jaunt of a Senate campaign, Andrews won big only in his congressional district. Lautenberg crushed him in North Jersey and ran a close second in nearby South Jersey counties.
"Everyone here in this district absolutely loves this guy," said state Sen. Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester) who is a close ally of Andrews'. "I know he's getting beat up for this decision." But Sweeney said the party faithful "are glad he did this. That's why you have such a large crowd."
On the ballot, Andrews is set to replace his wife, Camille Spinello Andrews, who ran as a place-holder for a congressional candidate to be named later by the party. Among those potential candidates was labor leader Donald Norcross, who presided over last night's nominating convention.
Norcross, cochairman of the Camden County Democrats and brother of South Jersey political power broker George Norcross 3d, wouldn't say whether he was disappointed by Andrews' decision.
"This night is about Rob and the folks who voted for him," he said.
Andrews' GOP opponent, Dale Glading, 48, of Barrington, said that since Andrews reversed himself and announced he'd run for the House seat, voters are expressing their anger. "Everybody's connecting the dots in the district. People are saying this really was contrived," Glading said yesterday. "We're meeting people who tell us they've never voted for a Republican but that they're casting anti-Rob Andrews' votes."
Glading promises a spirited race. He has been knocking on hundreds of doors each week and plans to begin knocking on 1,000 soon.
