Does the end of NJ's party line on primary ballots mean anything for Republicans?
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While much attention is being paid to New Jersey's Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, there is also a contested primary across the aisle.
South Jersey businessman Curtis Bashaw and Mendham Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner have been battling at Republican county conventions for ballot positioning.
Although a federal lawsuit brought by Rep. Andy Kim has led to a redesign of ballots for Democrats, New Jersey's county line ballot design is still in use for Republicans. U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi, who issued an order that the Democratic ballots be redesigned on Friday, later clarified that the Republican ballots used in the June 4 primary would not change.
Bashaw holds the line in 13 counties, compared with the six that went to Serrano Glassner. Two of the counties Bashaw holds were transferred after Alex Zdan dropped out of the race.
What's happening on the GOP side of the race?
The winner of the June 4 primary will likely face Kim and try to become the first Republican to represent New Jersey in the Senate since the 1970s.
Bashaw announced his bid for the nomination in late January. State Sen. Michael Testa is serving as Bashaw's campaign chair.
Serrano Glassner has been running since September and announced her candidacy days before the federal indictment against Sen. Bob Menendez was released and effectively put the Senate seat in play.
A Monmouth University poll released last month showed that Serrano Glassner has the most name recognition among Republican voters, at 24%, with Bashaw polling at 12%. In terms of a general election, 9% of registered voters polled said they would definitely vote for Serrano Glassner and 38% said they would possibly vote for her. Bashaw had 10% definite and 35% possible support.
Federal lawsuit: NJ county clerks appeal after federal judge's order that may undo the ballot county line
What's next in Kim's lawsuit?
As for the lawsuit, Kim had until noon Monday to argue in support of Quraishi's order that Democratic ballots should be redesigned in block format for the June 4 primary — even as 15 of 17 county clerks named in the suit appeal the ruling.
Clerks from Burlington and Hudson counties were initially part of the appeal, but they withdrew.
Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ GOP retains party line ballots for June primary
