In what is effectively a straw poll, five of the six gubernatorial contenders will be seeking endorsements at Hunterdon County Democrats’ first-in-the-state convention on Sunday afternoon. The endorsements will just include a phrase and no organization line.
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop is not running, but Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, former Senate President Steve Sweeney, and New Jersey Education Association President and former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller are.
There will only be one ballot, but the top two candidates—regardless of their percentage—will go to a second ballot runoff. To win the convention, one must receive 50% plus one vote. It’s worth watching: to whom do the votes of the lowest three candidates go?
The Democratic county chairman, former Representative Tom Malinowski, has remained neutral in Hunterdon. He participated in a Facebook Live meet-and-greet with Sherrill on Thursday, which was organized by her congressional office. All candidates, including Fulop, have been welcomed by Malinowski; Spiller, however, has never inquired.
Hunterdon hosted the state’s first Democratic convention five years ago today, which featured a sizable field of presidential contenders.
Elizabeth Warren was ahead of Michael Bloomberg 37–33 on the first ballot, with Amy Klobuchar (23), Pete Buttigieg (20), Joe Biden (19), and Bernie Sanders (19) following. Deval Patrick (0) and Andrew Yang (2) did not receive enough votes to advance to the next round of voting. Michael Bennet, Tom Steyer, and Tulsi Gabbard lacked sufficient support to receive nominations.
Bloomberg defeated Warren by a single vote (40–39) in the second round of voting, with Amy Klobuchar (22), Pete Buttigieg (19), Bernie Sanders (17), and Joe Biden (12) following.
On the third ballot, Warren defeated Bloomberg by a margin of four votes, 74-70, or 51%-49%.
