DeGroot prevails in GOP primary in 11th CD

Presented by the NJ Board of Public Utilities: Your afternoon must-read briefing informing the daily conversation among knowledgeable New Jerseyans.

Jun 08, 2022 View in browser   By Jonathan Custodio Presented by the NJ Board of Public Utilities The last of the results for New Jersey's congressional primary elections are in. Paul DeGroot won the Republican primary in the 11th district with 2,494 votes, or 72 percent. He had a sizable lead on Tuesday night but the result didn't become clear until today. DeGroot, a former prosecutor, defeated a slightly favored Tayfun Selen, a Morris County commissioner. Targeting Selen's Turkish background, DeGroot sent out mailers last month claiming that he was backed by groups that deny Turkey's genocide of Armenians during World War I, which the United States acknowledged last year. Selen responded to the attacks in a May 27 Facebook post. "Yes, Mr. DeGroot, I have supporters who may have funny names like me, who support my campaign, and are, in fact, Americans too," he wrote. "Your social media attacks on them say more about you than me." DeGroot revisted the accusation on social media, tweeting Monday that Selen is "cozying up to cold-blooded thugs who deny Armenian genocide." DeGroot will now face Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), who won her primary unopposed.   A message from the NJ Board of Public Utilities: New Jersey is on its way toward its goal of 100% clean energy by 2050. And you can help. Find out how New Jersey's Clean Energy Program can help businesses save energy and money with commercial clean energy incentives. High-value incentives and rebates on energy efficient improvements and appliances are also available from your utility company. You'll be saving more than money—you'll be helping to make the Garden State the Greenest State. Visit njcleanenergy.com.   HAPPY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON — Hi there, I'm Jonathan Custodio, your Playbook PM author. We're adding New Jersey political trivia to this newsletter and will shout out one person who correctly answers the question in the following day's edition. Shout out to Nataly Tamayo Espinosa for knowing that former Gov. Tom Kean won reelection by the widest margin in state history. Today's question: How many attorneys general served under Kean? Send answers and tips to jcustodio@politico.com. We're here with the latest from Trenton and elsewhere as New Jersey moves ahead in the budget process and the Legislature conducts hearings on Gov. Phil Murphy's spending plan. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY GOP KEEPING FOCUS ON ECONOMY — State Republican Party Chair Bob Hugin said today that cost-of-living issues were a main driver in bringing voters to the polls in Tuesday's primary elections, previewing what will likely be a key part of the GOP's messaging headed into the November midterms. During a conference call with reporters, Hugin cited inflation, taxes and soaring gas prices, which recently hit an average of $5 per gallon in New Jersey, as motivating factors for Republicans. "Economic issues very much at the forefront," he said. But other issues were also top of mind for Republican voters, he said, including "parents' role in education" and suburban crime, specifically car thefts. — Daniel Han COVID NUMBERS — New Jersey reported 2,828 confirmed positive Covid-19 tests and 19 deaths from the virus as the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine — a potential fourth option — received recommended approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The state's seven-day case average was down 9 percent from a week ago and up 9 percent from a month ago. ON THE BEATS MOSCOWITZ APPOINTMENT — Gov. Phil Murphy appointed Barry Moscowitz as acting director and chief administrative law judge of the Office of Administrative Law, replacing former Acting Director Ellen Bass, who retired last week. The office presides over a slate of administrative law judges who hear and issue decisions on contested cases for state agencies. "Acting Director Moscowitz has a long history of success in the Office of Administrative Law. I know that under his leadership the office will continue to deliver fair and efficient decisions on the many cases they encounter," Murphy said.   A message from the NJ Board of Public Utilities:   Around New Jersey BILL WOULD PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO HIRE RECOVERING ADDICTS — New Jersey Monitor's Nikita Biryukov: "Assembly lawmakers will weigh a bill Thursday encouraging businesses to hire individuals recovering from drug addiction. The measure would provide businesses with gross income tax credits of up to $2,000 for each worker recovering from drug addiction, with the size of the award depending on how many hours an eligible employee works. 'We have to work collaboratively to give people a pathway out,' said Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), the bill's prime sponsor. 'Motivating small business owners and companies to hire employees of all sorts and give them a second chance, I think, is only a good thing.'" WHY ARE SOME HEALTH ADVOCATES AGAINST CASINO SMOKING BAN? — NJ Spotlight News' Lilo H. Stainton: "Why would county agencies dedicated to improving the health and welfare of vulnerable seniors and disabled New Jerseyans want to protect people's right to smoke inside the state's casinos? In a word, money. New Jersey expects to collect more than $425 million in taxes on gambling in the next fiscal year and that money is dedicated, by statute, to fund an array of programs supporting low-income seniors and disabled individuals. Taxes on casino revenue help pay for prescription drugs, community programs and housing for disabled individuals in state institutions." BUSINESS GROUPS OPPOSE MURPHY RULES ON BUILDING IN FLOOD ZONES — NJ Advance Media's Brent Johnson: "More than a dozen business groups are calling on Gov. Phil Murphy to stop his administration from issuing emergency rules for new construction in certain flood-prone areas of New Jersey, saying it could lead to thousands of development projects being delayed or canceled and addresses the "wrong solution" on flooding. NJ Advance Media reported last week the state Department of Environmental Protection is preparing to implement the rules eight months after Tropical Storm Ida to help buttress inland flood zones in the state as storms are expected to occur more frequently and with more intensity because of climate change." Odds and ends — Tenafly's school district has canceled all final exams because of a ransomware attack. — A new program at Rutgers University offers instruction in how to run a vineyard.  — Video of a last-minute victory by a Special Olympian from New Jersey has gone viral. — Public safety officials in Long Branch have issued a zero-tolerance policy for large gatherings without a permit.    A message from the NJ Board of Public Utilities: New Jersey is at the forefront of the clean energy revolution. Thanks to the enthusiastic participation of businesses, residents, local government, and many others across the state, New Jersey is well on its way toward reaching Governor Phil Murphy's ambitious goal of 100% clean energy by 2050. But there is still more to be done. Find out how New Jersey's Clean Energy Program can help you save energy and money. Visit njcleanenergy.com to learn about the available commercial and residential clean energy incentives, local government energy audits, and ways to save with high-value incentives and rebates from your local utility company on energy efficient improvements and appliances. You'll be doing a lot more than saving money on your energy bills—you'll be helping to make New Jersey the greenest state on the planet. Start saving right away—visit njcleanenergy.com today!     Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  California Playbook PM  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  New York Playbook PM View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

To change your alert settings, please log in at https://www.politico.com/_login?base=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com/settings This email was sent to rouf@idiot.cloudns.cc by: POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA Please click here and follow the steps to unsubscribe.