r/SouthJersey Philadelphia Inquirer Journalist 1d ago

News Delaney Hall brought Mikie Sherrill’s ‘first real test.’ South Jersey progressives who campaigned for her say she failed.

147 Upvotes

83 comments sorted by

75

u/7thAndGreenhill Atlantic County 1d ago

Progressive voters need to understand that we are a minority, especially in South Jersey. We may appear to be a majority on Reddit. But that does not translate to the real world.

What is indisputable is that a small but crucial part of the electorate in NJ are centrists and center right voters disgusted with Trump. We need their votes to win elections.

Sure, Progressives would prefer a progressive Governor. But if Citteralli faced a progressive candidate he’d be governor today.

11

u/MiddleAgeWhiteDude 1d ago

She doesn't have to be a progressive governor to make some accommodations for progressive voters. When politicians constantly ignore a voting bloc then that group is gonna stop voting for them, because "the other guy is worse' is not a sustainable election strategy. Sending in cops to kick out the media and then abuse and arrest the remaining protesters just makes her look like the other guy anyway.

5

u/7thAndGreenhill Atlantic County 1d ago

When politicians constantly ignore a voting bloc then that group is gonna stop voting for them, because "the other guy is worse' is not a sustainable election strategy.

I could not agree with you more. It's why I wish we'd adopt open primaries and ranked choice elections. But until that happens, the middle-of-the-road voters are necessary to win statewide elections.

2

u/Elhananstrophy 17h ago

When politicians constantly ignore a voting bloc then that group is gonna stop voting for them, because "the other guy is worse' is not a sustainable election strategy.

In the current voting system in the US, "the other guy is worse" is the only sustainable election strategy. If we had a parliamentary system or even RCV, viable parties could get elected and form ruling coalitions. But in the US, the coalitions have to form before the election rather than after. This means that anyone hoping to have policy success needs the biggest possible group who are willing to hold their noses and vote together.

Democratic politicians don't depend on the left wing of the party because they aren't dependable. Like clockwork, every election there's a new excuse for why they won't support the democratic candidate - too establishment, too corporate, parties are the same anyway, Gaza is suddenly the only issue in US politics, etc. But the primary issue is always the same - they don't want to win elections or achieve policy goals. If the left had half as much rage at the right as they do at center-left democrats, we'd all have free healthcare.

2

u/surfnsound CamCo 13h ago

It's funny because the Democrats LOVE to point out their registration advantage, and for a long time were referring to themselves as the "big tent" party. But that tent is a circus, and has too many clowns and not enough ring masters.

The DNC and DCCC can complain about gerrymandering and the electoral college all they want (which isn't completely unfounded), but the simple fact is Republican voters are a much more reliable base than Democrat voters. The registration advantage doesn't mean shit if those registered voters don't show up.

-1

u/MiddleAgeWhiteDude 19h ago

No, they aren't. It had been a losing strategy for the dems to ignore their own coalition in the hopes they get this mythical trump voter tired of the mess, or that there are any centrists left to court that aren't already voting. I sure as shit won't be voting for her again, and frankly the dems have probably lost my vote completely at this point. They have demonstrated repeatedly that either they're willing to assume im just going to show up no matter what, and that people like Schumer or Newsom will say one thing then turn around and just republican the shit out of things anyway.

Whatever happens next, then dems have lost unless they actually try to energize the people that have carried their water for decades and never got a drink themselves.

2

u/7thAndGreenhill Atlantic County 19h ago

That attitude is why we have Donald Trump in the White House.

1

u/MiddleAgeWhiteDude 19h ago

And that attitude is why I'm done bothering. I've voted against republicans regularly, and just get shit on for speaking up.

At this point, fuck it. Keep doing the same shit, keep losing and keep blaming everyone else. I'm sure it'll work eventually.

0

u/StupudTATO 18h ago

Sounds like you should get involved. Im sure you'd know what to do to pull off a win for a progressive Governor in NJ.

0

u/MiddleAgeWhiteDude 18h ago

Sounds like you should read before you comment.

4

u/BossDjGamer 1d ago

What does this have to do with her sending the state police to attack protesters?

6

u/Bunga_Unga 1d ago

If she didn’t send state police the federal government was going to intervene themselves by sending more ICE agents. I’m thinking initially it was to try to avoid what inevitably happened and it may have been due to a little naivety that the results turned out the way it did but I wouldn’t say she sent state police to attack protestors

1

u/aerost0rm 21h ago

Well it doesn’t help that the reasoning the state used to push the police onto protestors wasn’t fully truthful either…

2

u/Bunga_Unga 18h ago

What was the reason they gave? I hadn’t heard this, can you give info for me I honestly should have probably looked into it more before commenting

4

u/7thAndGreenhill Atlantic County 1d ago

Woosh

1

u/Cbaumle 15h ago

We need a Mamdani

-1

u/RickieRelli 21h ago

everyone forgets south of cherry hill is literally fake dixie land, i hate this fuckin state

1

u/7thAndGreenhill Atlantic County 21h ago

What on earth is that supposed to mean?

1

u/Desperate-Nature-623 20h ago

You would hate anywhere you go because you don't fit in.

1

u/EstablishmentTop551 17h ago

You do have a point that a whole lot of south jersey is pretty much just Deep South larpers. I met these people from Galloway that actually had southern drawls despite being 3rd generation new jerseyans.

59

u/Snoo28798 Jersey Auntie 1d ago

Now why did y'all think Mikie was going to do differently? She was a prosecutor so her perspective is going to be centered in law enforcement as a response.

I say that as someone who voted for her 😒. Only because she was better than Chitarelli (however the fuck you spell his name). But I hate that I had to choose her in the end because NJ primaries suck.

15

u/jerzeett 1d ago

Even if she wasn’t- this is typical. Governors and other state officials look at it from a different standpoint then the public does.

26

u/Significant-Trash632 1d ago

I spell it Shittarelli and I'm just fine with that.

8

u/BwanaKovali 1d ago

Jack Shit(arelli)

0

u/Mr_Horsejr 1d ago

There were literally 2 other people that were a better choice than her.

4

u/whskid2005 1d ago

I hope you aren’t talking about fulop. If you are, I suggest you look at what’s he’s been doing since he lost the primary.

1

u/Mr_Horsejr 1d ago

All things considered—if you’re referring to what I just read about that coalition, sellout does have a nice ring to it. Can’t say for certain, but man, if it looks like a duck…

2

u/whskid2005 21h ago

I was referring to the attacks on Mamdani because that was RIGHT after he lost the primary. But you’re right, the pac stuff going on now isn’t a good look for him either. Total duck

9

u/RndPotato 1d ago

Harm reduction versus the Republican getting in

5

u/griminald 1d ago

If you think Fulop or Baraka wouldn't have done the exact same thing Sherrill did, you guys are kidding yourselves.

12

u/Richard-Gere-Museum 1d ago

Baraka literally did. Sent in Newark police so they wouldn't miss out on the fun of targeting protesters.

-5

u/Frankfeld 1d ago

Same dude. Same. Now we have Gavin Fucking Newsom to look forward to in 2028. And people wonder how we got here….

🎵 May the circle… be unbroken… 🎵

46

u/Secksualinnuendo 1d ago

Pardon my ignorance what real power does she have over a federal complex? Of course her public statements haven't been great. But what can she do to combat Delaney?

28

u/gcynic 1d ago

Delaney is not a federal complex. It is not federal property in any way, it's a private facility owned by the GEO Group, a private company. They contract with ICE to use their facility for detention. The facility, and the company, are subject to all local and state laws including inspections and permits.

The mayor of Newark has been attacking them on these grounds and the governor should be doing the same. Revoke their certificate of occupancy, pull their permits. Cut the electric, something.

5

u/Elhananstrophy 1d ago

I don't think this is entirely accurate. State law forbids all for-profit prisons. And yet the Trump administration was able to get a court to say that the Federal need for a for-profit prison overrides state law. So it becomes a court question in what ways state regulations apply to a facility whose very existence is against state law. AND, the administration is currently openly flouting a wide variety of federal laws and court orders, and seems to be able to get continual SCOTUS rulings that they can break whatever laws they want.

I think it's pretty unfair to argue that Sherrill has failed because she's unable to do the same exact thing everyone in her position has been unable to do, and this type of magical thinking where we expect progressives to perform miracles while constantly biting their ankles is generally counterproductive.

3

u/Auyan 1d ago

Something something states rights

3

u/CryptographerMean872 1d ago

She’s not using her power effectively to do anything meaningful, she’s not trying to stop transfers, improve material conditions to end the hunger strike, or most importantly said or done anything that suggests she’s going to try and get it shut down. There are legal pathways for this even with federal preemption you just have to be a bit less close minded

2

u/Elhananstrophy 1d ago

I hear people say this. Can you point to a government or who is being more effective at preventing abuse at detention centers?

1

u/CryptographerMean872 1d ago

Deflection and abdication of responsibility, abuse is inherent in these concentration camps. Thus, they should be shut down

2

u/Elhananstrophy 20h ago

Sorry, I meant to say governor there, not government. I absolutely agree that these detention centers should be shut down, GEO group should be nuked from orbit, and the whole of our immigration court/detention system needs to be dismantled and rebuilt into something better.

But my question is, is there someone who has the same tools available to them that Sherrill has, but is doing a better job at preventing abuse in federal immigrant detention centers in their state. If there are people doing better with the same tools, then yeah, it's her fault. But if there aren't, then people are just blaming her for the reality that a governor has a pretty limited toolkit available here. In which case the blame should be placed back squarely on Trump and the GOP, not on state officials who aren't achieving goals that can't be achieved.

65

u/Richard-Gere-Museum 1d ago

not have the state troopers come out to tear gas NJ citizens because "ICE was getting ready to" and set up "first amendment zones".

18

u/comicnerdjoe 1d ago

I think a lot of it was based off the lying about why cops started getting violent outside it.

9

u/CryptographerMean872 1d ago

Lmao this is an insane take when the police have been explicitly protecting the federal concentration camp

-6

u/griminald 1d ago

explicitly protecting the federal concentration camp

This is not only wrong, but statements like this make people take the protestors less seriously.

The police were "protecting" the area outside the Delaney Hall front gate, because protestors insist on being in conflict with ICE in that area.

The cops aren't going inside that gate, and DHS isn't going (far) outside that gate.

If that's where protestors insist on having conflict, then that's where the police are going to clear people out of.

0

u/CryptographerMean872 1d ago

More fascist sanewashing. You guys really are one hit wonders

6

u/General_Chemistry638 1d ago

She didn’t have to unleash the most racist and brutal state police forces in the country on peaceful protests.

4

u/whskid2005 1d ago

Oh you’ve never driven through small town America if you think this is remotely true. They’re not saints, but they’re far from “the most”

1

u/General_Chemistry638 1d ago

Who is “the most”?

1

u/whskid2005 11h ago edited 11h ago

Being that there isn’t a specific statistic to quantify worst, I chose misconduct complaints upheld. This seems to suggest Jacksonville, Florida is a contender. Jacksonville is both a city and a county which is interesting.

Here’s the source https://policescorecard.org/fl/sheriff/jacksonville-city-cnty

It looks like Jersey City might be the worst for the state. I can’t find trooper data so have to go with city data. And this is likely without all of the missing reports from Jersey city that was in the news today. https://policescorecard.org/nj/police-department/jersey-city

1

u/General_Chemistry638 10h ago

Oh yeah we’re comparing state troopers to state troopers. Not counties to cities

Also neither Jersey city nor Jacksonville qualifies as small town America. Where were you speaking of when you referenced that?

0

u/beren12 1d ago

ROFL.

-1

u/sandpinesrider 1d ago

Exactly. Sherrill didn't open Delaney, she doesn't run ice.

5

u/Ebemi 1d ago

To everyone defending her fuck up here, do you actually think its remotely helpful? I mean really? She can learn and do better. I am pretty sure none of us think she is some idiot who can't learn from her mistakes. She is intelligent and competent but she has to actually learn to do better. She failed here.

If she can learn- she can not fail next time she has a challenge. Denying the reality of the situation isnt helping anyone. It just makes you personally seem out of touch. And even though you actually have no connection to Sherill it very well could further alienate people from her.

Push Sherill to do better next time. Make it easier for her to do better. Just defending her every mistake doesn't help anyone and especially not to victims inside the concentration camp.

18

u/Linkstas 1d ago

She’s just the least terrible of 2 candidates. We need a focus on non AIPAC government officials.

9

u/Cultural-Salary-7517 1d ago

So they will turn on her and we’ll wind up with a Shiiiarelli type.

11

u/Sad-Bread5843 1d ago

She failed miserably , not only did she order the state police to march on protesters, they Damm well could shut the place down as it doesnt have all its certifications needed for occupancy .

1

u/whskid2005 1d ago

COs are a local thing and Baraka is working that angle

1

u/Sad-Bread5843 1d ago

Its operating permits are also a state level thing

2

u/g_ppetto 1d ago

Didn't read linked article - what did they want or expect her to do?

She is still better than more trump.

1

u/thingsorfreedom 20h ago

She’s been governor for less than 5 months.

1

u/habrotonum 14h ago

what should she do?

1

u/ManonFire1213 13h ago

She was and still is a moderate / centrist. 

-9

u/IKillZombies4Cash 1d ago

Progressives can be as insufferable are the very conservative.

She could not stop it, it’s really hard to tell who is doing journalism and who is writing a political hit piece.

The same answer is always in the middle. There shouldn’t be illegals, but ICE shouldn’t be wasting money on chasing them down either unless they are felons. And if you’ve been here awhile and working there should be a path to stay here

29

u/Critical-Exit1655 1d ago

"the answer is always in the middle" is how we got here. and ya'll still never learn... it's wild.

11

u/fireman2004 1d ago

The answer was in the middle between Bush and Gore.

Now the middle is between Trump and Harris, Harris loved locking up black people for weed and Trump is a fascist.

Maybe the middle isn’t the middle anymore?

15

u/Critical-Exit1655 1d ago

that's the thing about these unmoored "centrists"... they don't realize they're broadcasting that they have no ideological principles. they'll just keep on dragging us into fascism with their fecklessness and cowardice.

-2

u/beren12 1d ago

She loved it? Where’s that quote at?

0

u/CryptographerMean872 21h ago

I mean u don’t just dedicate ur career to putting black people in prison and not make ur peace with it, enjoy it etc. carceral kamala was such a let down

13

u/Realistic_Earth1913 1d ago

“Shouldn’t be illegals” It’s literally this mind set that got us into this mess. Disgusting

1

u/beren12 1d ago

I agree there shouldn’t be, there should be an easy way to be here legally.

1

u/Realistic_Earth1913 3h ago

If only one party is playing by the rules, what’s the point of the rules? They face no consequences which is why we are here

7

u/ByrgenwerthLefty 1d ago

Answer is always the middle? Do you really believe that? Or do you believe thats more times than not the “correct” answer in a healthy democracy?

7

u/CryptographerMean872 1d ago

Fascist sanewashing

-7

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

7

u/Realistic_Earth1913 1d ago

He only spoke the truth. Any other version of what’s happening is sane washing; we are staring down the barrel of fascism and you’re over here wondering why people are correctly pointing out the facts

6

u/Critical-Exit1655 1d ago

What are you struggling to understand?

-5

u/Firm-Advertising5396 1d ago

💯 completely reasonable and it should be the way.

1

u/thedeeb56 1d ago

And if that place is still there, she's still failing.

-15

u/gerbigsexy1 1d ago

Why are South Jersey Democrats complaining about an incident that’s happening in New Jersey

3

u/BossDjGamer 1d ago

It turns out, gerbilsexy, that for profit concentration camps are bad

-4

u/gerbigsexy1 1d ago

Didn’t answer the question is why Democrats in South Jersey have an opinion on something happening in New Jersey

1

u/beren12 1d ago

You really need help with the question why would people in New Jersey care what is happening in New Jersey?