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Where was Vin?

Vin_HeadshotSouth Jersey Democratic boss George Norcross invited the “reconfigured power elite” of the state Democratic Party to dinner in Colts Neck last night, according to a report at PolitickerNJ.

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal was not there; not invited to a high powered Democratic gathering in his county.

Also not present, gubernatorial nominee and head of the party in name only, State Senator Barbara Buono.  Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, not there. U.S. Senate nominee Cory Booker represented Essex County.  Essex County Executive Joseph Divencenzo, who has endorsed Governor Chris Christie for reelection, was not invited.

Gopal would not comment on this story. He said via text that he is traveling and would call back Monday.

Hudson and Bergen Counties from the northern part of the state were represented by their county chairman and, in Hudson’s case, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, the Democrats new rising star.   Hudson County Assemblyman Vincent Prieto, rumored to be Oliver’s replacement as Assembly Speaker, was there.

PolitickerNJ said “no grand agenda shaped the evening.”  But a Democratic operative who does not want to be known for talking to a Republican blogger told MMM the dinner was a warm up for Norcross talking control of the Assembly leadership come January, assuming, as most observers do, that the Democrats retain control of the Assembly after the November election.

Gopal’s absence was not seen as significant by the operative. “Monmouth doesn’t have any Democratic legislators.  The other Chairs without Democratic legislators were not invited either.”

Oliver’s and Divencenzo’s absence was significant, according to the source.  “George sent them a message.”

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Posted: August 16th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 2013 Election, Chris Christie, Monmouth Democrats, NJ Democrats, NJ State Legislature | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments »

11 Comments on “Where was Vin?”

  1. Nowhere.. said at 10:13 pm on August 16th, 2013:

    Like, where his second- rate, pathetic candidates are going to be again, on Nov. 5..

  2. Gidget said at 12:29 am on August 17th, 2013:

    Ocean County is a joke. A wet dish rag would get more votes than any candidate the Dems put up.

  3. Bob English said at 7:18 am on August 17th, 2013:

    On the municipal level in Monmouth County, D’s did okay last November defeating 7 incumbent Republicans. No Democratic incumbents were defeated by Republicans. Believe the math works out to 7-0

  4. Name (required) said at 8:35 am on August 17th, 2013:

    This site keeps writing about this “Vin Gopal” like he’s a real person doing a real job.

    Is funny.

  5. Oh, Bob, stop, said at 9:02 am on August 17th, 2013:

    it was Pres. year: a net loss of 2 out of 53 towns is a victory, with all the Obama-addicts coming out again, and the “continuous Sandy voting” over-reaction, it was a miracle it wasn’t worse- btw, there are now more registered Dems in the county than R’s: they unfortunately bring their bad voting habits with them when they invade us, when they leave the Hudsons, Essexes, Passaics, etc. to get our better way of life!

  6. CarlosDanger said at 9:05 am on August 17th, 2013:

    So what you are saying Bob is that Vin had 7 wins and zero losses? How did his rising star Linda Baum do in Middletown last year? Has Vin written off Middletown now after serving as a strategist for Pat Walsh and many of their other failed candidates?

    Gopal is the best thing to ever happen to the Monmouth County Republicans. What I read from this story is no wheeled in union money coming from North and South Jersey into Monmouth County anytime soon.

  7. Bob English said at 12:07 pm on August 17th, 2013:

    @Carlos…At the risk of repeating myself, I said that in the 2012 MC municipal elections, 7 incumbent Republicans lost and 0 incumbent Democrats lost. 7-0

    Obviously in many towns like Middletown, the R’s or the D’s held onto seats they already had.

  8. Gidget said at 1:39 am on August 18th, 2013:

    At least Monmouth has a Chairman and an organization. Ocean County has nothing more than a few breakfast gatherings and someone to reserve a corner booth at the Toms River diner.

  9. True, Gidget, said at 12:12 pm on August 18th, 2013:

    but, with a very strong chair, like him or not, and more registered R’s, good senior support, and the southern part of their county not being subjected to the negative poison of the APP, it all works for them,so far- they win bigger and deliver better than we do, sadly..

  10. No hopeful for Gopal said at 10:50 pm on August 20th, 2013:

    Obviously Nocross recognizes that Gopal and the Monmouth Dems are benchwarmers, not the real players in the game!

  11. MoreMonmouthMusings » Blog Archive » Winners and Losers of 2013, Part 3 said at 9:39 am on December 31st, 2013:

    […] you’re a twenty-eight year old County Chairman and the elite statewide power players of your party convene for dinner in your county, twice, and you’re not invited, you’re having a bad […]