Rebecca Bennett’s victory in Tuesday’s Democratic primary election in Congressional District 7 demonstrates the continuing value of party organizations, even in a post-county-line era.
Until recently, candidates who secured the backing of county organizations received a coveted advantage on the primary ballot. The county line grouped endorsed candidates together in a single row or column, providing voters with a visual cue about the party’s preferred slate.
That changed in 2024 when a lawsuit brought by then-U.S. Senate candidate Andy Kim resulted in the elimination of the line and the preferred ballot placement that came with it.
Many observers believed the change would dramatically reduce the influence of county party organizations. While the ballot itself changed, the results of recent elections suggest that having a well-run county organization backing a candidate still matters.
In Union County, the municipal Democratic chairs and the county chair, Senate President Nick Scutari, continue to meet before primary elections to determine which candidates will receive the Regular Democratic Organization of Union County slogan.