SOMA Action Endorses Andy Kim for U.S. Senate
We have endorsed U.S. Rep. Andy Kim in New Jersey's 2024 Democratic Senate primary.
SOMA Action used a ranked choice voting system to choose Kim over both declared and likely candidates, including Tammy Murphy, wife of Gov. Phil Murphy.
“Our members want bold leadership that answers to the people, not the party bosses,” said SOMA Action President Jessica James. “We think voters across the state feel the same.”
James explained that the group felt compelled to endorse early amid expectations that county Democratic organizations will soon tap their preferred candidate using the anti-democratic “County Line” system.
"The ‘County Line’ makes a fair and open primary election impossible,” James said. “Party insiders are welcome to endorse whomever they want, but structuring the ballot to virtually guarantee their anointed candidate’s victory shuts voters out of the process completely. The system desperately needs reform."
The endorsement makes SOMA Action the first organization to back Kim since he announced his campaign last month. James said SOMA is encouraging other progressive groups in New Jersey to endorse now.
“Andy Kim is a dedicated public servant with outstanding integrity and a strong, progressive track record,” she said.
James noted that SOMA Action had endorsed Kim in every election since 2018, and members had volunteered for all three of his congressional campaigns. If Kim wins, he would be the first Asian American senator from New Jersey and the East Coast, and, at 41, the fourth youngest member of the Senate.
The County Line System Under Scrutiny
New Jersey's County Line system gives county party chairs control over candidate ballot placement in most counties. Chairs use this power to give top billing to their preferred pick.
Studies show the top ballot spot boosts a candidate's vote share by up to 35 percentage points in the primary election. This makes it extremely difficult for any candidate not backed by the party machine to win.
Since 1997, no challenger has won a Democratic primary for NJ Governor or U.S. Senator in a county where the line was used against them. Critics argue the County Line system is undemocratic and all but guarantees victory for establishment candidates. The system is currently being challenged in federal court.
Piloting Ranked Choice Voting
Erika Malinoski, co-chair of the group’s Democracy Action Committee, said the group chose to endorse early because it will take an extraordinary organizing effort to overcome the unfair advantage of the county line system. "Because we need to build momentum now in order to have any chance of beating ‘The Line, we had to act while the field was still taking shape,” said Malinoski. “Ranked Choice Voting RVC) gave our members more options. We wanted members to be able to support any candidate. RCV let them do that without wasting their vote."
Malinoski said RCV lets voters pick anyone they want, write-in or on the ballot, without wasting their vote. If their first choice doesn’t have enough votes to win, their ballot rolls over to count for their second choice until someone reaches the winning threshold.
“In this case, letting our members freely express their preferences revealed how overwhelming the support for Andy Kim is. Ninety-six percent of voting members chose him as either their first or second place vote.”
Kim received 80.9% of first-choice votes. Larry Hamm received 8.8%, Kyle Jasey 1.5%, Tammy Murphy 0% and no endorsement 4.4%. Eligible write-in candidates, Tom Malinowski and Mikie Sherrill also received 1.5%.
SOMA Action requires a two-thirds threshold to endorse. On this ballot, Kim exceeded the threshold on the first count, rendering further vote redistribution unnecessary.