New Jersey’s largest teachers union is pushing to oust state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a powerful Democratic lawmaker who has a history of working with Republican Gov. Chris Christie.
The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) is weighing a number of options to oust Sweeney, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer, ranging from a Democratic primary challenger, a Republican in the general election, or supporting another candidate for the Senate presidency in January.
“We’re looking for a new governor and a new Senate president,” NJEA president Wendell Steinhauer told to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The NJEA, a longtime foe of Christie’s, asserted that by working with the governor, Sweeney “betrayed the trust” of teachers in New Jersey and “broke his promises.”
Christie, whose term is up in January, has repeatedly sparred with teachers unions since his election in 2010. When the bombastic governor tried to distinguish himself in a crowded GOP primary field during the early months of the 2016 presidential campaign, Christie famously suggested that the American Federation of Teachers (the nation’s second largest teachers union) deserves a punch in the face.
The governor has called the teachers unions “political thugs,” and asserted that the NJEA was “New Jersey’s version of the Corleones,” the well-known mafia family from “The Godfather” movies.
Sweeney possesses a large campaign war-chest, with $861,000 on hand as of January. The powerful Senate president has the support of a childhood friend, who also happens to be the top political operative in the state, according to the Inquirer.
Sweeney is supported by Democratic Sen. Cory Booker and Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy, which highlights the uphill battle that the NJEA faces in its battle to unseat Sweeney, at least from the Senate presidency, if not from the legislature.
Numerous examples of the governor’s heated clashes with teachers and union officials highlight the strained relationship between teachers and the GOP governor.
The NJEA’s campaign to oust Sweeney will be a tell-tale sign of how much clout the organization holds in New Jersey politics.
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