ASSELTA BRINGS A NEW LEVEL OF NEGATIVE TO 1st DISTRICT RACE

ASSELTA BRINGS A NEW LEVEL OF NEGATIVE TO 1st DISTRICT RACE 

            (CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, NJ)-- Anyone attending a meeting lately where Jeff Van Drew is present will notice a cameraman attempting to capture every word and gesture of the Assemblyman with a video recorder. Senator Nick Asselta has brought negative campaigning to a new level. The Asselta campaign has hired what is known as a professional tracker to create a negative advertising program against Van Drew in the upcoming election.  This practice entails video taping the elected official hour after hour day after day trying to catch candidates off guard, exploit a modest mistake or record an awkward moment for negative advertisements. This practice is usually reserved for Statewide and National races. Their campaign has been videotaping and taking pictures of Assemblymen Jeff Van Drew and Nelson Albano at public meetings, parades, and during private conversations with constituents after meetings.

            “I believe Senator Asselta would better serve our constituents by reviewing public policy rather than analyzing hour after hour of video and audio footage of my personal conversations, public discussions, and waving to people in a parade,” said Van Drew.

            In the past candidates have been videotaped by their opponents for a few moments for possible negative advertisements—but not hour after hour. This is a new level of negative campaigning.

            The ultimate irony is that this new level of enhanced negative campaigning comes simultaneously to their  pledge to conduct a clean campaign.

“As difficult as it is to believe, while my opponent is pledging to run a clean, up-and-up campaign he is simultaneously resorting to a new negative strategy that has never been witnessed in a First District Legislative race,” said Van Drew.

  Van Drew is now taking a casual and somewhat humorous approach in reacting to the professional tracker by introducing him to the audience as he speaks.

“Now that I’ve come to expect him everywhere I go I am actually having fun with it. I introduce my new friend at every opportunity and explain what he and my opponent are up to. But more important, I want the public to feel at ease so that my opponent’s political annoyances do not disrupt the intent and outcome of the important issues being discussed,” said Van Drew.

Some of the events where Van Drew has been videotaped or had pictures taken of him for this type of negative campaign include:

• Memorial Service for “Justice” a dog in Cumberland County that was brutally killed
• A Parade in Vineland
• Town meeting in Cape May Point
• Gypsy Moth meeting for Dennis and Upper Townships
• Veterans event honoring local law enforcement

Paid for by Van Drew, Albano, Milam