October 28, 2009
Courier-Post Editorial Board

In South Jersey's most heavily Democratic legislative district, it's been awhile since there's been an election that featured a real choice for voters between a strong Democratic slate of candidates and a strong Republican slate.

Well, this year is no different. Democrats Donald Norcross and Angel Fuentes of Camden are running to replace long-time Assembly members Joe Roberts and Nilsa Cruz-Perez. Norcross -- the labor leader, Camden County Democratic Party co-chairman and brother of South Jersey Democratic Party boss George Norcross -- and Fuentes -- the Camden City Council president -- are candidates who know the issues well and would be able to hit the ground running in Trenton if elected despite being freshmen lawmakers. They get our endorsement.

Opposing Norcross and Fuentes are Republicans Stepfanie Velez-Gentry and Brian Kluchnick. Velez-Gentry, 29, of Bellmawr, is a small-business owner and first-time candidate. She's generally supportive of Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie's platform, but isn't very well versed on the issues facing the state. She's just not at all ready for an Assembly seat.

Her running mate, if he can be called that, appears to be another phantom candidate. Kluchnick did not respond to several calls inviting him to meet with our Editorial Board. As with two of the Republican Camden County freeholder candidates, we wonder if he's serious about running at all.

Absent from the ballot yet looming in this race is the fact that the 5th District state Senate seat may soon open. Democratic state Sen. Dana Redd is running for Camden mayor and would leave the Senate if she wins in Camden. Norcross did not deny that he might be considered to fill that seat.

Norcross has been a union leader, yet he understands that things cannot be the same for future government workers as they have been and are for current ones in terms of pay and benefits. He sees that Trenton can't afford to keep handing out fat pensions and loads of other expensive benefits and remain solvent.

While Norcross and Fuentes likely won't be as independent from party-line politics as we'd like, in this race, they're clearly the best choices.