As votes in New Jersey’s gubernatorial race continue to be counted, several pollsters are now projecting Governor Phil Murphy to have won the race, despite having a tiny lead and thousands of ballots remaining to be recorded.
Election forecasters say that, although there are technically enough outstanding votes remaining to tip the election towards Republican Jack Ciattarelli, the votes still uncounted come primarily from Democratic strongholds and mail-in ballots, and are expected to skew towards Murphy.
There are numerous discrepancies in the data, and the exact lead Governor Murphy currently holds over Ciattarelli remains unclear, but it appears to be somewhere in the range of 1,000 to 7,000 votes.
This has been leading numerous election analysts to speculate what role the Lakewood Vaad had in Tuesday’s election. The Vaad endorsed Murphy for reelection, and the Democratic ultimately received 7,112 votes in Lakewood, though Ciattarelli still won the Lakewood vote by a landslide.
Election gurus like Dave Wasserman are now publicly saying that had the Lakewood Vaad endorsed Ciattarelli rather than Murphy, the race could be looking quite different.
Wasserman notes that former President Trump received over 30,000 votes from Lakewood in the 2020 election, while Biden received just over 6,000. Fast forward to Tuesday’s election, and we see how the Republican’s numbers are far worse than Trump’s, likely due to the Lakewood Vaad having endorsed the Democrat in the race.
Lakewood gave Ciattarelli 11,644 votes and Murphy 7,112. That means the Republican performed worse, and the Democrat better, than in the most recent election. And many are attributing that directly to the Lakewood Vaad.
Had the Lakewood Vaad endorsed Ciattarelli (R) instead of Murphy (D), we could be looking at a very different #NJGOV race right now. Results in Lakewood, NJ:
2020: Trump (R): 30,648, Biden (D): 6,397
2021: Ciattarelli (R): 11,644, Murphy (D): 7,112 https://t.co/S8FAUY4Wtd— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 3, 2021
Had the Vaad endorsed Ciattarelli, people are now speculating, Ciattarelli could have received far more Lakewood votes and ultimately won the election by a margin of several thousand votes, even when taking into account the still-uncounted ballots.
This has also led many to question the power of the Lakewood Vaad and what level of clout it will have in future elections.
Some say that the Vaad clearly has more power than ever – they may have singlehandedly given Governor Phil Murphy a second term in office by depressing turnout for the Republican and increasing turnout for the Democrat.
On the other side, many argue that the Lakewood Vaad is clearly at the weakest its ever been, evidenced by the fact that Lakewood overwhelmingly voted for Ciattarelli and subverted the will of its own people by handing Murphy another term whereas Lakewood voters would have cast their ballots for the Republican had they not been told the race was going to be a landslide for Murphy.
Either way, the political clout Lakewood now holds cannot be underestimated. The vote skew in Lakewood makes it clear: the frum community in New Jersey is now a force to be reckoned with.
The Orthodox Jewish vote may have tipped the NJ governor's race to the Democrat. Over the last few years, @PhilMurphyNJ and his attorney general @GurbirGrewalNJ went after discriminatory groups and townships that tried to keep Orthodox Jews out, and won. That mattered. https://t.co/e8dv1I3VHl
— Yair Rosenberg (@Yair_Rosenberg) November 3, 2021
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42 Responses
chilul hashem on the highest level
why the heck do lakewooders still follow the swampy vaad?!!?
WHY ARE THEY PROUD OF THAT??
massive CHILLUL HASHEM!!
jews dont care about america
@Jack p – Perhaps because they are the mouthpiece for the Roshei Yeshivah rather than the other way around as so many “leitzanei ha’dor” often say.
And when yeshivas are forced to teach Ryan’s material who will be responsible?
When taxes take more money out of the pocket of acheaynu who is responsible?
Great job there
What a dumb article.
“Wasserman notes that former President Trump received over 30,000 votes from Lakewood in the 2020 election, while Biden received just over 6,000. Fast forward to Tuesday’s election, and we see how the Republican’s numbers are far worse than Trump’s, likely due to the Lakewood Vaad having endorsed the Democrat in the race.”
No. Likely due to the fact that we vote NOT to control outcomes, for we don’t, but rather to show our block cares, our block is a patriotic one, and out block, above all, are grateful. Grateful for this country, and grateful for what incumbents have done for us and our Yeshivos.
You’re ignoring the thousands of votes who will specifically vote the opposite of the Vaad’s recommendation.
Those in the know feel that if the Vaad would have been quiet the results would probably have been 50% 50%.
@Chaylev Halyah –
“WHY ARE THEY PROUD OF THAT??” – Because they were machni’ah themselves to daas Torah. What greater source of pride could there be?
“Massive CHILLUL HASHEM!!” – I am very uncertain how listening to advice of our leaders – past and present – can be even a small Chilul HaShem let alone a massive one. If a Chillul HaShem WAS done, it was by the large group of toshvei Lakewood who acted on their own because they know better. Kinah, taavah, and kovod . . .
“Jews don’t care about America” –
1) We DO care about America, but we know that that the best thing for America, and the world at large, is to follow the directives of our Einei HaEidah. They see things we don’t see, for they see without eyes. They hear things we don’t hear, for they hear without ears.
2) The world was created for Man to be a makir Tovah. Adam was banished from Gan Eiden, according to the Medrash and as implied from Rashi, for being ungrateful for having been given Chavah. The rebuke we received by Moshe Rabeinu after 40 years in the Midbar was that we were kifuyei Tovah, binei kefuyei Tovah. All berachah comes to this world because we are capable of being, and expected to be, makirei Tovah.
Useless ignorant article…embarrassing for “journalism”
What busha to all Jews, don’t yell antisemitism after this. Obviously the vaad does not care about America, or Torah values. You will loose your autonomy over your body, you will loose autonomy over your children, but men who don’t work will receive more benefits… Isn’t that the most important thing?? That men should not have to support their wives and children? The taxpayers should pay for their food and rent, while their children somehow still wear exclusively buitique clothes…Pnei hador kepnei hakelev!
They are trying to paint a picture as if this vaad has any power!!
If you endorsed one person and the other person won by 20 points that means failure big time
Maybe it’s time that the vaad should listen to Lakewood residence we need to lower our property taxes! We need school choice! And on and
Hope next they will lose by 40 points!
Hakaras hatov for killing thousands of people? For destroying people’s livelihoods??
We do not need to give hakaras hotov for not being abused more than he had the power to abuse us. This is insanity.
He only slashed our throat half way, he didn’t cut all the way through, now we need to give him power over us forever.
This is not what hakaras hatov is about!
Those on the Vaad and those who voted for the wicked DemocRAT are going to be judged tremendously after a 120. Lakewood is not a makom of Torah . It’s a place of corruption and pay offs.
Big Winners Yesterday:
1) Moderates. Youngkin in VA and defeat of Minneapolis Police Reform. Hopefully, the GOP can now come to its senses. Liberal and Populist extremes went down to defeat. Great day for the sane and normal centrists in both parties.
Big Losers:
1) Trumpian populism. Youngkin won because he kept Trump away. Trump equals losing two popular presidential votes, one presidential election, and control of Hosse and Senate. Youngkin-type true conservativism equals wins for the GOP.
2) Religion of Trumpism: Those that ignored the advice of Roshei Yeshiva and Talmidei Chahchamim because the new religion of Trumpisim demands that they vote conservative saw their preferred NJ candidate go down in defeat.
3) Lakewood Vaad, Agudah and Respect for Daas Torah: Vote totals in Lakewood show that their endorsements carried little weight with most choosing not to vote or voting for the opposite candidate. Things will get worse because those that chose to ignore them will now blame them for the results because it was so close. Lastly, these organizations will lose political clout because they couldn’t bring home the votes.
Shuali, i dont know you, but on the off chance you are serious, let me tell you something: NYC is falling apart at the seams, as is LA. years of democratic leadership has driven policies so destructive to society it’s unreal.
and, yet, the dems get massive rabbinic endorsement.
but if we look back a few generations, when, i am sorry to tell you, the gedolim were far greater than our dor’s by incomparable margins, almost every gadol was SUPER against liberal ideas and prgressive politics. the chasam sofer, rav yisrael salanter, the chofetz chaim, and too many more to name, in fact almost every gadol without fail, was of the clear opinion it was better to live under bloodthirsty christian rule than emancipation, because at least the christians had some notion of fearing god, some idea of being beholden to values.
nothing, NOTHING, is more dangerous to the jewish people long term than the destruction and erosion of values. NOTHING. Rav Avigdor Miller paskened years ago (you can look it up in Q&A with Rav Miller, I forget if volume 1 or 2) it’s assur to vote for any politician who holds values that are clearly against the torah. not a grey area – clearly. he was asked this in relation to abortion, IIRC. go look it up if you want. he also predicted that the liberal Democratic party would be the destruction of America eventually, and said very clearly and unequivocally that the Jewish people who vote for them are foolish and short-sighted, believing themselves to be aligned with people who share their best interest but who really want to undermine everything and are just using them to achieve their end goals.
in the end today’s Democratic Party is massively in support of all of the following:
abortion
prostitution
the end to the nuclear family
homosexuality
transgenderism
+a great deal more.
It’s really tremendously embarrassing that they even got a single vote from an orthodox Jew in this country.
hashem should forgive us, and save us from ourselves, who somehow see a future where it is somehow positive to be aligned with those who wish to destroy torah values
Since Hashem played no part in this, I guess it’s all the people who vote and decide! It’s all about the people: government is for the people by the people!
It may be healthy for the community to split the vote. Look at black vote that is uniformly D and nobody was fighting for it. As Trump told them “what do you have to lose?”.
Also, note that half of 36,000 voters in 2020 simply did not show up in 2021 – and they decided the election. This is typical everywhere, but what is the excuse of Jewish learned public deciding whether to do a mitzva (according to R Feinstein and others) based on how much ads are on Fbook or how much they are excited about the candidates. Do we have 50% picking up the lulav on chol hamoed?!
the vaad essentially agrees with Bernie Sanders.
What an embarrassing attempt at damage control. I mean seriously?! Is this the best they can come up with? Even Jen Psaki could of spun this stinging defeat better. Everything is opposites. The askanim and the Vaad had absolutely zero influence. The voters of Lakewood totally rejected their selfish commands. The so-called askanim/Vaad have become completely irrelevant. Lakewood has changed. This is no longer the 70’s. To say that it was “Lakewood” that took Murphy over the top is as idiotic as when they told us “Boro Park” is what handed the victory of Chuck Schumer over Al D’Amato back in 1998. So stupid and immature.
“Jews don’t care about America”
SHAME ON YOU !
AMERICA IS THE B E S T country for Jews, now and in the past
How could you even say that? Didn’t at least one of your relatives escape the Hell of Europe to arrive here?
SHAME ON YOU !
I don’t care your political ideas, but to utter such garbage?
SHAME ON YOU !
What a chillul Shem shomayim. May they be together in Olam habah
@shuali:
When the burglar steals only some jewelry and commits no homicide while doing it, are we makir tovah that he didnt kill anyone??
Murphy had no right to do anything to any of us, just because cuomo did, he is a burglar who killed and Murphy is a burglar who didnt kill. let’s be makir tovah??
NO AND NO!!
dont be makir tovah for not killing us, just vote republican and you wont need “good” politicians!!
When you have a massive community that pays little to nothing in income and property taxes, then the priority becomes what can the state government give me free of charge…..not what will benefit the state as a whole (like lower taxes). Thanks Vaad for just looking out for yourselves. The rest of us working stiffs will continue to be stuck with the highest taxes in the land.
This paragraph makes no sense: “On the other side, many argue that the Lakewood Vaad is clearly at the weakest its ever been, evidenced by the fact that Lakewood overwhelmingly voted for Ciattarelli and subverted the will of its own people by handing Murphy another term whereas Lakewood voters would have cast their ballots for the Republican had they not been told the race was going to be a landslide for Murphy.”
How is it possible for the Vaad to “subvert the will of its own people”? Nobody forced anyone to stay home and not vote for Ciatrelli; around 20K Trump voters did so anyway (Trump received 20K more Lakewood votes than Ciatrelli). If people didn’t care what the Vaad said, they wouldn’t have listened to them. Elah Mai, you might argue that people were just apothetic and thats why they stayed home and nobody really care about the Vaad, in which case it shouldn’t be said that they handed Murphy another term – he was on track to get it without them.
But the anger at the Vaad is misplaced for another, simpler reason: Logically, they were right to assume Murphy would have won anyway, and in truth when all the vote by mail votes are counted and the remaining election-day precincts are finished being tallied, Murphy is indeed quite likely to have won by more than the margin Lakewood could have impacted the race one way or the other.
BTW, this is worse , no, way worse, than nituray karta meeting with ahmadinjad aganinst israel. these are our rabanim planning to destroy us!!
@yechiell:
i have no idea if your serious or joking, but you totally missed the point….. 🙁
im the one that cares about america, the rabanim dont. THATS THE POINT..
And like i said: all these rabanim are GANAVIM AND PSULAY EDUS, because the taxes are NOT LEGAL and against halacha.
ASMACHTA LO KANYA!!
GRAMA BNIZAKEN – CHAYAV BDINAY SHAMAYIM!!
MOSER: ONE WHO GIVES JEWISH MONEY TO THE GOVT!!
MORIDIN VLO MAALIN!!
jews who eat food of the govt, are eating STOLEN MERCHANDISE!!
THE VOTERS, not the rabanim, are chayav to pay for all the higher taxes, because divray harav divray hatalmid, divray mi shomim.
in din shamayim, they will say: “i listened to Rabbi …. and rabbi…”.
they will say divray harav etc…
CHAYAV!!
Get ready to roll up kids sleeves and jab them every 4 months with a mRNA factory producing a non-existing Spike protein since early 2020. At least some mosdos & clinics will make money of this.
DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YA.
Chaylev Halyah: Aside from all your deferential compliments to the erhliche Rabbonim of the Lakewood Vaad, please tell us what you really think. You are probably one of the few posters who can get away with referencing some otherwise chashuve rabbonim as “Ganovim” and “Psulay Adus” [and in all CAPS].
BTW: With several hundred thousand votes still to be counted (mail-in, early ballots and the usual voting machine screwups) and those ballots from counties leaning Democratic by 5-7 percentage points, Murphy will be reelected in accordance with the Vaad’s endorsement. However, it will take another week or two before you start celebrating since there will be the inevitable recount and Repubican claims of voter FRAUD!!
The Vaad will be influential in Murphy’s new term. That’s good for the Jews. Smart move.
Wait a minute…whosaid the Republicans better for us?
Because he falls in line with fox , hannity and the conservatives we enjoy listening to and feel religious “comaraderie” with?
Maybe the one who gives us the most programs , tolerance,and welfare,YES WELFARE that we all rely on is the most relevant practical factor!
@Gadolhadorah:
you have not answered any points i made…..
If Murphy actually finds victory in the final voting numbers, there is great fear he will attempt to legislate a ‘vaccine mandate’ for the ‘covid, FDA-pharma-cartel-approved mRNA-shot’ and any adverse effects that are already occurring based on the better research and reporting should awaken these people to true repentance as their minds will be needed to help undo such a decree against innocent children and others throughout the NJ community.
Because of this Lakewood Vaad having gone against the directives of Moreinu HoRav Avigdor Miller ZTKLLH’H to always vote for candidate representing moral values, this Lakewood Vaad has caused unmitigated tragedy for all of New Jersey, and clearly I shall NEVER again give even a penny of my hard earned מעשר money to Lakewood Yeshiva. I shan’t disdain my money to an institution which is so horribly misguided.
There plenty of other מקומות התורה so worthy & deserving of my hard earned מעשר money.
The COVID vaccine saves lives. It is a bracha that we have it Murphy is the truly pro-life candidate. It is great to see that communal leaders supported him. Great things for New Jersey
Lastword:
Enjoy conspiricay theories elsewhere.
Try jfk, hoffa or the likes
“you have not answered any points i made…..”
Chaylev Halyah: Deepest apologies. I didn’t realize you made any points in your rant about the Lakewood Vaad.
147 – Rav Miller was a daas yovhid. Agudah led by the Mortzes of Rav Moshe, Reb Yaakov, and countless other gedolei yisrael over the generations held and holds otherwise.
@ phrostyphace:
“in the end today’s Democratic Party is massively in support of all of the following:
abortion
prostitution
the end to the nuclear family
homosexuality
transgenderism
+a great deal more.”
Firstly, legalizing prostitution is hardly on the Democratic agenda. Joe Biden has yet to take a stance on the issue, and the Obama administration was against it.
Secondly, who cares? Do any of these issues affect you personally, or the community? What does affect the community is fiscal policies like expanding the child-tax credit, unemployment benefits, tuition grants, etc. etc. Why not support what works best for you??
crazykanoi [Sic],, false as typical
Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky disagreed
He considered Family Values so Paramount
that a choice between someone who helps a community and one who’s even anti-semitic but support for family values
vote for the anti-semite:Is what he declared
JustaLakewooder
These things are affecting us. get your head out of the sand..
Second
in years to come when your children ask how the world degenerated
around us and and whining about it come out and acknowledge that you helped
bring it about !
Crazy,
Rav
Schwab
as well as other distinguished of the same view
. Of course if it is easier for you
attempt to marginalize it to 1 distinguished individual however
JustaLakewooder
Have you found another religion yet that suits you ?
ours is bad
I mean for example the Seven Nations of Canaan were pluralistic and liberal and we were told to destroy them .
Or is it you believe our religion is relegated to your kitchen in the basement and nothing outside that?
@shauli – Perhaps because they are the mouthpiece for the Roshei Yeshivah rather than the other way around as so many “leitzanei ha’dor” often say.
Sorry. The vaad is not the mouthpiece of any rabbanim. And they themselves don’t even attempt to claim so.
You may want to say that they think they know all the inside information and the roshei yeshiva trust them but they are definitely not the mouthpiece of the roshe iyeshiva in any way.
As a matter of fact most of the members are the vaad are not even on the vaad anymore , just a handful left.
If they are a mouthpeice of anyone it is of avi schnall whom has built connections with the governer that told Rabbi Reich by the chabura or who knows when, and told rabbi weissberg to from tha vaad to endorse murphy and say that jack is a landside loser…
That is not what mouthpiece of the roshei yeshiva means by any stretch of imagination. And btw calling others that know about these things a little more than you apparently do – leitzanei hador – doesn’t make you right
Time for Truth: You know nothing of Reb Yaakov’s opinions. Rav Miller was a daas yochid on these issues. Rav Miller never sat on the Moetzes. Gedolei Yisrael never held that candidates who are pro-choice are automatically disqualified. Yiddeshkeit is not Protestant Christianity or Populist Trumpism. The corrosive effect of such non-Jewish ideologies is abundantly clear from the many posters here. It is pathetic that those that wrap themselves in the mantra of Torah values in essence take their hashkafah from Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson. Feh!