Time After Time: The Somewhere Under Heaven Series

Democratic Nomination

NBC10 Report

Jacquline London: We have election news coming into NBC10 from the New Jersey Primary: Former MSNBC commentator Casey Pattinson is officially the Democratic nominee for governor. The New Jersey assemblywoman who announced her retirement last fall as president of Rider University will now go up against Pemberton Township mayor Evan Kaufman who won the GOP nomination.

If elected, Casey Pattinson will become the first woman since Christine Whitman to become governor in the Garden State. We are also getting word that her older brother, NJ Senator Eric Kelly has secured the nomination for the race in the 16th District for Assemblyman.

The nominee announced her win on Instagram with a photo of herself and with NJ Governor Chris Dunn saying, "Seems New Jersey voters want the professor to succeed her former student. Thank you, New Jersey for this victory on the road to Trenton." 

This was also followed by a video that Casey's daughter Katherine put on Instagram of her dad, actor Robert Pattinson with the family's three dogs showing excitement.

Cut to video of the dogs jumping around with Rob saying to them, "Mummy got the nomination!"

Dr. Pattinson's campaign manager Stephan Meier told NBC10 that she is now working on picking her running mate in the race. The list includes everyone ranging from General Assembly members Luna McGrath and Kofi Jones to current Princeton mayor Ken Wu. Meier said, "Expect an announcement this week from Casey on her final pick."

Casey's POV

I'm at home when I am looking at possibilities for a running mate and it's tough. I thought of Eric since he was elected to the NJ State Senate a few years back but he thought it would be hokey on account of being my brother and he really wants to succeed me in the State Assembly which I can't argue with and Ken doesn't think it's the right time for him to do this. Luna turned it down since she's didn't think she was the right fit then one afternoon it dawns on me that there's only one other person and I know he's just the guy for the job...Kofi Jones.

"Hello?"

"Hey, did you ever think of becoming Lt. Governor," I ask him.

"Me?"

"I think New Jersey is ready for the first governor with Native blood and the first Lt. Governor to be from abroad."

"You know my family left South Africa to give me a better chance on life."

"Even after apartheid ended, it was still rough. I learned that when I finally met my grandfather's family."

"It was. My uncle still lives in Cape Town and he tells me this all the time."

"What better way to show the world what a kid who came here with his family to have a better life can do than run for Lt. Governor of New Jersey then? Kofi, I can't do this without you...how about it?"

"Casey, it would be an honor." 

A few days later, I make the announcement with Kofi at Palmer Square in Princeton.

"I know that if elected governor, I will not only be the first with Native American heritage as well as the first woman to become governor in New Jersey since Christine Whitman so when picking my choice for Lt. Governor, I kept thinking, 'How can we make this ticket even more groundbreaking' because as we all know, Mighty Casey is an overachiever and I think I found the way to do this.

With that said, New Jersey Democratic Party is going to break barriers because if I am elected, you will also be electing the Garden State's first Lt. Governor to be foreign born as I announce that my longtime friend and colleague in the New Jersey General Assembly, Kofi Jones will be joining me in this race.