Constantino Rozzo

Socialist candidate Greg Pason

Greg Pason of Maywood finds it amusing when right-wing shock jocks pejoratively call President Barack Obama a socialist.

"It just indicates how far to the right this country has moved for Obama to be classified that way," says Pason. "He doesn't even support single-payer health care."

If Pason doesn't mind when people call him a Socialist, that's because he proudly belongs to the same party that had some traction once when it ran Eugene V. Debs for President in the early 20th Century but has since gone the way of the wooly mammoth if the number of its members in good standing provides any indication.

There are a little over 300 Socialists in the state right now, according to Pason, a perennial candidate for statewide office who's running for governor again this year on a ticket with gubernatorial candidate turned LG hopeful Constantino Rozzo of Vineland.

VINELAND - Voters in NJ's 2nd Congressional District will have the opportunity to attend a multi-party forum at the Chestnut Assembly of God on September 30 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The event, hosted by the God & Country Political Awareness Group, will be attended by candidates David Kurkowski (D), James Grover (Green Party), Gary Stein (Rock the Boat), Constantino Rozzo (Socialist Party), and Peter Boyce (Constitution Party). There is still no confirmation from Republican incumbent Frank LoBiondo. LoBiondo, who in 1994 signed a pledge to stop running for Congress by 2006, is concerned the debate will interfere with his Congressional calendar.

VINELAND - Voters in NJ's 2nd Congressional District will have the opportunity to attend a multi-party forum at the Chestnut Assembly of God on September 30 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The event, hosted by the God & Country Political Awareness Group, will be attended by candidates David Kurkowski (D), James Grover (Green Party), Gary Stein (Rock the Boat), Constantino Rozzo (Socialist Party), and Peter Boyce (Constitution Party). There is still no confirmation from Republican incumbent Frank LoBiondo. LoBiondo, who in 1994 signed a pledge to stop running for Congress by 2006, is concerned the debate will interfere with his Congressional calendar.

Only two independent candidates have filed for federal office so far: Constantino Rozzo, a perennial candidate from Vineland, is the Socialist Party USA candidate for Congress in the 2nd district; and Louis Vernotico, also a frequent candidate, is running for the 13th district House seat under the slogan "Eliminate the Primaries."  The deadline for independent candidates to file petitions is June 3.

The filing deadline to run as an independent candidate in November's general election is at 4 PM today. So far, Democratic Assemblyman William Payne, who says he will seek the 29th district State Senate seat as an Independent, has not yet filed his petitions. Newark City Councilman Luis Quintana filed last week.