October 6, 2003

Green Party growing in southern N.J.

By THOMAS BARLAS Staff Writer, (609) 272-7201, E-Mail

Steven Thonus isn't surprised that few people know his name - or the names of other candidates seeking public office under the banner of the Green Party.

But Thonus, the candidate for Atlantic County, and his fellow Greens are taking some solace in the fact that the party is doing well - at least in terms of number of candidates - in southern New Jersey.

That's surprising Green Party leaders: They're a little confounded as to why the Greens - stereotyped as environmental nuts and leftover hippies - are finding as many candidates as they are in the region.

"It's kind of odd, because a lot of South Jersey is conservative Republican," state Green Party President Jane Hunter said.

The Greens have a full slate of legislative candidates in the 2nd District, which includes most of Atlantic County. It has full Assembly slates in the 1st and 3rd districts, which cover Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem counties and part of Gloucester County.

The Greens also are running more county and municipal candidates in Atlantic County than any other county in the state.

Atlantic County Green Party leader Ray Higbee contends it is easy to find candidates. What's hard, he said, is for a third party like the Greens to find the money, campaign managers and other people willing to do the traditional door-to-door political work.

Still, the Greens as a whole are getting decent marks for at least being what many other third-parties aren't: somewhat organized and ready to take on entrenched Republicans and Democrats on a regular basis.

"They are the most active third party in the state in the sense that they actually mount a campaign," said Ingrid Reed, of Rutgers University's Eagleton Institute of Politics. "The Green Party really has demonstrated that ability to pull together.

"They pay attention to state issues. They know they are running as Greens, but they also know they are running in New Jersey.

"They may not gain office, but they have something to say and see themselves as influencing the agenda," she said.

That especially goes for Matt Ahern: He's a Green, and the only third-party member of the Legislature, representing Bergen County. Ahern wasn't elected as a Green, but left the Democratic Party earlier this year.

Regardless of how he wound up a Green, Hunter says having a party member in the Legislature is "terribly important, because it allows people to see what a Green legislator will do."

Greens say Ahern also gives the party some political clout.

Local 54 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union considered Ahern's vote on Gov. James E. McGreevey's casino tax package crucial. Union leaders tried hard to convince him to vote against the measure.

Ahern's re-election bid as a Green could influence the makeup of his district's Assembly delegation - and whether Republicans or Democrats control the now closely divided Assembly.

Officially, the Greens' numbers are small: There were 366 registered Green Party members for the June primary.

Hunter said the party has more than 3,000 "active people" on its contact list.

In southern New Jersey, Higbee says Atlantic County Greens will concentrate more on county and local races in the near future. That should give them a better chance to pick up an election victory and grow the party numbers, he said.

Thonus - who became the Greens' Atlantic County executive candidate at a party meeting he didn't attend - is making his first run for public office.

He said he's enjoying talking to people and learning the issues, but also is realistic about his chances.

"I have put in job applications for other jobs, just in case I don't win," Thonus joked.

Thonus' opponent, incumbent Republican Dennis Levinson, said he would have no problem debating Thonus, or any other opponent.

"Debate is part of the process," he said.

In the meantime, Thonus will continue to quietly go about his campaign - and show something of the environmental streak that lured him to the Greens.

Thonus doesn't use fliers or brochures.

"I don't want to waste the paper," he said.

To e-mail Thomas Barlas at The Press:

TBarlas@pressofac.com