Alisa Cooper
Alisa Cooper was a 2011 Democratic candidate for District 2 of the New Jersey General Assembly.[1]
Cooper is an Atlantic County Freeholder, serving since 2005. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. She also owns Alisa Cooper Orchestras, Music & Entertainment Agency. Along with her orchestras, she has performed at a number of charitable events. She was named to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts in 2008. She is married to her husband, Doug Little. They have one child.[2]
Elections
2011
Alisa Cooper was a candidate for District 2 of the New Jersey General Assembly. She was defeated in the general election. She was bracketed with Damon Tyner in the primary. Cooper and Tyner defeated Gary Stein in the primary on June 7. John Amodeo and Chris Brown won the Republican primary unopposed.[3]
| New Jersey General Assembly District 2 General Election, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  John Amodeo Incumbent |
29.2% | 25,330 | |
| Republican | Chris Brown |
27.1% | 23,440 | |
| Democratic | Alisa cooper | 20.7% | 17,933 | |
| Democratic | Damon Tyner | 23% | 19,919 | |
| Total Votes | 86,622 | |||
| New Jersey General Assembly District 2 Democratic Primary, 2011 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Alisa Cooper |
46.3% | 3,361 |
| Damon Tyner |
46.5% | 3,370 |
| Gary Stein | 7.2% | 524 |
| Total Votes | 7,255 | |
Speculation
Asbury Park Press
District 2 is one of only three districts that the Asbury Park Press identified as competitive in 2011. The other two are Districts 14 and 38. Districts 2 and 38 may lean more Republican after 2011 redistricting, and District 14 may still favor Democrats. As evidence, they cite a drop in registered Democrats in Districts 2 and 38, and only a small decrease in registered Democrats in District 14. History has shown, argues APP, that districts where Democrats hold less than a 10,000 registered voter advantage typically favor the GOP. The Democratic registration advantage in District 2 is roughly 9,200 (down from 11,000).[4]
NJ Spotlight
With assembly incumbent Vincent Polistina (R) choosing to run for the State Senate, NJ Spotlight has identified the District 2 as a potential place for the GOP to lose a seat in the Assembly. Following redistricting, the District 2 gained Democratic communities, losing Republican Galloway Township and picking up Democratic Somers Point, Buena and Buena Vista.[5]
Campaign finance summary
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Campaign themes
The District 2 Democratic campaign site lists five key policy positions:
- Taxes: "Provide real tax relief to overburdened seniors and middle-class families by ending tax cuts for multi-millionaires and restoring seniors' property tax rebates."
- Leadership: "Provide independent leadership by working across party lines with the Governor to fix Trenton while standing up to him on policies that hurt seniors and middle-class families."
- Spending: "End the government spending spree with a freeze on state spending, independent audits of every department and public pension reforms."
- Political perks: "Slash taxpayer-funded political perks including free EZ-passes, housing allowances, luxury cars and luxury boxes at sports events for politicos and bureaucrats."
- Jobs: "Attract new business and jobs to New Jersey by providing competitive tax incentives, improving access to start-up capital, and eliminating roadblocks like bureaucratic red tape."
2nd District debate
On September 15, the District 2 Assembly candidates took part in a debate sponsored by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy and The Press of Atlantic City.
Endorsements
State leaders pick sides in District 2
Several powerful state leaders have expressed support for their chosen candidates in District 2. Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D) and Chairman of the state Democratic Committee John Wisniewski (D) have personally endorsed the Democratic ticket in District 2, attending a rally in support of the candidates. The Republican candidates have garnered the support of Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (R), who attended an event for GOP campaign staff in District 2. The visits further highlight the importance of the district in November's election.[6]
AFL-CIO endorses
Cooper was endorsed by the New Jersey State AFL-CIO[7]
Additional reading
- NJSpotlight, "Candidates: Legislative District 2," November 1, 2011
- BlogTalkRadio.com, "Talk Back with Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper," May 28, 2011 (Radio Interview)
- Politicker NJ, "Alisa Cooper mulls Assembly Run," December 27, 2010
- Press of Atlantic City, "Gary Stein challenges Alisa Cooper, Damon Tyner in Democrat race for Assembly nominations in Atlantic County," May 30, 2011
External links
- Whelan, Cooper & Tyner, District 2 Campaign Site
- Whelan, Cooper & Tyner, District 2 Facebook
- Facebook campaign website
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
Footnotes
- ↑ Press of Atlantic City, "Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper announces that she's running for 2nd District state Assembly seat," April 5, 2011
- ↑ "Alisa Cooper for Assembly," Facebook page, "Info"
- ↑ New Jersey Department of State, "2011 Official General Assembly Primary Candidate List," accessed April 10, 2014
- ↑ Asbury Park Press, "Race for Legislature is on," September 23, 2011
- ↑ NJ Spotlight, "Election 2011: Where the Republicans Can Pick Up Assembly Seats," April 12, 2011
- ↑ Press of Atlantic City, "Top New Jersey Democrats rally for 2nd District candidates," October 10, 2011
- ↑ Politicker NJ, "2011 AFL-CIO endorsed candidates," accessed August 5, 2011
