Guardian, a one-term Atlantic City mayor who lost his reelection bid to the now-disgraced Frank Gilliam, is running to oust Assemblyman John Armato (D-Buena) in the 2nd Legislative District. The district covers Atlantic County and its municipalities, including Atlantic City.<\/p>\n
Polistina is running to win the state Senate seat left unoccupied by former Sen. Chris Brown (R-Ventnor City) after he decided earlier this year to serve the Murphy administration as a “senior advisor to Atlantic City affairs.”<\/p>\n
Polistina also believes the state’s Smokefree Air Act loophole afforded to casinos needs to end.<\/p>\n
“Casino workers and guests were able to experience what it would be like to be inside a smoke-free casino,” said Polistina. “While the COVID-19 pandemic will be a thing of the past at some point, the risks associated with second-hand smoke are very real, and not going anywhere unless we do something to change that.<\/p>\n
\nAs someone who has suffered a personal loss from cancer, this issue could not hit more close to home for me,” Polistina explained.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
New Jersey Deputy Attorney General Claire Swift, also running for Armato’s seat, opposes casino smoking, too.<\/p>\n
“A smoking ban within casino properties would certainly encourage families to consider Atlantic City, once again, a family destination,” she said. Swift added that a smoke-free Atlantic City casino market would make the destination more desirable for families.<\/p>\n
Tobacco Giant Interjects<\/b><\/h2>\n
Atlantic City is predominantly a Democratic town. Guardian is the casino city’s lone Republican mayor since 1990. 2nd District Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo (D-Northfield) has been reelected four times, and Armato twice.<\/p>\n
Philip Morris, the largest tobacco manufacturer in the world, is concerned with smoke-free casinos becoming a bigger trend than it already is. And outside Las Vegas, Atlantic City is the most important casino market in the United States.<\/p>\n
\n
According to New Jersey campaign finance records, Philip Morris is donating to state lawmakers and political candidates at rates not seen in more than a decade. Philip Morris recently contributed $36,500 to New Jersey Senate and Assembly Democrats, and $22,000 to the GOP leadership committees.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Democratic candidates have yet to take such strong anti-smoking stances. Murphy, however, said recently that he would be “open-minded” to the discussion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New Jersey Republicans seeking state office have taken positions opposing ongoing tobacco smoking inside Atlantic City casinos. Assemblyman Vince Polistina (R-Egg Harbor) and Don Guardian, the former Republican mayor of Atlantic City, say they both oppose allowing gamblers to light up inside casinos. Indoor casino smoking resumed July 4 following the extinguishment of New Jersey […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":180762,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,61],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
New Jersey Republicans Running on Anti-Casino Smoking Platforms<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n