Tammy Murphy's decision to drop out of the race isn't changing Congressman Andy Kim's pursuit to abolish the so-called Party Line the lawsuit alleges the use of that ballot designed by 19 of the state's 21 counties is unconstitutional and a federal judge could issue a preliminary injunction in the case any day even though Kim now has a clear path to the Democratic nomination holding the majority of those County party endorsements putting him in a politically awkward situation a senior political correspondent David Cruz has the story the ground is still trembling a little bit after Tammy Murphy's announcement that she was dropping out of the US Senate primary but it could all give way as early as this week if the judge in the federal lawsuit to abolish the line makes a ruling Andy Kim is now suing for ballot positions that he's got and um he's suing for being excluded from from a line that he's now on talk about having your cake and eating it too it's like the guy in the movie said if you win you win if you lose you still win Kim told reporters on Sunday that may be the case but the game is the game if I don't take lines it gives my competitors an advantage and you know that's just you the system as it is so I feel you know as I said like this is not a system I want to participate in I think it's unfair um and and that's why I'm trying to change it but you know if we're all being forced to operate within the system if if I'm not taking this and there's always at risk um in that kind of capacity that you know someone else will get an advantage which some have now pointed out sounds a lot like something someone else said to loud groans not too long ago we're all competing with the same rules and I you know I think that if the rules change and and we have reform that's one thing but for right now we're all the same we're all in the same boat together Patricia compos Medina and Larry ham have both won a place on the June ballot neither however has won a County Convention or a county line they're calling on Kim to be as good as his word when it comes to the party line that he's suing to abolish and that voters should pay attention for him to be using the same talking points that Tommy Murphy was using that she was playing by the rules and those were the rules and she was following the rules that is and I always said those rules don't work for regular people and for working women like me so for him to use the same talking points is actually accepting a A system that works against democracy and works against women of color and he works against Latinas and it is a moment for him to Define what type of leader he's going to be in New Jersey Jim is is at this Crossroads now this will probably be one of a number of critical tests that he will face Kim accepted the line in another bit of irony on a private phone call Sunday with political bosses from some of the state's largest county machines lawyers for the defendants in this case say Kim accepting the line means the case has basically settled itself and that there is no need for injunctive relief but there are two other plaintiffs here including Sarah Shen good and she begs to differ she's running into Third District Democratic primary to succeed Andy Kim she's the kind of longtime resident and small business owner ballot reform is supposed to encourage this lawsuit is not just about one person it's not just about Andy Kim it's not just about me it's not just about the other plaintiff this is about having a fair ballot in New Jersey for all future people who want to run all people are asking for is to have a fair place on the ballot so it'll allow people who meet me who hear my name to see it and be like oh I met her that's why who I like her I want to vote for her instead of having to scan the entire ballot um which most people don't do the judge has given both sides until the end of the day to chime in on what impact Murphy's departure should have on his ruling which could come as early as this week at that point candidates May finally find themselves being judged judged by the content of their character and not their position on the party line I'm David Cruz NJ Spotlight news