federal judge karashi clarified over the weekend this ruling only applies to the Democratic primary not the GOP setting up an immediate Scramble for the 19 clerks in counties using Partyline ballots many through their appeal still claim it'll cause chaos a senior political correspondent David Cruz reports this is not a final ruling but there's no doubt it creates a seismic shift in Party politics as we know it how many seismic shifts can a State's political landscape taken a month we're finding out now as the county line Saga takes another sharp turn federal judge ruling late Friday that the system that has ruled New Jersey politics for Generations is invalidated for the June primary at least this is just the beginning assuming the decision holds which obviously I think it should and I hope that it will um it it's really just the opening of the door we asked Professor juliia SAS Rubin who authored the report that provided the combustible material that blew everything up this month what now I think the most immediate impacts will be more people will run for office not this election cycle obviously because it's a done deal the the deadline passed already but I think we will see more people running going forward and I think we will see a much more diverse slate of candidates we have a very overwhelmingly white and male legislature and the county line has a big role in that because of the power of the party chairs to decide who gets the line and the fact that the chairs are overwhelmingly white and male although there was lots of celebrating by Partyline opponents this weekend this is a decision that affects only this June's primary and just for laughs seemingly will only apply to the Democratic primary that said there are real world implications for several races across the state this June Carol Murphy in Andy Kim's District had not gotten any of the lines herb Conway had gotten all of them was looking like a prohibitive favorite with that line out it doesn't mean that she's going to win it doesn't mean that he's going to win it means that it's a giant reset it means that it's a doover which is only right says Sarah Shong good who's also in that Third District race and a plaintiff in this case eliminating the line literally just means that candidates now have to work for every single vote that they get and they're now accountable to the people not the establishment not party bosses so you know it's time to get to work and and start earning bootes Patricia Campos Medina is not only a longtime advocate for eliminating the party line she's also a candidate for the Democratic Senate seat against Andy Kim who she says has used the Ultimate Security of the party line which Kim has if this decision gets overturned to avoid the rigors of an issue Orient Ed campaign now we can actually have candidates that can compete on our credentials on our record and our ability to uh engage regular voters into public campaign so now it's about our issues and our experience to actually drive policy Solutions supporters of the Partyline system which include the governor and the first lady say it has served New Jersey well as a filter against extreme candidates and especially nowadays moneyed interest with an agenda we know that this is not a Panacea moment not a silver Billet uh money will continue to be a part of Elections fundamentally but I think that uh the notion that somehow the line was a moderating force against millionaires being able to enter politics or millionaires being able to throw money in uh elections is just false so while the line ain't dead yet it's never been this close and whether you think it's the best thing to happen to small D democracy in your lifetime or the end of democracy as we know it New Jersey appears to be on the verge of some kind of historic change I'm David Cruz NJ Spotlight news