Comments on: NJ-GOV: Keep the Money, Chris

By: daveleroy

daveleroy — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:21:13 +0000

I have had several discussions with people within NJ GOP and they truly believe that winning the governorship lies solely with Christie and they fear a knock down drag it out fight between Lonegan and Christie for the GOP nomination. It is true that Christie, according to state polls, is the the more formidible challenger to Corzine, but Lonegan is gaining ground. As far as conservative credentials go, Christie cannot hold a candle to Lonegan. Lonegan has twice sued Corzine in court (and lost twice, but he tried) to overturn spending bills that increased state debt against voter wishes via referendums. He also sued McDonald’s for Spanish-language billboards saying they encouraged people not to speak English. Christie, on the other hand, likes to split legal hairs over the definition of “illegal alien.” Example: they only become “illegal” if they are deported and later re-enter the country. If Lonegan, it would be closer than most predict, but Corzine might prevail. If Christie, then he would win according to polling data, but he is more to the center. Corzine is to New Jersey what Bush was to the US in terms of popularity. Hoping the GOP does not shoot itself in its foot in Jersey.

By: JadedByPolitics

JadedByPolitics — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:28:20 +0000

….

By: Mike gamecock DeVine

Mike gamecock DeVine — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:25:26 +0000

By: Martin Knight

Martin Knight — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:17:55 +0000

Those guys not only prosecuted Stevens in DC, where a Republican is about as likely to escape conviction as a snowball escaping hell in solid form, they leaked slanted info to the AK Press, they also hid exculpatory evidence at trial, and managed to win a conviction right on time for November.

Those guys were pros.

By: Martin Knight

Martin Knight — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:13:01 +0000

Especially during a campaign and just as well, when you’re in office.

Never try to go past an allegation i.e. plead to go “back to the real issues” a la George Allen – remember that you’re a Republican and if a subject or incident will harm your campaign, the Press will focus endlessly on it to ensure that it’s the torpedo that hits you below the waterline.

A Democrat can simply issue a short statement to that effect i.e. “move on … nothing to see here” and make a few phone calls to friendly editors and after a day or two, the story is off the headlines.

For a Republican, on the other hand, the only way to get past these things, these contrived “scandals” and “controversies” is through. Get mad. Get in front of cameras, call a Press Conference and make the hacks pushing the story look like idiots.

“Moderates” would wring their hands, but most of the electorate would understand the righteous anger of a man defending his honor.

By: stevman17

stevman17 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:49:13 +0000

I am not so sure Lonegan has no chance. I have no numbers to back this up, obviously, but it seems like more and more Jerseyans I talk to are realizing that the Democrat’s ultimate goal is a statist socialist government. I am pretty sure that if Lonegan runs he could put the fear of big government in many loyal Democrat’s hearts. I know for a fact that most people here just want to work hard, and be left alone. The Conservative message might be able to catch on even in Jersey.

By: Mark Impomeni

Mark Impomeni — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:07:51 +0000

I like Lonegan, too. But he is too conservative for the NJ electorate and doesn’t know it. Nominating him against a weakened Corzine would be Brett Schundler all over again: a disappointing close loss in a race we could have won.

By: zarathustra57

zarathustra57 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:28:24 +0000

Lonegan seems to have stronger, small-government conservative credentials, but would nominating him be handing the governor’s mansion back to a vulnerable Democrat?

Any NJers have any insight?

By: Yil

Yil — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:01:12 +0000

Wow 3 million for 2 years of overseeing? Using the “Judges don’t have executive experience” theme the guy probably was just overseeing what was going on and he gets 3 million for that? I can see why he’d want to contribute! Christie’s position here isn’t unique so I would be interested to see if other AG’s refused contributions from people they appointed to such positions. The fact that state laws bans such contributions for everyone else does make it look bad.

Of course if you do have executive experience in running a large department you make more money as a monitor… “Pallone raised concerns about Christie’s use of the deferred persecution agreements after discovering that the federal prosecutor picked his old boss, former U.S. Attorney John Ashcroft, as a federal monitor in a no-bid deal worth $28 million to $52 million.” I really want to be a monitor!

Jokes aside Christie has done a good job, but his most memorable statewide role was the splashy ethics inquiry into Senator Menendez right before the 2006 election. If your going to go public right before a big election with an ethics “investigation” which bends the DOJ quiet time rules you’d best make sure it sticks. The fact that it didn’t stick makes it look political especially since it wasn’t against someone in his own party. Compare this with Fitzgerald who didn’t “investigate” but got an actual indictment and then went public.