race for governor

This morning Chris Christie officially declared that he will make a run for the Republican nomination for Governor official during the first week of February.

With access to lists of Republican supporters and activists collected by Christie supporters such as State Senator Joe Kyrillos, the former prosecutor sent the following message.

Dear Friend,

This morning I am filing papers to begin the process to become a candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of New Jersey.

I did not take this step lightly. It was only after careful consideration and consultation with my family that I decided to become a candidate.

New Jersey is broken. New Jersey’s taxes have become so unaffordable that more families are leaving our state than moving here. Our state's business tax climate is ranked 50th in the nation and has become so unattractive to employers that only government jobs are growing in New Jersey. Yet nothing in Trenton gets done to fix these problems.

We can change this. We can solve these problems if we're willing to make the tough decisions.

In my seven years as your United States Attorney, I didn't shy away from any of the tough decisions. I took on corporate greed, political corruption, terrorism and environmental polluters. Public officials from both parties were prosecuted for corruption – more than 130 were convicted, and not one was acquitted. Corporate executives who cheated their companies and hurt their workers were successfully prosecuted. Terrorist plots were disrupted; polluters punished.

Many didn’t believe we could win these battles. We did, and with strong leadership we will win the fight for Governor and change this state for the better.

My formal announcement for Governor will come in the first week in February and I hope you will join us (I will email you the details). With strong leadership now, we can fix our broken state and make it more affordable for all New Jersey families.

Sincerely,

Chris Christie

The filing of papers with the State Board of Elections to begin making his his candidacy for Governor of New Jersey a reality is about time.

For Christie to stall his decision to run or not run any longer would be detrimental to both his own success and our party’s success.

It is no secret that he would probably be running and to begin with a late, or later start than he already intends, only makes things tougher for the G.O.P. than they may already be.

From the message sent out by Christie, which essentially makes his intentions clear, one can see that the soon to be candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of New Jersey is banking on a campaign that will play up his prosecutorial, clean government credentials and business interests.

Those are important issues however, Christie would be wise to highlight the damage done to the citizens of New Jersey due to the anti business climate that Corzine and Democrats have created in the state more than just the desire of businesses. The focus needs to be on the people. By simply making himself the “pro-business” candidate, Christie will fall into a trap that Democrats are great at. It is a trap that, in the minds of voters, Democrats perpetuate a sense that Republicans are the party for big business.

So Christie needs to carefully phrase his intentions to improve the environment for business in New Jersey.

One of the most encouraging comments in his email was a reference to the fact that only government jobs are growing in New Jersey. If Christie can hammer home the fact that Democrats have made government a business that they treat like corrupt Wall Street, ponzi schemers and profit from at the sake of taxpayers, he may be on to a winning theme in November.

But first he must get our nomination.

It is my hope that Chris Christie will work hard for that nomination. He just might have to with people like Assemblyman Richard Merkt and former Mayor Steve Lonegan on his tail.

The two, especially Mayor Lonegan are going to be innovative in their approaches to government and in a time when Americans were wanting “change”, New Jerseyans are really wanting change. Business as usual is not something that New Jersey residents want from government and people like Steve Lonegan are anything but business usual. Many can see that as a refreshing change from the business as usual that we have gotten from the current administration in Trenton.

So once Christie does become an official candidate and starts campaigning as one, it will be interesting to see how he distinguishes himself from the pack and from your run of the mill politicians.

And the sooner he starts trying to do so, the better.

Be Sure To Sign The Petition To

REPEAL THE CONGRESSIONAL PAY HIKE

Sign the Online Petition - Repeal The Automatic Pay Raise That Congress Is Receiving

Pass The Link On To Family, Friends and Co-workers

http://www.gopetition.com/online/24301.html

AND DON'T FORGET.............

BE SURE TO SIGN THE PETITION URGING THE NOMINATION

OF SENATOR BECK FOR LT. GOV.

POSTED EARLIER TODAY: JACK KEMP - A POLITICAL ICON BATTLES CANCER

It has been reported that Jack Kemp has cancer.

His office released the following statement:

“Mr. Kemp has been undergoing tests to determine the origin of the disease and the options for continued treatment. He will continue to serve as Chairman of Kemp Partners and plans to remain involved in his business, charitable and politically related activities. Mr. Kemp and his family are grateful for the thoughts and prayers of friends and appreciate respect for their privacy at this time”..........

To Read More, Go To:

http://politics247.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/jack-kemp-a-political-icon-battles-cancer/

Senator Jennifer Beck fired the first shot in one of the new year's opening session of the New Jersey State Senate.

To a packed chamber, the feisty freshman Senator stated "New Jersey's fiscal mess is one of the worst in the country, and the responsibility for being worse off than other States comes from Corzine" . "Corzine refuses to acknowledge that his tax and toll increases, unsustainable spending increases, and a job-killing COAH/housing subsidy bill have made things worse and can't be blamed on others." She added "Every time Corzine is asked about New Jersey's fiscal mess, he refuses to accept any responsibility,".

When first campaigning for Governor, then U.S. Senator Jon Corzine promised to control state spending, yet once elected, during the first six months of is misadministration, he raised taxes by almost $2 billion dollars. Now that he is up for re-election, New Jersey has a budget gap of $2.1 billion dollars, an amount that surpasses the revenue of increased taxes that he initiated during his first six months in office.

His most recent try at closing the existing budget gap came with an announcement that decared he was going to to slash the state budget as much as $812 million dollars by targeting things such as adolescent illiteracy where he can eliminate as much as $ 11 thousand.

These recent attempts at controlling spending are miniscule and misdirected but almost as troubling as what we are hearing from Corzine is what we are not hearing from him.

Throughout his tenure as Governor, Corzine has been quite clandestine about budget numbers and contract negotiations. Republican lawmakers have recently filed lawsuits which seek to have the Governor reveal certain figures and there is currently a case in the courts that deals with secret emails between the Governor and his former girlfriend Carla Katz regarding how the two negotiated a state contract with a local Communication Workers Union, one of the state’s most powerful unions of which Katz was thePresident of at the time.

As most of us know, Governor Corzine has been doing everything but govern.

The past few years have been an example of a man who has been controlled by events and unable to control any events. More than that, he has been unable to cope with events. The state of New Jersey has spiraled out of economic control and it began to do so long before the rest of the nation entered troubled economic territory.

For the average person, under Corzine, New Jersey has become increasingly unaffordable and the quality of life in the Garden State has done anything but improve.

It is part of the reason for declines in population which will cost the state a congressional seat after the 2010 census.

It is a result of people fleeing New Jersey for more affordable states with more opportunity and more economic freedom.

For these reasons Senator Beck joined with State Senator Kevin O’Toole, ( R )-Bergen, and called upon the Governor to “ finally accept some responsibility for New Jersey’s fiscal mess” and adopt what they called “three bipartisan common-sense ideas to make New Jersey more affordable and hold government accountable”. The proposa urges the governor to:

1. Listen to bipartisan calls in the senate to postpone, and make substantial reforms to, a job crushing COAH/housing subsidy law.
2. Listen to bipartisan calls in the senate for additional spending cuts. (See $1.2 billion in spending cuts proposed by Republicans)
3. Listen to bipartisan calls in the Senate to derail a Corzine proposal to let local government skip pension payments until after his reelection.

All of the above are reasonable and realistic steps, that few could rationally argue against and that even fewer can see reason not to accept.

So we are quite proud of Senator Beck. We are proud of her many legislative initiatives targeted at turning things around New Jersey, including the aforementioned bipartisan proposal.

We are proud of her many efforts to open the legislative process up to the public, eliminate government corruption and to reform government in New Jersey. We are also proud of and grateful for her taking the lead once again and demanding that Governor Corzine at least try to effectively deal with the mess that he has only made worse up to now.

BE SURE TO SIGN THE PETITION URGING THE SELECTION OF JENNIFER BECK FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE OR GO TO http://www.gopetition.com/online/23572.html/

* * * * * * * * ALSO * * * * * * * *

Be Sure To Sign The Petition To

REPEAL THE CONGRESSIONAL PAY HIKE

Sign the Online Petition - Repeal The Automatic Pay Raise That Congress Is Receiving

Pass The Link On To Family, Friends and Co-workers

http://www.gopetition.com/online/24301.html

On the very same day that Chris Christie's resignation from the U.S. Attorney's office takes effect, Steve Lonegan announced his own candidacy for the nomination. Speculation has it that Christie will most definitely be running for the nomination and as one of the state's most recognizable Republican names, many hope that he does run.

So Lonegan's kicking off his campaign with an official, public, declaration of his candidacy on the same day that Christie's resignation from the U.S. Attorney's office takes effect is no coincidence. In truth, it was a smart move.

News outlets are surely going to be mentioning Christie's resignation and giving him some earned media. They all know that Christie's job with the justice department prohibited him from any political activity and making any declarations of his own candidacy, but now that he is out of office, the media buzz about the Governor's race will heat up.

By making his own campaign official on this day, Steve Lonegan assured himself , at least, equal time with Christie on the airwaves. Undoubtedly, if the news does bring up the fact that Christie's resignation became effective today, then they will surely mention the declared candidacy of his potential rival for the nomination, Steve Lonegan.

In addition to his timely announced campaign kickoff, Steve Lonegan has also launched his campaign web site (which you can link to by clicking on the image from his web site, to the right).

So I give Lonegan credit for playing it right so far. It shows that he is not just interested in the job but that he and his campaign officials know how to run for the job.

And getting the job is going to be tough. Real tough.

While Steve Lonegan is the favorite of New Jersey conservatives, Chris Christie is the favorite of the Republican establishment in New Jersey and unfortunately for Lonegan the phrase "New Jersey conservatives" is an oxymoron. There are far fewer conservative oriented voters in this state than liberal Republicans. So Lonegan starts off at disadvantage. But it is not one that can't be overcome.

Before Christie has even announced his own candidacy he has already been caught up in a few verbal missteps. Not long ago, while speaking before a largely Hispanic group, he indicated that illegal immigration was more of an administrative matter than a criminal issue. For that, some called for his resignation from the U.S. Attorney's office, so it will certainly be an issue that is raised if Christie runs for governor. It certainly isn't a silver bullet but that alone gives Steve Lonegan some fighting power that will cause Chris Christie to waste time and money responding to.

But aside from Chris Christie's own , yet to be known, positions on the issues, Steve Lonegan has a significant record on the issues in his own right. He even has the ability to lay claim to successfully spearheading political causes. He helped to defeat many Corzine initiated measures that would have raised taxes in new Jersey.

On illegal immigration, Lonegan's voice has been loud and clear. When he was the Mayor of Bogota, he made it known that illegal immigration was not just an administrative issue but a criminal matter that needed to be addressed.

On taxes and spending , it is also clear that Steve Lonegan is not of the center or left of center mold. In fact he stops short of declaring war on taxes and spending and makes it clear that "New Jersey's government continues to grow beyond the people's ability to pay."

According to his recently launched web site, Lonegan "will fight for the forgotten citizens: the hair stylist, the legal assistant, the mechanic, the nurse, the farmer, the supermarket cashier and the factory worker" and "be the champion of the men and women who get up in the morning, go to work, and obey the law."

I for one like what I am hearing from Lonegan but the devil is in the details and the details are what we need to hear.

If Steve Lonegan can articulate those details in an easily accessible message to the people and if they add up and are believable than he just might have my support.

But until then, I will listen closely. Unlike the race for President, I am not convinced in who is best to carry our banner in November.

In the presidential race, I was among the minority of New Jersey republicans who declared my support for Mitt Romney in September of '07. After witnessing the campaign that our ultimate nominee waged, I feel I was right. However in the race for Governor of New Jersey, I have no clear favorite.

Steve Lonegan does seemingly represent my views most closely but I have yet to from others. Chris Christie is a blank slate to me. I, like many others know of him and know of his truly incredible work prosecuting crime but that is all I know and it's not enough.

Even though his candidacy starts off with advantages that others do not, I refuse to give our party's nomination to someone who wants to run like a democrat for political expediency. We have had more than enough of that. Tom Kean, Jr.'s candidacy for U.S. Senate against Bob Menendez was an example of that type of candidacy. It was the first time I could not, in good in conscience, vote for the party's nominee. The positions that he took in that race made it obvious that a vote for him was the same as a vote for Menendez. Neither were acceptable so I wrote in the name of more deserving wished for candidate.

So Christie's name I.D. and ability to tap into financial resources does not win me over. Where he stands on the issues is more important.

At the same time, Lonegans's conservative credentials do not automatically make me a supporter of him. Beyond the details of his intended path to prosperity, I need to see that he has the pragmatism needed to instill a sense of confidence in voters. He also needs to demonstrate an ability to be more than a hardliner. Lonegan must show me that he can deliver our message in a manner that unifies people and crosses party lines.

If he cannot do that then all the great things that he might be able to accomplish for us are meaningless.

So I will not declare my support for any one Republican candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. I will wait to see who is most suitable on the issues and who can present those issues in the most suitable way. I will let all the candidates work hard and earn my support before I state which one deserves my support and our nomination.

That means, that Assemblyman Richard Merkt will also have my ear. As the first to really declare his candidacy, Rich Merkt deserves being heard and I welcome his presence on the stage.

I even hope that bio-tech entrepreneur John Crowley throws his hat into the ring. His presence in the contest would energize the primary battle like no other. Between his inspirational story, ingenuity, dedication and personal accomplishments, Crowley would make this a close race that would force all the candidates to be at the top of their game and as a result, the truly best man will win. Such a contest would allow us to produce a nominee that would have the very best chance of not only defeating Corzine but having the coattails to win back some seats in the state legislature.

No matter how the field shapes up though, I know that I will not be putting any effort in to nominating a Democrat-lite Republican. If that's what New Jersey republicans want then why put up a candidate at all when we could simply vote for another 4 years of the real deal, Jon Corzine.

In the meantime, Steve Lonegan's declaration today is exciting. He sounds like the change we need. Now he just has to prove it.

Dance