Garden State Patriot

To no suprise, the Bergen County establishment is lining up for gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie. From the Bergen Record:

More than 230 Bergen County Republican officials formally endorsed Christopher J. Christie’s bid for governor Friday, dealing a setback to his rival, former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan.

Sen. Gerald Cardinale, the long-time conservative stalwart from Demarest and Bergen County Clerk Kathleen Donovan of Rutherford, a social moderate, top the list of prominent officials.

All five GOP legislators representing Bergen endorsed Christie, as did Bergen County Republican Organization Chairman Bob Yudin, whose endorsement is not an endorsement of the entire BCRO. The BCRO will hold its convention on March 19.

Assemblyman Richard Merkt of Morris County and Brian D. Levine of Franklin Township, Somerset County, also are vying for the nomination for governor.

Yudin said “practical politics” led him to back Christie, the former U.S. attorney for New Jersey, over Lonegan, who runs a conservative non-profit group.

“I believe Chris Christie has the best chance of winning,” Yudin said Friday. “It will be a close election, but Christie will carry Bergen County. If he is able to do that, my freeholder candidates will win. For me it is practical politics of who can win in November.”

While the economy is expected to dominate the political agenda this year, polls taken last year showed that public corruption was a major concern for Bergen voters, Yudin said. Christie’s conviction of 132 public officials during his seven-year tenure as U.S. attorney — including his investigation of the Bergen County Democratic Party — will “go a long way toward Christie doing well in Bergen County,” Yudin said.

Lonegan dismissed the endorsement as “proof that Chris Christie is the candidate of the status quo.”

“We are going to win the convention in Bergen County and we’ll win the primary,” Lonegan said. “This is a good old-fashioned insider game against the grassroots, the failed established Republicans versus grass-roots activists and I’m glad to be on the side of the activists.”

Early polls show Christie with a double-digit lead over Lonegan.

Despite my support of conservative Steve Lonegan in this race, I have tried to be open and fair to Mr. Christie. However, to this point I have yet to see or hear anything from Mr. Christie to convince me of his passion and commitment to conservative ideals and conservative solutions for New Jersey. Quite honestly, I am not sure at this point that he can.

On the one hand Steve Lonegan has a long track record of where he stands on the issues. Having been a mayor and State Director of Americans for Prosperity NJ, there is no reason to doubt Steve’s principles.

On the other hand, Mr. Christie does not have a track record. His major accomplishments come as a prosecutor, not as a politician or activist. This makes it difficult for a discerning voter to have faith in his stated positions and not think it’s just saying the things one needs to get elected.

This aside, my frustration with the Republican establishment in this state is growing as this primary period continues. As Mr. Yudin implies, winning at any cost is really their goal. If this means going with the candidate with the “best chance to win” then that is what they will do. You see, ideas and solutions are secondary. Supporting the candidate who actually best represents, and is most committed to, real change is secondary.

This is something that grassroots Republicans in New Jersey need to reject. The ultimate goal is not to have more politicians with (R)’s next to their name in state government; the ultimate goal is to achieve true reform in keeping with our founding principles. True reform that limits government and puts it back on the side of the people.

In order to succeed in this respect, as voters we need to identify and support those candidates we truly believe will do so; not just go with the latest ‘name.’

Cross-posted at Red County.