First, allow me to offer my sincere congratulations to Mr. Christie. I wish him the best, and hope for his success, as he now faces the monumental task of repairing our very broken state. As with any politician, we the people should remain watchful and hold his feet to the fire. When our new governor is on the right course, he will deserve our full support. Conversely, if we feel he is off-course, we should responsibly and contructively say so.
With that said, here are my thoughts on yesterday’s election results.
New Jersey, in my mind, remains a deeply blue state. But even deeply blue states have a breaking point. New Jersey, this year, reached hers. This election is nothing less than a rejection of everything liberal, with voters fed up with an out-of-control, overbearing, overspending, over-taxing government.
Chris Christie’s victory was fueled by this sentiment and, despite a campaign that offered little in the way of specifics, New Jersey voters simply had had enough and opted for change. Christie successfully won over independent voters by a 2:1 margin – and conservatives pushed him well over the top, leading to a surprising 4-point win. Chris Daggett, who was well into double-digits according to some polls, faded badly and only garnered 6% of the vote.
Republicans, no doubt, are a bit euphoric today with Chris Christie’s victory. However, there is reason to temper that enthusiasm.
First and foremost, Chris Christie will still be facing a Democrat legislature. While Christie scored a significant victory, the same could not be said for the party regarding the state assembly races. In a year when the climate was as favorable as could be for Republicans in New Jersey, the party only gained one assembly seat – one.
Additionally, the open space ballot question passed despite opposition from Christie himself. While Christie won by a 4% margin, the ballot question lost by 2% (a 6% swing).
The inability to make inroads in the assembly is troubling to say the least - and speaks to a problem with the party apparatus. Whatever the NJ-GOP’s strategy is with respect to these races, it is failing – and failing miserably. With the election behind us, and the vital 2010 off-year election dead ahead, it is time for serious reflection and change for the NJ-GOP. The solution may not be a simple one, but I believe it begins with giving voters a real, tangible, conservative choice.
Party chairman, Jay Webber, is certainly in an unenviable position in this respect. With the election behind us, the question remains as to whether Jay will now begin to move the NJ-GOP in a conservative direction. Additionally, we are facing the potential prospect of primary challenges to Reps. Smith, LoBiondo and Lance for their unforgiveable Cap & Trade votes. What happened in NY-23 to Dede Scozzafava could very easily happen with any one of these members of the New Jersey congressional delegation.
The Christie victory should also teach us a lesson. Despite the misgivings among conservatives regarding Christie’s conservative credentials, on the surface he did run conservatively in many respects. He ran as a fiscal conservative, as well as a social conservative on issues like abortion and gay marriage. Whether Christie governs as such is another matter. To the average voter, perception is reality; and I believe the perception was that Christie was at least moderately conservative. As such, the lesson to be learned here is that conservatives can win in New Jersey.
As we look ahead to 2010 and beyond, let’s just hope that this lesson is not lost on the NJ-GOP.
Fellow blogger Alice Shope – Alice’s Restaurant Blog – has a very detailed post on the open space ballot question. If you want to understand more about it, then I highly recommend reading her post.
Also, check out this internet ad on the open space initiative released by StopHigherTaxes.com.
Why should you oppose Ballot Question #1? Because not only does the money pile debt on top of mountainous debt, but because the money is also abused by politicians to pay for things that have nothing to do with open space. Like astroturf fields, skating, parks, and parking garages. Steve Lonegan explains:
How is this money spent?
Instead of rural and suburban communities, the program spends millions on “recreation” programs in urban areas. Grants are weighted so that cities receive three dollars for every dollar spent in rural and suburban communities.
Is there anything “green” about building parking lots on the last remaining open space in North Bergen – or laying artificial turf over farmland in Burlington County?
These headlines tell the story:
Hoboken siphons $2M in state funds (Jersey Journal, 05/15/02)
Hoboken has shifted $2 million in Green Acres funding, earmarked for a stalled project, to three projects they can begin right away… About $1 million will go to rehabilitating the soccer field which was constructed about three years… About $250,000 will go to constructing a one-half-acre skating park… About $400,000 will go to creating the Jackson Street Garage Park.
Hudson athletic fields to get synthetic turfs (Jersey Journal, 04/27/09)
The county received about $7 million in grants this month from New Jersey’s Green Acres Program… the cost of construction for a new dual use synthetic turf field for soccer and football, as well as the installation of a sports lighting system, permanent bleachers, fencing, landscaping and a restroom building…
Green Acres helps to fund stadium in park (Herald News, 06/11/09)
“It seems like a conflict of the mission of Green Acres,” said Tony Lopez, who has lived across from the park for 23 years. “Park space in urban areas is scarce, and they’re taking 4 acres. I can’t describe it. It’s a tragedy.”
Artificial turf risky for kids?
Critics also worry about impact on ecosystem (Record, 11/23/07)
The artificial turf is generally made with plastic fibers stitched onto a nylon mat to resemble blades of grass. Granules of chrome rubber, sometimes mixed with sand, are sprinkled on the field to make it spongier… The irony, environmentalists say, is that a number of these fake grass projects have been subsidized by the state’s Green Acres program — money intended for land preservation. In recent years, state officials have Green Acres funds for 13 artificial turf projects.
Plans move ahead for turf field in Mt. Laurel (06/12/08)
Plans are moving forward to install a synthetic turf field at the Conrow Farm site on Mount Laurel Road, including lighting and parking. Under that program, up to 50 percent of acquisition costs are paid by the state and 25 percent each by the county and township.
And as Steve mentioned, like education dollars, this money isn’t distributed fairly. Urban areas take the bulk of the dollars – and then waste it on things like the aforementioned projects.
What happened to the $200 million they borrowed just two years ago?
Well, $47 million of it was cut out and earmarked for recreation projects like stadium parking lots, artificial turf, and skateboard ramps. Where did that money go?
Well it didn’t go to suburban and rural communities. That’s because of a funding formula that uses a bias in favor of urban areas. Under this formula, cities get three dollars for every dollar that goes to suburban and rural communities.
Notice something missing? There’s no mention of any money going to Sussex and Hunterdon Counties – two of New Jersey’s most rural counties.
Ask yourself: Is this program based on the considerations of open space, or is it based more on political considerations?
Be sure to send trenton a message this Election Day. Say “NO” to more spending and debt. Vote “NO” on Ballot Question #1! For more go to StopHigherTaxes.com.
At last weekend’s Conservative Leadership Breakfast (hosted by Conservative with Attitude’s own Michael Illions), Steve Lonegan gave a presentation on the open Space ballot initiative. Steve is leading the opposition to this initiative which will only add to the state’s already out of control taxes and debt.
In the following two clips, Steve explains in detail what Ballot Question #1 is all about and why you should emphatically vote “NO!”
Americans for Prosperity has posted some invaluable information pertaining to the Open Space ballot question. I would urge you to read the following and vote ’NO’ on this initiative.
The “Green Acres” program, touted by politicians as a way to preserve the natural environment in New Jersey means nothing more than higher taxes and more debt for New Jersey residents. Ballot Question #1 proposes an additional $400 million for this program—we must Stop Higher Taxes and Stop the Debt — by voting NO on Question One on this November’s ballot.
Here is why Ballot Question #1 is a disaster for New Jersey:
The state’s debt has exploded from $4 billion to $46 billion in only fifteen years. We face a budget deficit next year of almost $10 billion—we cannot afford anymore debt!
New Jersey’s statewide system of preserved open space now amounts to over 1.4 million acres – that’s more than a quarter of all the land in the state! And now, in the midst of the worst economic climate since the Great Depression, this is not the time to spend more money and go deeper into debt.
With the highest property taxes in the nation, Garden State homeowners already put 7 percent of their paychecks toward property taxes. By purchasing more open space, Trenton will diminish the property tax base, and you will pay the difference in higher taxes!
Where will the $400 million go?
$20 million will go to pay off lawyers, bond counsels, consultants and other political hacks. Open space programs have been riddled with corruption.
Millions more will be used to purchase decrepit buildings in urban centers. What’s that have to do with “open space.”
The state cannot even maintain the parks we already have — the same parks that Governor Corzine who supports this boondoggle — threatened to close last year.
Worst of all, Trenton will be adding to the fiscal ball and chain that follows every child and taxpayer who lives in New Jersey. What the bureaucrats spend today the children of tomorrow will pay.
Stop Higher Taxes and Stop the Debt — by voting NO on Question One on this November’s ballot.
In addition, AFP’s Steve Lonegan will be holding a teleconference on the open space initiative next Thursday, as well as appearing on NJN for a debate which will air this weekend.
I am scheduling a special teleconference for important individuals like yourself to help provide up-to-date information and ask questions. Please join me on Thursday,October 15 at 8:00 PM. Call in to 1-877-229-8493 enter pin code 13103.
This weekend I am appearing on NJN’s “On the Record” with Michael Aron. I will be opposite the bill’s prime sponsor Assemblyman John McKeon. The program airs Sunday October 11th at 9:00am and 11:00am and again Monday at 6:30am.
Cross-posted at Red County and Conservatives with Attitude!
Published
August 19th, 2009
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The pendulum is swinging back in our direction. According to Rasmussen Reports, Republicans have their biggest lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot in several years.
Republican candidates have now matched their biggest lead over Democrats of the past several years on the Generic Congressional Ballot.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% would vote for their district’s Republican congressional candidate while 38% would opt for his or her Democratic opponent.
The level of support for Democratic candidates is unchanged this week, but backing for GOP candidates rose one point from a week ago. This is now the eighth straight week Republicans have led on the Generic Ballot.
To put this in perspective a bit, back in January after Obama’s immaculation, Democrats led on this ballot 42%-35%. And in November, around the election, Democrats led 47%-41%. So, this represents a siginificant turnaround in a very short time.
The only question now is will this momentum carry through to 2010. That will depend on the economy, for sure, but also whether Barack & The Dems ram through their unpopular healthcare agenda.
Lonegan campaing pollster Rick Shaftan releeased an internal poll to the press today claiming the GOP primary race is a dead heat. Not surprisingly, some questioned the results of theses internals. Via Politicker NJ:
So is the race really as competitive as the Lonegan poll — which was conducted by the firm of Lonegan chief strategist Rick Shaftan — says it is?
Any internal campaign poll released to the press should be taken with a grain of salt, said Monmouth University pollster Patrick Murray.
“It’s a piece of propaganda. That’s what all campaign communications are,” he said.
Murray said that the information available from the poll raised a couple red flags: that the poll publishes results within a tenth of a percentage point, giving it “an aura of more precision than these polls have,” and that, using a statewide sample size of 687 voters, it includes results for just one legislative district in northwest New Jersey.
“It raises the question for me if it over-sampled from the more conservative areas,” said Murray.
Shaftan, for his part, said that “the sample was drawn randomly and no part of the state was singled out for overcalling.” He included numbers within a tenth of a percentage point for emphasis.
As for the 23rd Legislative District, Shaftan said the trend in Northwest New Jersey, which between Morris, Sussex, Warren and Hunterdon Counties accounts for about 25% of Republican primary turnout, was very much in Lonegan’s favor.
Moreover, Shaftan said, the survey did not describe the candidates before asking whether respondents preferred Lonegan or Christie. In fact, he said his poll’s method of only polling Republicans who voted in at least two of the last primaries, if anything, favored Christie.
“Somebody who is not a two-of-five and who is voting in the primary is probably a Lonegan voter,” he said. “New people come to us. They don’t go to Christie.”
Shaftan disagreed that Schundler’s 2001 victory had anything to do with his opponents’ ballot switch, and said that Lonegan is running better at this point in the campaign than Schundler was running against Franks.
Christie Campaign Manager Bill Stepien argued that the poll’s results in Morris County, where Christie is from, diminishes its credibility.
“A poll that shows Lonegan up nearly two to one in Chris’s home county? Seems a bit fishy,” he said. “The next thing you’ll tell me is that Lonegan’s own consultant conducted the poll.”
Here’s my take. I do b
So is the race really as competitive as the Lonegan poll — which was conducted by the firm of Lonegan chief strategist Rick Shaftan — says it is?
Any internal campaign poll released to the press should be taken with a grain of salt, said Monmouth University pollster Patrick Murray.
“It’s a piece of propaganda. That’s what all campaign communications are,” he said.
Murray said that the information available from the poll raised a couple red flags: that the poll publishes results within a tenth of a percentage point, giving it “an aura of more precision than these polls have,” and that, using a statewide sample size of 687 voters, it includes results for just one legislative district in northwest New Jersey.
“It raises the question for me if it over-sampled from the more conservative areas,” said Murray.
Shaftan, for his part, said that “the sample was drawn randomly and no part of the state was singled out for overcalling.” He included numbers within a tenth of a percentage point for emphasis.
As for the 23rd Legislative District, Shaftan said the trend in Northwest New Jersey, which between Morris, Sussex, Warren and Hunterdon Counties accounts for about 25% of Republican primary turnout, was very much in Lonegan’s favor.
Moreover, Shaftan said, the survey did not describe the candidates before asking whether respondents preferred Lonegan or Christie. In fact, he said his poll’s method of only polling Republicans who voted in at least two of the last primaries, if anything, favored Christie.
“Somebody who is not a two-of-five and who is voting in the primary is probably a Lonegan voter,” he said. “New people come to us. They don’t go to Christie.”
Shaftan disagreed that Schundler’s 2001 victory had anything to do with his opponents’ ballot switch, and said that Lonegan is running better at this point in the campaign than Schundler was running against Franks.
Christie Campaign Manager Bill Stepien argued that the poll’s results in Morris County, where Christie is from, diminishes its credibility.
“A poll that shows Lonegan up nearly two to one in Chris’s home county? Seems a bit fishy,” he said. “The next thing you’ll tell me is that Lonegan’s own consultant conducted the poll.”
Here’s my take. I’m not sure if it is as tight as the Lonegan camp’s internals are showing, but I do believe that Mayor Lonegan is continuing to gain on Christie and will continue to do so.
Ultimately, this primary is going to be decided by turnout and whether the grassroots conservatives will vote en masse for Mayor Lonegan on June 2nd.
It’s important to also keep in mind that many voters have yet to take a full interest in this primary. With the debates right around the corner, though, that should certainly change things. By mid-may I think we’ll have a very clear idea of how this race truly stands.
Looks like good news out of Israel. Benjamin Netanayu is claiming victory and will be the next Israelis Prime Minister. Yesterday’s reports about the race being too close to call are not accurate as the nation’s right wing block has won a clear majority.
Certainly, I can not claim to know Israeli politics, but I would venture to guess that this turn to the right in Israel was influenced by the Obama Administration’s stance vis-a-vis Iran.
99% of the ballots in: A clear majority for the right wing under the Netanyahu’s leadership. Netanyahu: “the people have spoken I’ll lead the next government”. Right wing block has a 65 to 55 majority in Knesset.
Netanyahu claimed victory late Tuesday night after all TV stations exit polls project a clear majority to the right wing block of 65 seats to 55 for the left. Netanyahu addressed his supporters in Tel Aviv saying: “God willing I’ll be the next Prime Minister. I’m sure I will be able to form a wide and stable coalition government that will know how to cope with the crisis and promote reforms in the education” Netanyahu has detailed his next political moves:” I’ll start by turning to our partners of the right wing; we’ve already set up meetings for tomorrow. Then I’ll seek out the rest of the Zionist parties (meaning Labor and Kadima) in order to unify all of forces of the people.”
Netanyahu also responded to Kadima’s claims that they won the elections “There is no doubting the conclusion that the right wing under the Likud has won a decisive victory… the question is not what the polls said, but what the reality states, in the going out Knesset the right wing had only 50 seats and today it has a majority, in the last elections the people voted us into the opposition, and in these elections we increased our votes more than any other party”.
With Chris Christie on the cusp of formally announcing his candidacy for Governor, and the first debate scheduled for this weekend, the Lonegan campaign is ready for the battle which will rage until June’s primary.
In a press release today Lonegan came out with guns blazing, taking dead aim at Christie on a couple of fronts. First and foremost, Lonegan challenged the heretofore silent Christie for specifics on the issues.
With just three days until the first campaign debate, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan warned a potential opponent “vapid doubletalk will not beat Jon Corzine.”
Lonegan aimed his comments at former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, who Lonegan says has avoided comment on virtually every single issue of importance including most recently a question about COAH on Monday night…
…“I look forward to debating Mr. Christie. So far, his alleged campaign has been one of intellectually insulting platitudes and statements so banal that even his strongest supporters are starting to ask questions,” Lonegan said. “I know because every day more and more are coming over to our team.”
He also criticized Christie for running a ‘Dewey-like campaign’ — referencing the failed campaigns of the two-time Presiential candidated Thomas Dewey in 1944 and 1948 which were devoid of substance.
“Mr. Christie’s speech tonight to the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors — ‘Looking forward to the future’ — bears an uncanny resemblance to Dewey’s 1948 campaign theme ‘Your future lies ahead of you’.”
“This kind of mindless drivel is the reason people don’t vote,” Lonegan said. “Vapid platitudes and vague platforms won’t motivate fed up taxpayers to come to the polls this November,” Lonegan said. “Taxpayers want a leader who will stand up and speak out, not someone who cowers in a corner, hiding from controversy.”
Moreover, Lonegan said his campaign would essentially model itself after Ronald Reagan who won the Presidency – and New Jersey – twice through being bold and true to conservative principles.
“Ronald Reagan won New Jersey twice because he took bold stands that sharpened his differences with Jimmy Carter and the liberals, just as I did by winning three times by double-digit margins in a town that voted 64% for Barack Obama,” Lonegan said. “Chris Christie, on the other hand, couldn’t even win his own primary for renomination as Freeholder, finishing sixth out of six and losing by a 2-1 margin.”
“The only way we’re going to beat Jon Corzine is with a clear line between what we believe and what he has done,” Lonegan explained. “We’re not going to beat Corzine by being Corzine. We’re not going to beat Corzine by trying to run away from who we are. “We’re going to beat Corzine by standing tall for working families and always putting taxpayers first. That’s how we’re going to win the Governorship. That’s how we’re going to take the State Assembly this November. And that’s how we’re going to pick up downballot offices from Freeholder to Mayor to Township Committee and Council.”
“We’re going to stand tall, stand together and stand as one — fighting for taxpayers and in defense of our towns and our conservative values,” Lonegan explained.
The Lonegan campaign, with over a million dollars in the bank, has also begun to air ads throughout the state. To hear Steve’s ad click here.
And to hear Steve’s latest interview with NJ 101.5FM. This interview can be heard here.
We wish Steve the best as he forges ahead with his campaign. New Jersey desperately needs conservative change and we believe he is the man to do it.
Note: This weekend’s debate will take place at the Somerset County Federation of Republican Women at the Fox Hollow Golf Club, 50 Fox Chase Run, Branchburg, will run from 8:30-10 am
Lonegan campaing pollster Rick Shaftan releeased an internal poll to the press today claiming the GOP primary race is a dead heat. Not surprisingly, some questioned the results of theses internals. Via Politicker NJ:
