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.

Even Christie supporters like Alan Steinberg, Carl Golden, and Jeff Michaels have taken the time to add their voices to the growing chorus of concern – in writing. As a strategy, maybe we should call it the gambit of the non-campaign.  It goes like this: You get a dream candidate with a built-in lead and you sit on it until Election Day.  If the lead is big enough and things go your way, you’ll have some of it left on Election Day. This strategy was famously pursued by the presidential campaign of Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a campaign run by some of the same arrogant people who now run the Christie campaign.  America’s mayor was up by more than 20 points and saw his lead erode to where he was fighting for fifth place.  These people were so sure of a victory they had the New Jersey Republican State Committee change its rules in short order to adopt a winner-take-all delegate rule for the benefit of Giuliani.

But the most shocking part of LaRossa’s article comes in a discussion about the party’s opposition to adopting the RNC platform, as well as a common sense 10-point plan called ‘The Contract with New Jersey.’

Last week, three candidates and one conservative activist went to see Chairman Jay Webber about this proposed Contract with New Jersey. Also attending was a close confidante of Assemblyman Webber.  Webber expressed shock that the candidates hadn’t followed the “proper procedures”. This is the same bogus argument he is using to avoid voting on accepting the RNC Platform. 

This begs the question as to which “procedures” were in place in 2003, when Webber challenged an incumbent Republican Senator, or in 2007, when he jumped line to capture his Assembly seat.  As I have heard in the past, where you stand depends on where you sit.

Then this gem…

According to multiple sources familiar with the meeting, an exasperated Webber blurted out: “This doesn’t help Chris Christie because Chris Christie isn’t out there running as the Republican candidate.”  Wow.  Let me repeat that!   According to multiple sources familiar with the meeting, an exasperated Webber blurted out: “This doesn’t help Chris Christie because Chris Christie isn’t out there running as the Republican candidate.”  Wow, indeed!  Ok, then what is he running as? 

So, there you have it folks. Straight from the guy who is leading the NJ GOP – our nominee isn’t running as a Republican. And yet we conservatives are supposed to ‘get on board’ and blindly support whoever they tell us to.

All I can say to that is, ‘ain’t happenin.’ Unbelievable!

Cross-posted at Red County and Conservatives with Attitude!

The Assemblyman was clearly confident about the prospects for both the Christie campaign and Republicans this year. He said that New Jerseyans are ‘hungry for change’ and that Republicans were poised to ‘capitalize on unprecedented energy and enthusiasm’ within the Republican ranks.

Volunteer efforts have been strong. Roughly 3700 volunteers have put in over 3000 hours, tallying some 150,000 voter contacts. The Assemblyman pointed to a mid-August ‘Super Saturday’ event as further evidence of the energy on the Republican side this year. Taking time out on a summer Saturday in August, over 33,000 voter contacts were made by campaign volunteers.

Assemblyman Webber was also pleased by the recent Rasmussen polling which shows Christie maintaining a double digit lead – 47%-36%. When I asked the Assemblyman if he saw any evidence of independent candidate Chris Daggett taking votes away from either top candidate, he said he did not know and that the Christie campaign ‘can’t control it.’

Notably, the Rasmussen poll does not mention Daggett, but includes an option for ’some other candidate.’

The Assemblyman was also asked if the recent Christie scandals have harmed the campaign. In response, he referred to these matters ‘as a series of distractions that haven’t changed the fundamentals of the campaign.’ He returned to the theme that ‘Corzine has failed us’ and said that Mr. Christie was the candidate of hope with a better, more fiscally responsible vision for the state.

I also queried the Chairman on the prospects of the Republicans winning the Assembly. He said he was much more upbeat about winning the Assembly than he was several months back. To capture the Assembly, Republicans would need a 9 seat gain. Assemblyman Webber described such a pick-up as an ‘ambitious’ goal but could see a ‘real possibility of a Speaker DeCroce in November.’ He noted recent scandals as being a factor, and that the 4th and 19th districts were now very much in play.

In closing, Assemblyman Webber said that Assembly Republicans would be ‘on offense this year’ and he pledged that Republicans will continue to ‘campaign hard’ up until Election Day.

Cross-posted at Red County and Conservatives with Attitude!

REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ASK NEW YORK TO

RESCIND DISCRIMINATORY TOLL HIKE ON NEW JERSEY

 

NEW YORK METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY SET TO

DISCONTINUE E-ZPASS DISCOUNTS FOR NEW JERSEY DRIVERS

 

            Five Assembly Republicans sent a letter to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, asking the New York agency to rescind a policy that will discriminate against New Jersey motorists.

 

            Beginning July 12, E-ZPass users who did not purchase accounts through New York agencies will be charged the same rate as cash-paying customers. That means New Jersey E-ZPass users will face a 30 percent toll hike this month while those with New York accounts will have a 10 percent increase.

 

            “Although anyone may register for E-ZPass in New York , this decision discriminates against the multitude of New Jersey residents who already have registered for accounts in their home state,” the letter states.

 

            A copy of the letter – signed by several Republican northern New Jersey Assemblymen including Assembly Transportation committee member Scott T. Rumana, Republican Leader Alex DeCroce, Assemblyman Jay Webber, Assemblyman John Rooney and Assemblyman David C. Russo – is attached.

Meanwhile, where is our Dear Governor on this issue? Is he standing up for New Jersey drivers, particularly those who have to commute into New York for their livelihood? As usual, he’s nowhere to be found.

Cross-posted at Red County and Conservatives with Attitude!