Happy New Year! This year will certainly be a challenging one for the Garden State as we march towards a year in which there will be a legislative and gubernatorial election. Buzz being what buzz is, as this is written, there are just a few folks running [literally and figuratively] on the Republican side.There is perennial candidate Steve Lonegan of Americans for Prosperity who stands for everything libertarian, capitalist, and 'small government'.
There's Richard Merkt, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1998, where he represents the 25th legislative district. He is the one who has pledged to "jog" in all 566 towns, and has recently completed running in 300 of them.
Also, upping his New Jersey ante is Franklin Mayor Brian Levine, considering a run for governor himself. Now, I have met Brian before [I believe he is the brother of someone I know from Hunterdon County], and he seems like an affable guy, but his political eyes are a mite bigger than his political stomach, methinks.
But, what do I know. A year ago, I was at the New Jersey progressive political caucus standing with with the Bill Richardson supporters.
Of course, the real candidate everyone Republican is waiting for is my fellow Seton Hall Law grad Chris Christie. He should announce soon, if he is running---the filing deadline is mid-April, as usual. So, hmm.....
Hint: No one has booked www.christie4governor.com, www.christieforgovernor.com or www.christieforNewJersey.com or www.christie2008.com or even www.I'mChrisChristieandIamstilldecidingwhetherIamrunningforgovernor.com as of yet.
Happy New Year, and thanks Rob Tornoe for all the great NJ stuff in 2008.
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1 comment:
Joey,
Christie just announced he is running. http://www.christiefornj.com/
I got the following email this morning:
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
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