A bittersweet moment
On the one hand, it's with a wistful sense of nostalgia that I note that I'm no longer the top Google hit for "Corzine sucks." I've lapsed into second place.
On the other hand, that might be appropriate. I'm beginning to think electing him governor wasn't such a bad idea after all.
Republicans are getting a "two-fer" from Jon Corzine's decision to leave the Senate for New Jersey's governor's mansion last year. First, as a sitting Senator with a willingness to spend enormous sums of his personal wealth, Mr. Corzine would have been a very difficult incumbent for Republicans to unseat. In his win in 2000, Mr. Corzine outspent his opponent Bob Franks $63 million to $6 million.Second, as governor, Mr. Corzine has done his best to reenact the politically disastrous politics of the Florio administration. Like Gov. Jim Florio in 1989, Mr. Corzine has called for higher state taxes, causing his approval ratings to plummet. In 1990, this led to a political environment where the relatively unknown Christie Todd Whitman came within three points (50%-47%) of beating incumbent Senator Bill Bradley -- despite the fact that she was outspent by a margin of 15 to one.
...
While President Bush's woes and Republican angst on Capitol Hill are dominating most of the national headlines, the political environment may be quietly shaping up for Republicans to pick up a Senate seat in the blue state of New Jersey.
Oh well, the New Jersey Democrats wanted this tax-hungry billionaire as their governor, and now they've got him. Careful what you ask for, as the saying goes.
Comments
A Kean win would certainly be a major upset--I like Kean and have known him casually for several years. Decent guy and a rarity--a moderate Republican.
But he's awful on the stage vs. Menendez, who's a street fighter.
One difference from 16 years ago--the public outcry. Huge back then (Hands Across New Jersey, Bob Grant spewing on the radio, etc.), pretty quiet now, especially with the state budget due in 2 weeks.
Posted by: fred | June 16, 2006 03:54 PM
Barry, as I have told you, you are dealing with the most moronic Dems in the entire USA in NJ.
They have been overwhelmed by corruption from the left and merely shrug it off.
You guys will get Menendez whether you like it or not because he is what you deserve.
Posted by: mal | June 16, 2006 11:27 PM
true...look at what we've gotten over the past few decades: Torricelli, Lautenberg, Whitman, Florio, Corzine, McGreevey, debt, strong unions, pay-to-play and on and on and on...
Posted by: fred | June 17, 2006 05:12 PM