While the trends in the polls continue to be negative for the Christie for Governor campaign, the good news for the Republican Party comes out of Virginia.  Bob McDonnell, the Republican candidate for Governor, is in the process of locking up his victory over Democrat Creigh Deeds.

Unlike the Christie campaign, the McDonnell campaign has a clear and convincing message and winning strategy, and a key player in its formulation and its implementation is New Jersey native and McDonnell campaign chair Ed Gillespie.

Gillespie is, plain and simple, one of the most astute political strategists in modern Republican politics.  He has an unsurpassed understanding and knowledge of message and media.

A McDonnell victory in Virginia will be a huge asset to any Republican nominee for President in 2012.  No Republican can win the White House without winning Virginia.  When a new governor is elected in any state, an enhanced political infrastructure is created around the new state chief executive.  This infrastructure is invaluable to a Presidential candidate of the same party as the Governor.

In New Jersey, the top Corzine political strategy team of Jamie Fox, Steve DeMicco, and Maggie Moran is outperforming and outstrategizing the Christie political strategy team with ease.  Watching the Christie political “brain trust” members take on their Corzine opposite numbers is like watching the lovable loser 1962  New York Mets play the 1927 New York Yankees of Ruth and Gehrig.  Even the Daggett political team is outperforming the Christie cadre.

Ed Gillespie, phone home.  The Christie political "brain trust" badly needs a major league political strategy star like you.   McDonnell is locking up his election, while Christie is on the verge of irrevocably losing his.  Come home to New Jersey before it’s too late.

Alan J. Steinberg served as Regional Administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush. Region 2 EPA consists of the states of New York and New Jersey, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and seven federally recognized Indian nations.