Corzine: If Lance was so independent, he would have switched parties

Governor Corzine today said that, if state Sen. Leonard Lance really is so different from President Bush, he hasn’t demonstrated it enough.

“I think there are a lot of things that Leonard Lance would agree with President Bush on. I don’t think he is turning his back on the national security policies. I think, if I hear it right, he has generally been on the same side as the president with regard to regulatory policy – that would be no regulation or limited regulation,” said Corzine at a bill signing in Princeton. “There are differences, but if there were such sharp differences I think he would have changed parties. I haven’t seen that happen.”

Corzine’s comments come just days before President Bush comes to Colts Neck to raise money for Lance, who as of June 30th only had $81,000 on hand to Democrat Linda Stender’s $1.2 million, along with fellow Republican candidate Chris Myers.

The average person parachuting into the 7th District from out-of-state might have a hard time figuring out which party Lance belongs to. His campaign commercials don’t mention that he’s a Republican, emphasizing instead his independence and environmental record. And in one of his campaign commercials, instead of supportive quotes from local Republican luminaries, he quotes Senate President Dick Codey (D-West Orange) saying “’We’d be better off as a state and a society’ with more like Leonard Lance.”

Lance’s Web site doesn’t put President Bush’s fundraising for him on its events calendar – though you will find it prominently featured on his Democratic opponent’s Web site.

Corzine said that the onus is on Lance and Myers to explain exactly how the policies they support are different from Bush’s ideology.

“The policies are the ones that have us in the fix that we see on the front pages of the papers and in the media each and every day. I think people who are running on the platform that President Bush is supportive of and has been supportive of have to explain why they’re different.”

Lance Campaign Manager Amanda Woloshen outlined some examples of Lance’s purported independence.

“Leonard Lance is an independent and has been recognized as one by Republicans and Democrats alike. He’s been called the strongest environmentalist in the legislature by Jeff Tittell of the Sierra Club, he’s pro-choice and has opposed his own party when they tried to spend and bond too much. And Leonard Lance has led the opposition to Governor Corzine’s plan to raise tolls,” she said. “Meanwhile, Linda Stender will be a rubber stamp for the liberal McGreevey/Corzine tax and spend policies that have hurt New Jersey working families.”