June 18, 2008 - 9:18pm

Zeitz campaign happy Corzine's in their corner

PRINCETON - Gov. Jon Corzine's Tuesday night shout-out to 4thJosh ZeitzJosh Zeitz Congressional District candidate Josh Zetiz was the governor's second public hurrah in as many weeks for the underdog Democrat challenging U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4). 

Corzine spearheaded a Zeitz fund-raising event at a Trenton restaurant last week, and plugged the professor's candidacy at his governor's gala for the State Democratic Committee last night.

Zeitz's allies in Mercer County took notice.

At state Sen. Shirley Turner's (D-Mercer) picnic today in Princeton, Mercer County Democratic Chairman Richard McClellan expressed his happiness in Corzine's recognition of Zeitz as legit.

"He's touching bases where he needs to in what has always been an up hill battle," McClellan said. ""He's clearly well-qualified, and that's what brought the governor on board." 

"Rich has been our biggest booster," said Zeitz campaign spokesman Steve D'Amico. "He's very excited about the race."

County Executive Brian J. Hughes also mentioned that Zeitz is scheduled to speak at an event in Hughes's honor on Thursday night.

Of course, Hughes is one of those many Democratic candidates who went into a campaign against Smith believing he could knock off the pro-unions, pro-life Republican, only to end up limping to the finish line.

"We ran into the Gingrich revolution," said Hughes's brother, Michael Murphy, of the future county executive's ill-fated 1992 run.

Hughes says his father had the same bad timing in 1938 when he ran for Congress as a proud Roosevelt Democrat, only to get whiplashed by the president's court-packing scandal.

The Zeitz campaign - which has raised over $200,000 to date, according to D'Amico - believes such political obstacles don't exist for them this year as they go after the long entrenched Smith.

And they're delighted the governor seems to see it their way.

Comments

This is Funny


So Joshy thinks big bad johnny will somehow help him magically win over Smith's District?

Bahahaha - now that is funny. What is even gonna be more funny is when Smith once again smacks another dem outta the park.

06/19/08 12:07 am

Kiss of Death


This is great Josh Zeitz with a campaign that might beat Seema Singh for worst campaign in the history of New Jersey politics is getting a endorsement from a Governor thats approval rating is plummeting to record low levels.The bottom line is Josh has no experience and Congressman Smith is the senior ranking member of the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee and has 28 years of experience in public service.Congressman Smith is a independent thinker and time after time Congressman Smith has stood his ground and stuck to his principles and went against the Bush White house on issues that benifit the working poor,minorities which include woman,the handicap and senior citizens.

06/19/08 8:54 am

An Endorsement buy John Corzine wow!


One can only hope his endorsement does as much for MR. Zeitz than it did for Hillary Clinton. This is the same man that has caused a shut down of our state and now thinks the word Garden should be remove from the Garden State.

I have a severely disabled autistic child and work hard as an unpaid advocate and have never ran for a public office. I have worked with both Senator Corzine and Congressman Smith the big difference is that the Congressman got stuff done!

How about spearheading a fund raiser for Parents Of Autistic Children instead asking the special interest lobbyist to flush money down a toilet. If he spent this much time raising money for the state perhaps so many of us will be able to afford to stay here. Perhaps the Governor could attend this Saturday's free POAC picnic and meet some of the thousands of families not getting served because of a dysfunctional legislature that Corzine leads. How about a fund raiser for the schools here in the 4th District and not make us bring bus loads of kids to Trenton to protest. This guy needs to get back in the slow lane and remember why he started in politics because at some point he lost his way.

06/19/08 10:27 am

Well Said


It is such a sham that the dems are banking on the Presidential as the venue to win races.

Corzine dosent give a damm about anyone elses problems because Corzine only wants what he wants. I am so glad that Clinton did not win because he was banking on a position in her cabinet and now he is sulking and will take it out on NJ because of it.

At least voters here in Burlco know better and yes, Smith is a very respected and admired man with a large amount of experience behind him.

Zeitz has only being a democrat and soon, aka sacrifical lamb.

06/19/08 11:25 am

Zeitz v. Smith -- not a hard choice


What a talented, thoughtful and capable candidate Democrats have in the 4th district with Josh Zeitz. I would encourage anyone else working in education, either in administration, faculty, or students, to look at Zeitz's issues page on increasing access to Pell Grants and reforming No Child Left Behind. Certainly, Chris Smith has very little reform-oriented impetus and would perpetuate the president's failed domestic and foreign policy agenda, while Zeitz would bring a fresh perspective, a genuine attempt at change to Washington. There's no contest here, and I'm glad that Corzine and others are taking notice: Zeitz is clearly the superior candidate to the social conservative Chris Smith.

06/19/08 11:39 am

Another Loser eh Martin?


Glad that you will be in Josh's corner when he loses.

Zeitz is a no name little wanna be that has done nothing to prove himself with the seniors and the vets that make up the large voting block in Smith's District.

At least, Smith is there and has a proven record of working with his constitutents.

Outside of being a democrat, Josh is really a nothing compared to Smith.

Oh, and I didnt know Smith would be doing nothing but promoting Bush lol

06/19/08 12:10 pm

Liberal Zeitz


Josh Zeitzs Campaign slogan "he is with Bush"is a 8 year old tired worn out tactic that will not work.The voters of the 4th District are very knowledgeable and respect Congressman Smith for being a great humanitarian who puts his constituents first.Governor Corzine is just using Joshy to further his limosine liberal idealogy which will raise taxes on hard working New Jersey residents that already are hurting.But Josh is a team player and after he gets crushed in the election the Governor will get him a better job at Rutgers and the tax payers of the state will have to foot the bill.

06/19/08 12:48 pm

about that "moderate" tag


From reading through Congressman Smith’s record, one comes to the conclusions that he is anything but “moderate” on multiple issues. Though his votes on the environment and unemployment benefits extension deserve praise, this is someone who stood on the floor of the house and promoted his social conservative bill “The Unborn Protection Act,” also sponsored by fundamentalist Sam Brownback in the senate, and who has voted against expanding embryonic stem cell lines. He believes a woman’s reproductive system should be property of the government, has voted against including sexual orientation in a job discrimination bill, and furthers the Bush-Cheney expansionist agenda by unabashedly supporting the Iraq War and never voting for a troop withdrawal. Look underneath the stereotype, and see Smith for what he is: A Bush-Santorum Republican who puts fundamentalist ideology ahead of science and human rights.

06/19/08 1:13 pm

Martin,


I usually never agree with you but I feel for you when all these campaign workers hijack a thread and attack someone who is trying to add something substantive to the debate.

06/19/08 1:53 pm

Everybody


With respect to ALL posters here, I think that when anyone is attacked without provaction, threats, etc. then I agree it is unacceptable and totall unwarranted.

However, when Martin for example goes on his rants and HE does attack other posters if they do not agree with him, then it is fair game. If a post is posted like many of Martin's that are derogatory, inflamatory and without merit, he runs the risks of getting smacked down only because he knows what he is posting is just to stir the pot so to speak.

Now, back to Zietz, the only thing Zeitz thinks he has going for himself is that he is a Democrat and not Bush. HOWEVER, that is not enough to warrant him taking a congressional seat from a good, hard working and honest man who has served the public well.

Maybe Martin should remember what happened when his friend, Rich Dennison, kept comparing Diane Allen to Bush, and tried to make Bush the focal point of his campaign. Voters soundly rejected him.

But I do think even without the Bush speak, Smith will prevail easily in spite of all the wishful thinking,

06/19/08 5:40 pm

There's no doubt


Chris will win; although I do personally take offense to him living in Virginia. As a Hamiltonian, I think I've seen him in person for a total of five minutes.

06/20/08 8:47 pm

Point


I think the point is regardless of where he lives, the man has a proven honest record of serving his constituents well.

IMHO he is one of a few pols that can and have been able to be visible when necessary. To me, that is good politics. How many times do you heed the call?

Now, Martin of course will have a different spin, but I will say this:

I know from speaking with many pals of ours thier loathing and discontent with Rob Andrews. Fortunately, we are in Saxton's corner soon to be Myers, but they have complained bitterly to his office about things in their Disrict and NO response from him. The only pol that has taken the time to come out to help them hs been Diane Allen.

Zeitz is no different that any other gum flapping wanna be. I may not always agree with everything any pol says or does, but the proof is in the proven experience they show.

As I said, Zeitz not being Bush is not enough. Voters are not stupid in Burlco.

06/21/08 11:07 am