Despite the polls, Lesniak confident in blue state coupled with Christie stumbles

Despite the polls, Lesniak confident in blue state coupled with Christie stumbles

By Max Pizarro | September 1st, 2009 - 11:53am
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Democratic Party power broker Ray Lesniak says he has seen this fight before: the one where the candidate lies on the ropes and weathers all the worst of the other man's frontal assault before springing onto his toes in a later round and knocking out the opposition. 

"Chris Christie's on a downward trend and I think that will continue," said Lesniak, a veteran state senator from Union County who was a key backer of former Gov. Jim McGreevey and remains an upper eschelon player and gubernatorial confrere in his party. 

"He's on the mat," added Lesniak of Christie, undetered by a Quinnipiac University poll this morning that shows the GOP gubernatorial nominee leading incumbent Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine by ten points and a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll that puts Christie up by five points.

The Quinnipiac University polls shows the governor with a 34-57% favorable/unfavorable rating, compared to 41-30% for Christie, but Lesniak has confidence in the storyline he's seen before, in which Republican candidates lead early and look almost unbeatable, before Democrats close the gap late.

He said Christie's negative news headlines of recent weeks fuel his outlook.

"This is a little different this year than most years because the Republican keeps tripping over his own feet," said Lesniak. "This is a Democratic state. We vote Democratic. There would have to be a tremor in the earth for New Jerseyans to elect a Republican. The way it breaks down is like this: Christie has his negatives - plus he's a Republican. Corzine has his negatives, but he's a Democrat.

"In the meantime, all these polls are going to fluctuate," Lesniak added. "We've got two polls today. One says it's a ten point race and the other says it's a five point race. That means it's probably  between seven or eight points."

Tags:

WHEN HAS CORZINE EVER LED?

Submitted by PC517 on September 1, 2009 - 12:04pm.

In the meantime, all these polls are going to fluctuate," Lesniak added. "We've got two polls today. One says it's a ten point race and the other says it's a five point race. That means it's probably between seven or eight points." WOW, This guy is really spinning like a top this morning. Corzine is trailing in every poll since Jan and his approvals have not only not gone up they have gone down!!! Where is he getting his info? Christie on the mat? The polls don't show that at all, and the Brown Loan is a dead issue since she resigned last week. Listen, drink all the cool aid you want Ray,your guy is in big trouble with 33% approval ratings, Corzine is not even on the "mat" he's in the ground!

Corzine Can't Win

Submitted by SDem on September 1, 2009 - 12:08pm.

In every poll Corzine can't break 40%. You can't win an election when your numbers can't breal 40%. Corzine should be happy that he even got 37%. It is over for Jon Corzine.

Look the people of NJ deserve better than Corzine. We gave him a shot thinking his business accumen would be an asset. He let us down. It is time for a change and Codey and Cryan should go shortly after Corzine.

Replay Ray

Submitted by gorednj on September 1, 2009 - 12:19pm.

Wasn't this guy just saying that Christie would drop out? Laughable on every reasonable level.

Typical lying big-city boss

Submitted by factstater on September 1, 2009 - 12:34pm.

Typical lying big-city boss and abuser of taxpayers. Chriti'es up by 10% and he's "on the mat." Hey, maybe your Blackberry is hidden under the mat?!

What about the Citizens???

Submitted by SurpressedVoter on September 1, 2009 - 12:44pm.

Power Broker...whatever....What this dud forgets is the election is about New Jersey, not about a party....Rank and File Union workers are NOT working, after all there are only so many schools and shopping malls to build.....Do you really think the voters of NJ like reading about a guy like Sen. Sweeney serving two offices and collecting several pensions while OTHERS ARE NOT WORKING??! This election is much bigger than a Power broker or a Party!

Editors take down anti Democrat Posts!

Submitted by BamaBoy on September 1, 2009 - 5:22pm.

Editors are taking down anti Democrat posts....

Christie on the mat?

Submitted by Mr. Democrat on September 1, 2009 - 6:06pm.

he got the sh*t kicked out of himself for the last two weeks, and he's still up ten.

Let's call it like it is Ray... Corzine is on the mat.  Its not over yet, he can rally this thing and win.  It won't be as easy as 2000, when he had Al Gore crushing it at the top of the ticket, but its possible.

After labor day when ppl start tuning in... $40 million buys some votes... maybe enough.

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