
Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton) today blamed party bosses for deal-making when they should have been focused on re-electing Gov. Jon Corzine.
"Party leaders undermined the governor by having a party leadership fight," said Gusciora. "They reinforced the message that if Corzine won, the reins of power would be handed over to special interests."
Asked on Election Day morning about the intra-party deal cultivated by South Jersey Democratic Party leader George Norcross III and Newark North Ward Democratic Party boss Steve Adubato, Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden) dismissed its larger-scale impact on voter production.
"It's inside baseball and affected very few people beyond Trenton," said Roberts of a North-South deal that would oust Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) in exchange for Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford), and launch Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) into the lower house leadership chair being vacated by Roberts.
The object of a state investigation, Newark's North Ward party organization turned out 1,000 fewer votes for Corzine on Election Day than it did in 2005. In South Jersey, the Democratic Party machine was unable to prevent Gloucester County - Sweeney's homebase - from going into the column of Chris Christie, who defeated Corzine statewide, 49% to 45%.
Adamant in his belief that the dimensions of the battle went beyond the corridors of Trenton, Gusciora also criticized the Corzine campaign.
"Jon Corzine deserved re-election," said the assemblyman. "He did everything tehnically correct, but his message wasn't well conveyed. The campaign decision to stay away from 101.5 just fed into the electorate's anger out there that there needed to be wholesale change."
South Jersey Democrats are touting Cinnaminson native Anthony Mazzarelli, the head of the emergency medicine department at Cooper University ... >
Everybody needs to start a new job with a list of priorities and Chris Christie is no exception. There might be a thousand things that need to get ... >
Political discourse in America contains much in the way of intellect or intellectual honesty. One considers the Federalist Papers with wistful awe: ... >
The NJ gubernatorial election result demonstrates that Governor-elect Chris Christie resurrected the center-right voter coalition of Republicans, ... >
With a convincing win in defeating an encumbent Governor, why were there no coattails? >
As in any transition, speculation is rampant as to whom Governor-elect Chris Christie will appoint as Chief of Staff, State Treasurer, and Attorney ... >
Now that the dust has finally settled after the grueling campaign for governor, there are a number of lessons that we can draw from this ... >
When he was growing up, Chris Christie's folks must have taught him that when he went to a new playground, he should pick a fight with the ... >
Ronald C. Rice tweeted not so sweetly about soon-to-be Senate President Stephen Sweeney.
Well, we were able to obtain the rest of the ... >
New Jersey voters repudiated Governor Jon Corzine's policies of the past four years on November 3rd. Republican Chris Christie and Independent ... >
That Safe District Must be Nice Reed
Because if you even had Hamilton you'd be done too.
Hamilton is a cesspool
And I'd take Trenton any day.
Seriously, you can keep them. The entire lot of them are truly awful people.
Unbelievable Arrogance
Yes, Jon Corzine lost because the party bosses were fighting. It had nothing to with with the fact that Jon Corzine was a lousy Governor who spent over $20 million to win and still couldn't because New Jersey voters didn't want him in office anymore.
Unreal.
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do."- Benjamin Franklin
Low turnout in the north
Low turnout in the north ward? Do you think theres a connection with Christys first event being in the north ward?
Blah blah blah
The reason Corzine got ousted was not because of any intra-party squabbles. It was because he was not a good governor and a majority of New Jersey voters knew that and made a change.
Maybe Gusciora and others like him ought to wake up and smell the cesspool.
Norcross Cheated with Vote By Mail
He was too busy getting Moriarty Elected with CHEATER VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS. Gloucester Township and Lindenwald had a hey day knocking out Republican candidates one by one with Fraud. That's why Corzine lost. The mail in didn't work. Christie, a little advice, GET RID OF GEORGE NORCROSS NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.