George Fallon

WOODBRIDGE -- John McCain’s New Jersey campaign today rolled out three Garden State Democrats who are backing the Republican presidential candidate. It’s evidence, they say, that despite Barack Obama’s double-digit lead in the polls, “The Maverick” is making inroads with the state’s traditionally Democratic voters -- even if at least two of the Democrats they showed off today already voted Republican in the last presidential election.

At McCain’s regional headquarters in Woodbridge, former Real Estate Commission Executive Director Dawn Rafferty – a self-described life-long Democrat who served under Governors McGreevey and Codey -- said that she fears for her children’s future if Barack Obama is elected president. She was joined at the press conference by the voice of her mother, former Secretary of State Joan Haberly, who endorsed McCain via speakerphone while on a business trip in Las Vegas.

John McCain's New Jersey campaign held a news conference today to announce the endorsements of  "current and former New Jersey Democratic officials," but with disappointing results: George Fallon, a former Mayor of Waterford; Joan Haberle, who served as New Jersey Secretary of State during the first half of Jim Florio's governorship; and Dawn Rafferty, the former Executive Director of the New Jersey Real Estate Commission under Governors James E. McGreevey and Richard Codey.  Rafferty is Haberle's daughter.

Stop the presses: John McCain has secured two major Democratic endorsements in New Jersey – support so potentially powerful that it could easily threaten Barack Obama’s 9-point lead in this state.  McCain now has the backing of former Waterford Mayor George Fallon and former Warren Township Committeeman (and 2000 congressional candidate) Jeffrey Golkin. Their support could mean tens of Democratic votes for McCain that would otherwise have gone to Obama.