Michael Bloomberg

More New Jerseyans get their state news on political and public affairs from television than from any other source, though they think their in-state newspapers do a good job covering the state. 

A Monmouth University/Gannett poll released this morning shows that 41% of state residents get most of their information from television.  Another 28% get most of their information from newspapers, while 19% mainly use internet news sources and 6% most often listen to the radio.

But New Jerseyans read newspapers about as much as they watch television news broadcasts out of New York and Philadelphia.  While 43% watch television news nearly every day, 42% read a newspaper regularly, 32% visit Web sites about every day and 22% listen to talk radio.

Of New Jersey residents who read the paper, 42% open it mainly for local community news, while 30% read it for national news and just 15% for state news.

"Like most Americans, New Jerseyans have become accustomed to turning on the television for news updates.  However, the focus of TV coverage tends to be national or the city where those media outlets are located, while newspapers are favored for their local news coverage.  Since we lack a home-grown broadcast media market, this leaves a gap for state-level news exposure in New Jersey," said Monmouth pollster Patrick Murray.

Jon Corzine has now spent $126 million of his own money running for office, placing him second on the all-time self funder candidate list.  He trails New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, but has spent more personal funds running for office than two-time presidential candidates Ross Perot and Steve Forbes.  The problem for Corzine is that despite all this money, his personal and job approval ratings continue to be upside-down, and independent polls generally don't show him breaking the 40% mark - although he has closed the gap in head-to-head polls with his Republican opponent and has a couple of polls that show him ahead in a race that remains too close to call.

A top political advisor to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg took a clear shot at Gov. Jon Corzine:  "Look at Mike Bloomberg and Jon Corzine. Very similar backgrounds, very similar people. Both came into office spending a lot of money, okay? And one of them has been very successful, and one has generally been very unsuccessful, both in competitive environments," Kevin Sheekey told New York magazine.  Why is that? I would argue it's because one turned out to be really good at his job, and is surrounded by really good people, and he's used persuasion to move things forward. If Mike Bloomberg were unsuccessful, he'd be a one-term mayor."

New Jersey's unemployment rate jumped from 9.3% to 9.7% in August.  Seven weeks before Election Day, that's not the best news for Gov. Jon Corzine, who is touting an increase in private sector jobs.  But maybe it's not as bad as it looks.  New York City, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to win re-election, the unemployment rate went from 9.5% to 10.3%. 

Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) has endorsed the re-election campaign of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.  Codey served as Governor from 2004 to 2006, while Bloomberg was in his first term as Mayor.           

"When Mike Bloomberg took over as Mayor of New York City, he faced what seemed like insurmountable odds.  Not only was he replacing a popular mayor, but he was also tasked with steering New York out of one of its darkest hours.  Eight years later, there's no question that he passed this test with flying colors and has become the architect of some of the city's finest accomplishments," Codey said in a statement released today.  "When I became Governor of New Jersey, we got to know each other well, working closely on shared interests such as homeland security and rebuilding the region's economy and transportation infrastructure.  He blew me away with his intellect and his ability to cut right through the red tape, identify a solution, and go after it.

Codey praised Bloomberg's willingness to avoid partisan politics.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is trying to talk current Mayor Michael Bloomberg into endorsing Chris Christie for governor of New Jersey, and Bloomberg may be listening.

The endorsement is far from a sure thing, but a source familiar with the talks said that the billionaire mayor, still sore over Governor Jon Corzine's opposition to his congestion pricing plan last year, might be willing to jump into the fray to support Christie.

Last April, fearing that the plan would impose higher fees on New Jersey commuters, Corzine called it "outrageous."

Giuliani political advisor Anthony Carbonetti acknowledged said that "there are definitely conversations taking place" between Bloomberg and Giuliani.

"Rudy is supportive of both Mike and Chris and would love to see them get together" he said.

Although not as politically active in New Jersey as Giuliani, Bloomberg has waded into politics here before.  Two months ago, Newark Mayor Cory Booker endorsed Bloomberg for reelection to a third term as mayor.  Last year Bloomberg endorsed 5th District congressional candidate Dennis Shulman, a Democrat, and in April he held a fundraiser for Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who runs the powerful Hudson County Democratic Organization, along with his running mates.  Both support strict gun control measures - a pet cause for Bloomberg.

Democrats say that guns will be an issue that Bloomberg may have a hard time looking past.  State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck), who is widely considered to be at or near the top of Corzine's shortlist for Lieutenant Governor, wondered aloud whether Christie's stances gun control and abortion would derail any potential endorsement.

"I would assume that Bloomberg would be really interested in knowing that the [Christie] doesn't even believe in the one handgun a month limit... Does anyone really need more than 12 guns in a year?' she said.   "Combine that with a woman's right to choose, and I would guess that Mayor Bloomberg doesn't have a lot in common with Chris Christie."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will host a $1,000-per-person fundraiser at his home this month in support of the re-election campaign of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy.  That creates the possibility that Healy, the Hudson County Democratic Chairman, will back Bloomberg for re-election and not the Democratic mayoral nominee.  There is no word if Healy will host a similar fundraiser for Bloomberg at his Jersey City residence.

Stuart Rothenberg, the editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report, wasn't impressed with Dennis Shulman's campaign for Congress

Worth noting are the comments of Stuart Rothenberg, the editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report, a non-partisan political newsletter covering U.S. House, Senate and gubernatorial campaigns, Presidential politics and political developments, on the race for Congress in New Jersey's fifth district between Democrat Dennis Shulman and U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage):

Basing his endorsement mainly on gun control issues, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Dennis Shulman for Congress against U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage) in the 5th Congressional District.

“I’m endorsing Dennis Shulman because I’m impressed by his pragmatic, sensible approach to the tough issues, including how we strengthen the economy and how we keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals,” said Bloomberg in his opening statement to a twenty minute conference call.

But don’t expect Bloomberg to cross the river for Shulman, a blind rabbi/psychologist any time soon. Nor will Bloomberg film any commercials for Shulman like he already has for U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.). The Mayor downplayed the possibility that he would do any more to campaign for Shulman, and said he had not written him a check.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to endorse Dennis Shulman for Congress this morning

None of the presidential candidates could win his endorsement, but an up-‘til-recently long-shot Congressional candidate just did. 

Fresh off his City Council legislative victory that will allow him to run for another term, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will endorse Democrat Dennis Shulman in the 5th Congressional District today. 

Bloomberg and Shulman plan a conference call with reporters at 9 a.m. to discuss it.