Mike DuHaime

Is Christie running as a republican?

Since the gubernatorial primary ended and the general election began, incumbent Jon Corzine has outspent Republican nominee Chris Christie by a 10-1 margin on television ads.

Corzine has spent over $5.4 million on cable and network television in the New York and Philadelphia media markets since June with mostly negative ads, while Christie has spent a little over $540,000 solely in the Philadelphia market during the same period.    

The figures, however, do not count spending by third party groups.  The Republican Governors Association (RGA) has spent about $3 million in New Jersey -- most of it since the June 2 primary.  The Democratic Governors Association, which helped fund the Mid-Atlantic Leadership Fund’s attack ads against Christie before the primary, has not run any ads to help Corzine (or any other candidates) since then. 
    
Radio ad buys are harder to track, and right now it’s impossible to tell exactly how much each campaign has spent on the internet.  But with the next campaign finance reports not coming out until October, television ad buys are one way to keep tabs on campaign spending.

Christie campaign strategist Mike DuHaime noted that his candidate has maintained his high single-digit or low double-digit lead in the polls all summer long despite the disparity.

“How much does he have to spend to make a dent in this lead?” DuHaime said.  “Millions and millions in negative ads seem to have not worked. They keep trying one after the next and the lead hasn’t changed much over the summer.”

Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie receives a Somerset County welcome from state Sen. Kip Bateman (R-Somerset), center, and Christopher Erd, vice-chair of Branchburg's GOP Municipal Committee.

BRANCHBURG – Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie today defended his decision not to attend the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s Walk to Washington event, arguing that it was obvious how the annual chamber trip has become a symbol of what is wrong with state politics.

To the point that key Republican allies and GOP leaders were on the train and did not appear to consider their condition morally compromised, the Republican candidate for governor said, “I make my own decisions.”

Christie was here in Branchburg this morning to participate in a candidates’ forum sponsored by the Somerset County Federation of Republican Women.

Time Magazine's Marc Halperin lists the "five most important people in presidential politics who aren't running for President."  #4 on the list is a New Jerseyan, Mike DuHaime, the national political director of John McCain's presidential campaign. 

Mike DuHaime at today's breakfast.: Politicker photo

MINNEAPOLIS - State Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Mercer) and McCain Campaign Political Director Mike DuHaime grew up together in the Republican Party, working for then-Congressman Bob Franks.

Referring to their paths onward as time passed, "One of them made good, and the other became a state senator," Baroni joked to the delegation at this morning’s breakfast.

Among those smiling faces in the audience was none other than the youthful DuHaime, paying his respects to his home crowd in this distant Midwestern city. The former campaign manager of Rudy Giuliani officially joined Team McCain in early July and now works out of Arlington, Va.

Mike DuHaime is now running John McCain's political operation
New Jerseyan Mike DuHaime is the new political director for John McCain’s presidential campaign, according to published reports this morning.  DuHaime, the former Executive Director of the New Jersey Republican State Committee, will assume the management of McCain’s political operation following a management shakeup earlier this week. 

He had been campaign manager of Rudy Giuliani’s bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.