Steve Lonegan

State Sen. Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.)

HACKETTSTOWN – Assemblyman Mike Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) said he’ll live or die politically with gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan, whose rival, state Sen. Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.), acted like Lonegan’s flat tax provided her with a generous opening in their WRNJ radio debate here this morning.

“My opponent has embraced a tax plan that would raise taxes on 70 percent of the people in this state and in my district,” Karrow said. “The median income in my district is about $32,000 per year. People making $32,000 a year will have a tax increase under the plan Mr. Doherty has embraced, in addition to losing their rebates. I don’t how they will survive in this state.”

Doherty stood by Lonegan, particularly when he highlighted his own commitment to revamping Abbott Schools funding and, in his own words, taking on what he described as New Jersey’s activist judiciary.

Steve Lonegan said that Chris Christie’s 23-point lead over him in a recent Quinnipiac poll has “already begun disintegrating” during this afternoon’s Republican gubernatorial debate.

“We have the momentum… my flat tax is now the centerpiece of this campaign, as it should be,” said Lonegan.

The Courier-Post gave Steve Lonegan his first endorsement for governor this morning.   

The paper’s editorial board urged whichever frontrunner prevails to pick the third man in the contest, Assemblyman Richard Merkt (R-Mendham). 

“No matter who wins, Merkt ought to be the pick for lieutentant governor,” wrote the paper’s editorial board. “Besides being incredibly bright and attuned to the issues, he is a 12-year veteran of the Legislature. He knows the lawmaking process and what drives things in the State House.” 

-- “Lonegan understands illegal immigration IS a crime.”

ORADELL -- Minuteman Project Founder Jim Gilchrist today said New Jersey voters concerned about illegal “immigration” have a friend in Steve Lonegan.

Gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan today announced the endorsement of Minuteman Project Founder Jim Gilchrist.

Gilchrist, a California native whose group opposes illegal immigration and has its members patrol the U.S.-Mexican border as private citizens, said that “Steve Lonegan and I worked together to stop the illegal alien invasion in our country now being facilitated by Barack Obama.”

Gilchrist pointed to a comment Christie made at a church forum in Dover in April, 2008, when he was U.S. Attorney.  At the event, Christie said “being in this country without proper documentation is not a crime.”  

That caused a bit of an uproar among conservatives and other anti-illegal immigrant activists.  CNN firebrand Lou Dobbs even chewed Christie out for it.

The most memorable moment of the 2009 gubernatorial debates: Steve Lonegan almost missed one.  The former Mayor of Bogota was stuck in traffic and arrived a few minutes late for the 7PM debate.  Moderator Eric Scott, the NJ 101.5 news director, said the doors would be closed at 7:07 PM and after that Lonegan would be out of luck.  Lonegan made it with seconds to spare.

Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, right, with state Sen. Kip Bateman (R-Somerset).

Chris Christie made a multi-stop swing through South Jersey over the weekend and kept his sites trained on Gov. Jon Corzine in a new television ad, while Steve Lonegan, as far as 23 points back in the latest Quinnipiac University poll, hammered the GOP frontrunner wherever he could in advance of their 101.5 radio debate tonight.

As Christie marched in Hamilton’s Memorial Day Parade, Lonegan blasted out a press release branding the former U.S. Attorney as a media darling. “The liberal-left is worried about a real conservative winning in a ‘blue’ state and are lining up behind Chris Christie,” read the release, citing endorsements from the Philadelphia Inquirer and local weekly the Hanover Eagle.

Not content to snipe from afar, Lonegan went into the heart of enemy territory to denounce campaign literature that the former mayor of Bogota said wrongly attacked his chief Warren/Hunterdon County ally, Assemblyman Mike Doherty (R-Washington Twp.), who’s challenging state Sen. Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.) in the June 2nd GOP Primary.

Some Steve Lonegan supporters plan to protest conservative commentator Sean Hannity outside of his Fox News studios in New York City, according to the pro-Lonegan blog Conservatives with Attitude.  

The Lonegan protestors are upset that Hannity last week hosted Lonegan’s Republican gubernatorial rival, former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, but did not invite Lonegan to appear.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is said to be mulling a run for governor of New York, appeared with Christie for that taping.  

The Hannity protest is scheduled for 7pm at 1211 6th Avenue.  

-- Pro-Life, Pro-Choice or Multiple Choice??

FARMINGDALE -- "Pro-Life, Pro-Choice or Multiple Choice" asks conservative Gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan about Chris Christie's ever changing position on abortion.

Ocean City, NJ – Conservative Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Lonegan picked up endorsements from a majority of Ocean City Council members today.