Tom Kean

Former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie is over 50% in a Quinnipiac University poll of the New Jersey gubernatorial race for the third consecutive month. Christie was at 50% in June, 53% in July, and 51% in August.  He is the first Republican statewide candidate to hit the 50% mark in independent polls in 24 years; the last was Thomas Kean, who won re-election in 1985 with 70% of the vote.

The governor has told voters to trust in the fantasy that a miraculous economic turnaround or another stimulus package will lift New Jersey out of a $10 billion hole. Trenton's leadership should acknowledge reality and call a session now to ensure the next governor has options for dealing with a fiscal crisis of unprecedented scope.

Senior Freeze are great, but they are no substitute for common sense tax and spending reforms that would make New Jersey more affordable to everyone. Governor Corzine should be apologizing for not providing the tax relief he promised when he first ran for governor, not touting increased spending that is a direct result of his failed policies.

Notching 8% in this week's Quinnipiac University poll, far behind former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie at 53% and Gov. Jon Corzine at 41%, Independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett confirmed that his focus before this month was almost exclusively on trying to qualify for public matching funds, which he did.

"We're at 8% and that's before we've gone on TV and with no advertising," said Daggett, who last week filed to qualify for matching funds, which would land him $1 million for his campaign. "To this point it's been a race between Chris Christie and Jon Corzine, but people are moving in my direction. Independents will decide this election."

According to Quinnipiac, Christie leads Corzine among Independents, 64%-28%, but that lead shrinks to 54%-24% in a contest among Christie, Corzine and Daggett. The latter receives 13% of the Independent vote, 6% of the Democratic vote, and 4% of the Republican vote. 

Ninety-two percent of state voters don't know him.

Barack Obama's visit to New Jersey marks the fourth time a President has come to campaign for the re-election of an incumbent Governor. 

Bill Clinton stumped for Jim Florio in 1993, Ronald Reagan for Thomas Kean in 1985, and Jimmy Carter for Brendan Byrne in 1977.  Lyndon Johnson did not visit New Jersey when Richard Hughes ran for re-election in 1965, although the First Lady did join Hughes for a tour of a Head Start center in Newark.  And Richard Nixon did not come to New Jersey in support of William Cahill, who lost the Republican primary to a White House ally, U.S. Rep. Charles Sandman.

Christopher Christie, leading Gov. Jon Corzine 53%-41% in today's Quinnipiac University poll, is the first Republican in twelve years to lead in a statewide race in July, and is likely the first Republican since Thomas Kean, Sr. in 1985 to be at 50% during the summer.

Past Quinnipiac University polls:

July 1997: Christie Whitman 46%, James E. McGreevey 39%
June 2000: Corzine 46%, Bob Franks 26%
June 2000: Al Gore 45%, George W. Bush 40%
July 2001: McGreevey 48%, Bret Schundler 35%
June 2002: Bob Torricelli 44%, Douglas Forrester 36%
June 2004: John Kerry 46%, Bush 40%
June 2005: Corzine 47%, Forrester 37%
June 2006: Bob Menendez 43%, Tom Kean, Jr. 36%
June 2008: Frank Lautenberg 47%, Dick Zimmer 38%
June 2008: Barack Obama 45%, John McCain 39%

Former GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan issued an op-ed blast to supporters this morning entitled "The Hollow Men," rebuking campaign operative allies of GOP gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie, State Party Chairman Jay Webber, pro-cap and trade Republican congressmen, and the state party in general for what Lonegan cites as an abandonment of conservative principles.

"Since the Primary Election, loyal Republicans have been baffled by the behavior of the GOP establishment in New Jersey," writes Lonegan in his most pointed criticism of his party since losing the nomination to Christie on June 2nd. "First, operatives in the campaign of our nominee for Governor, Chris Christie, monkeyed around with the social issues page on his website, gaining the attention of the media before resolving what they caused.

"Then, at the meeting of the Republican State Committee – the men and women elected from each county to formulate and advance the party’s principles – the party leadership blocked a move to formally adopt the platform of the national Republican Party, as well as blocking a resolution condemning Governor Corzine’s tax hikes.  At least one major newspaper, the Star-Ledger, linked the leadership’s refusal to adopt our Party’s platform to the fact it contains Pro-Life and Pro-Traditional Marriage planks."

Senate President Pro Tempore Shirley Turner (D-Lawrenceville)

TRENTON - Gov. Jon Corzine applauds the state Senate's 22-17 passage of his $29 billion budget, but can't escape sounding a note of disappointment over the GOP's to-a-man dissing of the 2010 document.

"It is unfortunate that not one Republican member of the Legislature saw fit to support a budget that reduces state spending by 12% - an unprecedented downsizing - at the same time it responsibly protects spending on education and provides billions of dollars in much needed property tax relief," the governor says in a release issued moments after the senate passes the budget.

"Even in the midst of this global economic recession, Democratic lawmakers joined me in facing up to the tough decisions and making the right choices," the governor adds.

That bigger than the boundaries of New Jersey theme echoes the Democratic arguments from the floor.

In the lead up to passing the budget, Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) gives an animated defense of the $29 billion state budget and Gov. Jon Corzine, blaming the economic downturn on decisions made in the nation's capital.

Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean, District 21, issued the following statement in support of the effort to put a $400 million bond issue on the November ballot that would pay for preservation of open space.

Far from the three days they originally requested to interview state Supreme Court Justice Barry Albin, it looks like Republicans will get part of an afternoon.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, which has been meeting since 10:00 a.m., has a long agenda today, and they’re expected to address Albin’s renomination at the very end of it.  As of 1:35 p.m., Albin had still not testified, and staffers said the expected to have him on between 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 at the earliest.  

But state Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Hamilton) said that the late start won’t keep him from questioning Albin thoroughly, even if the meeting runs past dinner.  

"I'm looking forward to a thorough and complete review of justice Albin's nomination. I'm prepared for a thoughtful discussion that our state constitution demands. And ill stay all night if we have to,” he said.