Sonia Sotomayor

Gov. Jon Corzine

Depending on who you talk to out there, the gubernatorial election comes down to either independent strength in the suburbs with proverbial lunch bucket conservative Democrats compelled to cross over to join Republican challenger Christopher Christie, or a show of force by Democrats in the urban areas who, despite feeling less than inspired by Gov. Jon Corzine, are sufficiently roused to battle down the Republican Party.

In this commonly designated blue state, Democrats outnumber Republicans 1,655,815 to 1,004,746. Independent voters (2,086,647) form the biggest block, and lean Democratic.

A 12-year veteran of the legislature who lost his 2007 reelection bid when he ran afoul of the local Democratic Party machine, former Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo (D-Newark) said he believes the Republican Party brand is too damaged to sell here in New Jersey.

While acknowledging his party's longtime statewide troubles, veteran Republican strategist David Murray meanwhile sees Corzine as essentially DOA among independents and bulk suburban voters, and finally incapable of ginning up enough base support to win.

It's brand versus man.

"The Black and Latino vote will decide this race," argued Caraballo, referring to the 807,558 registered voters from those ethnic groups among the state's 4,702,833 registered voters. "The more the Democratic Party links Christie to the Republican Party, whether people like Chris or not, even if they think he's good guy, if Corzine's campaign hits home that Christie is a Republican, and underscores what that means in 2009, they will have implemented one of the most potent arguments they could use against Christie."

NEW JERSEY STATE DEMOCRATIC CHAIR CRYAN
ON CONFIRMATION OF SOTOMAYOR TO U.S. SUPREME COURT

     (TRENTON) – New Jersey Democratic Party Chair Joseph P. Cryan today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Senate’s 68-31 vote confirming President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor:

Republican gubernatorial candidate Christopher Christie says he supports President Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying that the winners of elections should be entitled to make their own nominations and the Senate should give them bi-partisan support as long as they are qualified.

"After watching and listening to Judge Sotomayor's performance at the confirmation hearings this week, I am confident that she is qualified for the position of Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court," said Christie, a former federal prosecutor. "Elections have consequences.  One of those consequences are judicial appointments.  While Judge Sotomayor would not have been my choice, President Obama has used his opportunity to fill a seat on the Supreme Court by choosing a nominee who has more than proven her capability, competence and ability."

By way of the National Review, an item on U.S. Supreme Court Justice-designate Sonia Sotomayor from The Soprano State: New Jersey's Culture of Corruption, written by Bob Ingle and Sandy McClure:

"[Former Chief of Staff to New Jersey Governor James Florio Joseph C.] Salema could have spent up to 10 years behind bars for steering government bond business to First Fidelity in exchange for payments in a scheme that netted him hundreds of thousands of dollars," the Trentonian reported. U.S. District Judge Sonia Sotomayor instead sentenced him to six months in a halfway house and six months of home detention, fined him $10,000 and gave him 1400 hours of community service."

"A $10,000 fine to someone who pleads guilty to a federal charge of sharing in more than $200,000 in kickbacks. Boy, that will teach him!"

LEGISLATIVE LATINO CAUCUS STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S NOMINATION OF SONIA SOTOMAYOR AS THE NATION’S FIRST HISPANIC SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

(TRENTON) – New Jersey Legislative Latino Caucus Chairwoman Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic/Bergen) today issued the following statement on President Obama’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor as the nation’s first Hispanic Supreme Court justice:

“Judge Sotomayor has the intellect and compassion needed to ensure equal justice under the law, honed from real world experiences that are a shining example to all Americans.

“Her personal story – born of working class parents from Puerto Rico, growing up in the South Bronx, rising from humble means to earn respect from scholars and citizens alike for her mastery of the law – is an intensely American story..."

The nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to serve as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court is the secondtop court nomination since Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken) joined the United States Senate in early 2006. He voted against the nomination of Samuel Alito in 2006.  The Sotomayor nomination will be eleventh Supreme Court nomination during the 25 years Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) has served in the Senate.

Lautenberg has voted yes on four Supreme Court nominations -- Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Anthony Kennedy, and Antonin Scalia -- and no on six: Alito, John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Robert Bork, William Rehnquist, and David Souter.  Lautenberg was among nine Senators to vote against Souter in 1990.  Souter's retirement created the opening for President Obama to nominate Sotomayor, who will become the first Hispanic and third woman to serve on the nation's top court.

New Jersey's two U.S. Senators are praising President Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, while stopping short of announcing their intention to support her Senate confirmation.

"This is a historic day for the Supreme Court - and the entire nation.  Judge Sotomayor has distinguished herself on the Court of Appeals with her knowledge, expertise and judgment.  I look forward to reviewing her qualifications more closely as the Senate proceeds with the confirmation process."

"Certainly, as an American of Hispanic descent, it fills me with pride to have the opportunity to cast a vote to confirm this groundbreaking nominee," said U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken) who said her ethnic background alone is not the reason she'll be confirmed. "The Senate will be scrutinizing her judicial qualifications, and I believe that Judge Sotomayor is eminently qualified to become a Supreme Court Justice."

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) called Sotomayer's nomination a "historic day for the Supreme Court and the entire nation."