New Jersey Chamber of Commerce President Joan Verplanck is reportedly under consideration to become Jon Corzine's running mate
Democratic sources say that Gov. Jon Corzine is seriously considering Joan Verplanck, the President of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce for the last fourteen years and a Republican, for Lt. Governor. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen) is also reportedly in contention to become Corzine's running mate.
Verplanck and the business advocacy group she heads have become closely allied with Corzine over the last few years. She angered Republicans by endorsing Corzine's plan to raise tolls, causing some GOP legislators to call on local businesses to leave the group. Earlier this year, GOP gubernatorial candidates skipped the organization's annual train trip to Washington, D.C., criticizing the traditional event that offered access to the state's political leaders. Verplanck called the GOP protest "stupid."
A career association executive, Verplanck ran the Morris County Chamber of Commerce for eight years before taking her state post. Prior to that, she ran chamber of commerce organizations in Rhode Island.
If Verplanck, a Pennington resident, is Corzine's pick, she would become the first woman to be nominated by the Democrats for statewide office since Thelma Parkinson ran for a two-month unexpired term in the U.S. Senate in 1930.
Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) had been prominently mentioned as possible Corzine running mates, but sources say neither in under active consideration. Watson Coleman is focused on becoming Assembly Speaker when Joseph Roberts (D-Camden) retires in the future.
Garden State Equality fires new broadside at Dems Smarting over the state Senate's refusal to pass marriage equality and disillusioned at the moment with the Democratic Party majority, Garden State Equality’s 85-member Board of Directors unanimously decided against giving financial contributions to political parties and their affiliated committees. ...
“We will work harder and smarter to protect consumers, to preserve civil rights, to effectively regulate the alcoholic beverage industry, to ensure that the integrity of New Jersey’s casino gaming industry continues, to keep drives, passengers and pedestrians safe on our streets, to assist victims of crimes, and to remember always the importance of juvenile justice on issues affecting the state." -- Attorney General-designate Paula Dow, at her Senate confirmation hearing.
- PolitickerNJ.com, 02/08/10Press releases are submitted by PolitickerNJ users, not by staff. They do not represent the viewpoint of PolitickerNJ.com.
Verplanck - Guardrail Jonnie
Perfect together...........Both LOSERS.
That's great.
I guess he can't find a credible and legitmate Democrat dumb enough to run with him so he found a dumber Republican in a year the Republican nominee is going to actually win.
You can't make this stuff up! It only confirms the complete amateur approach of Jon Corzine and the fact he's only taken seriously is beacause he's been a human ATM machine for the Democratic Party.
Corzine will lose to Christie or Lonegan by 400,000 to 600,000 votes and take 10 Democrats in the legislature with him...
Good riddance!
Vote Column "A" - All the way!
DemsandDonts is right
This is the most politically brain dead choice he could make. This plus Abbott would mean that Christie might actually win some urban areas, as if this flake would play in the South Ward of Newark and Perth Amboy. This would also cost Corzine whatever is left of the white ethnic vote as well.
Up in the Air
This is another example of how the Dems use any opportunity available to try to satisfy the objective to win rather than lead. Our problem is that we continue to feed into the hipocrisy as if it is all we have to accept.I am sure something like President Obama naming Corzine to be an Amdassador to some Greek Island in no-where is the best option for the Dems to win this one. What else is left?
I just googled her
she has practically no record to slice and dice which is a plus for Corzine. If she can walk and chew gum at the same time she's probably the best of the lot thus far. Everyone else in the mix has a long Trenton record to defend.
WOW
It is incomprehensible that the first opportunity a woman is given to run statewide, the Democrats are going to offer it to a Republican?! This will not sit well with many Democratic voters, myself included. Not sure what Corzine hopes to gain from this - but I can guarantee that given the choices, many Dem voters from my neck of the woods may just forget to come out and vote in November..
Agreed!
NewJerseyGirl - I hate to say it, but this is a ridiculous political stunt! There are so many Democratic women throughout the entire state that will be offended if he chooses a Republican. It would be an unwise choice to say the least.
she's fine, but...
Some of those who say that Verplanck is a poor choice are the same who argued McCain would win New Jersey. Hard to take such an opinion seriously.
The Republicans in the senate and assembly have been decidedly partisan and unhelpful in working with Corzine on most legislation. Why reward them with a Republican pick on the Democratic ticket?
Corzine should pick an unabashedly progressive Democrat for his Lt. Governor position, someone who solidifies his liberal credentials while also broadening his appeal. Is there a better candidate than Barbara Buono to do exactly this?
Buono is clearly a better choice than anyone mentioned thus far
Martin, I agree that picking a republican would do little for the Corzine ticket. But, with very little research anyone can see that Buono has established a clear committment to progressive ideals...authoring legislation to cap global warming emmissions in NJ, consumer friendly measures such as the lemon law expansion and do not call list, establishing the paid family leave program, creating the new school funding formula, strengthening laws to prevent abusive residential mortgage lending through the original anti-predatory lending legislation and the more recent licensing requirements for mortgage lenders, good government/transparency measures such as legislation establishing a state spending website ...the list can go on. What is more, as Chair of the Senate Budget Committee she has demonstrated the ability to impliment these measures while also keeping checks on excessive and wasteful spending.
Sometimes I think Wally
Posts items like this just to see how gullible most readers are. This is never gonna happen. Labor will freak (even more than they already are) and Verplanck is too smart to hook herself to this sinking ship. Corzine is gonna end up with a b-teamer like Buono (anyone ever read her divorce docs?). All the top choices are running for the hills awaiting their own chance. Who wants to be this Al Gore's Joe Lieberman?