New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) actually managed to rally the crowd during his concession speech tonight, and he did it by talking about the national Democratic/progressive agenda--which was somewhat fitting, given that New Jersey was supposed to be the race most apt to be called a referendum on President Obama and his party.
Corzine delivered an applause line when he said his loss "does not mean...the Democrats across this state, across this country, don't have an agenda to carry forward. It's important that we fight for health care, it is important that we make sure our children have the kind of education that I know New Jerseyans want, it's important that we fight for collective bargaining and the rights of labor."
His supporters "will keep up the good fight for New Jersey, progressive values and everything that we believe in," Corzine said.
With 97 percent of precincts in, Christie had Corzine bested 49 percent to 44 percent.
Republicans taking areas that Obama won by 30% pts just a year ago. Truly amazing....
But it's really not that amazing. I voted for Obama last year. I would still vote for Obama today. I am a black female democrat and I live Virginia. This year, I looked at both gubernatorial candidates and I liked McDonnell better so I voted for him. People are not sheep nor should they be. This is not a referendum on Obama. This is about Deeds and his lackluster campaign.
It's not surprising. Christie Whitman was twice elected governor of NJ during the same time period as the state twice elected Bill Clinton.
As Star-Ledger columnist Paul Mulshine once said, all a GOP candidate in Jersey has to do to win the statehouse is be fiscally conservative, pro-choice and anti-gun. Neither Christie nor Whitman went around screeching about illegal immigrants, creationism, abstinence education, prayer in schools or saving babies. (Christie is nominally pro-life, but chose a pro-choice female LG and never mentions the "A" word).
What Christie and Bloomberg winning and Hoffman losing should tell the GOP is to kick the right-wing radical religious fundamentalists the hell out. Wonder if they'll listen.
It's not surprising. Christie Whitman was twice elected governor of NJ during the same time period as the state twice elected Bill Clinton.
As Star-Ledger columnist Paul Mulshine once said, all a GOP candidate in Jersey has to do to win the statehouse is be fiscally conservative, pro-choice and anti-gun. Neither Christie nor Whitman went around screeching about illegal immigrants, creationism, abstinence education, prayer in schools or saving babies. (Christie is nominally pro-life, but chose a pro-choice female LG and never mentions the "A" word).
What Christie and Bloomberg winning and Hoffman losing should tell the GOP is to kick the right-wing radical religious fundamentalists the hell out. Wonder if they'll listen.
Sorry about the double-post. The server burped, I guess.