NJ GOV: An Outpost Of Progress
NORTH BERGEN, N.J. -- Gov. Jon Corzine (D) spent the weekend touting his progressive agenda and urging Dems to get to the polls 11/3. On 10/30, Corzine talked health care and the environment at a north Jersey rally with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL 20) and activist Bobby Kennedy Jr. The next day, he made a stop in Union City and gave a speech about gun control. "Elections matter because people stand for different things that separate them and voters have a choice," Corzine told a small group of Dem officials gathered at the Firefighter's Memorial Park, adding that his opponent had a "poor stance" on gun control.
Getting guns off the street is what's on the ballot Tuesday, the gov. said, "just like preschool is on the ballot, just like making sure that we have health care for our kids is on the ballot. And so I am pleased that we are making the distinction very clear for the voters."
But it seems few voters now have any confusion about the "distinction" between Corzine and ex-U.S. Atty Chris Christie (R). Polls show their support has solidified in recent weeks. So rather than a persuasive closing argument, the outcome of the 11/3 vote could best be determined by turnout levels and the performance of ex-EPA regional admin. Chris Daggett (I).
On the turnout front, Corzine's camp got some more help earlier today from Pres. Obama, who was in Camden and Newark telling supporters they need "to do the same thing" as last year. "I need you to go back into your neighborhood. I'm going to need you to knock on doors," Obama said. "You need to work hard on Tuesday."
Corzine had spent the day making a similar argument. He called into WDAS, an R&B station in Philly that reaches NJ, and told listeners to get to the polls 11/3. "Every vote counts, elections matter, and our president needs the support just as much as I do," he said after talking about property taxes.
While Obama's third campaign appearance in the state will provide a lift for Corzine, his party's GOTV operation is still handicapped by the arrests of the mayors of Hoboken, Secaucus and Ridgefield -- all north Jersey Dem strongholds. Meanwhile, Daggett remains a vigilent campaigner.
As Corzine and Christie hosted large rallies over the weekend, Daggett continued his statewide tour on a rented party bus.
On 10/31, he stopped in Ocean City and walked the boardwalk. He later visited several Halloween parades. In Toms River, Daggett slowly worked his way through the large crowd. He often stopped for conversations with parade watchers that went on for several minutes as he laid out his detailed policy proposals. Daggett got a warm reception, although many voters were unsure who he was. He handed a flier to one man who asked, "that's you?"
"I think that this thing is wide open still," Daggett told On Call, between handshakes. "I think many people are very angry at Jon Corzine. I think one of the big surprises of this campaign could be the number of his core supporters that stay home. The disappointment within his own party is significant."
Daggett said he was worried a low turnout could cut both ways. "Every sign is there may not be a big turnout. And part of that I attribute to all the negative campaigning that Chris Christie and Jon Corzine have done. They've spent millions of dollars pounding each other on the airwaves."
"After a while," he added, "people say 'a pox on all your houses, I'm staying home.' I'm a little worried about that."
Still, Daggett insisted that he has a solid base of support, and points to the recent attacks from the Christie camp and the RGA as signs of his stature. "That tells me that their internal polls are showing me a whole lot stronger than they're willing to admit publicly," he said. "Because why would they spend that kind of money to take me on like that?"
A half block down Main Street, Daggett stopped to talk with a woman wearing an orange sweater. She asked him, "If you don't win, are you going to run again?" Daggett was non-committal. "If you don't win," the woman said, "we need you to run again." Then she patted him on the shoulder and turned back to the parade.
[SEAN J. MILLER]