Dems agree on candidate to challenge NJ’s Christie

[DonViejo]

Source: AP



TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — You might not have heard of New Jersey state Sen. Barbara Buono, though you’ve probably heard of the man she’s itching to take on in the November election — Gov. Chris Christie.

Expect to hear more about her. Buono picked up endorsements Tuesday from the Democratic Governors’ Association, southern New Jersey’s seven county Democratic Party chairs and the southern legislative delegation, thereby sewing up enough support statewide to become the Democrats’ presumptive nominee for governor.

She will be a serious underdog against Christie, who has the benefits of incumbency, greater name recognition and the ability to raise however much he needs to run a re-election campaign.

Christie, 50, saw his popularity soar after Superstorm Sandy, but Buono says New Jersey’s problems of high unemployment and high taxes existed before the late-October storm.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2013/01/29/dems_agree_on_candidate_to_challenge_njs_christie/

[bluestateguy]

1. Um...Ok

[blueclown]

4. On a Democratic message board, you are going to throw in the towel already?

It's 10 months away from November. We need to give Barbara Buono all the support we can. This is a state that President Obama won by almost 20%, and you are telling me that Mrs. Buono doesn't have a chance?

[bluestateguy]

5. OK, she won't lose as bad as Mondale/Ferraro

This is more like it.

[blueclown]

7. Glad to see that you are supporting the Democratic candidate.

You would have a valid point if this were October, and Christie's favorables were sky high and Barbara Buono was still unknown. But it's only January, we are talking about a state that just voted to send President Obama back to office by an almost 20% margin, and it's a state where a bloviating governor who often has diarrhea of the mouth is the incumbent.

I expect the common wisdom of the Beltway "expert pundits" to declare this race over. I just didn't expect members of a Democratic message board to already hand Christie re-election, especially given New Jersey's history. Despite a remarkably unpopular incumbent, Christie only received 48.5% of the vote in the 2009 gubernatorial elections.

The best we can do on Democratic Underground is to support Mrs. Buono. She's got an incredibly impressive progressive record, and we don't need to buy the beltway hype that she has no chance.

[Dawson Leery]

9. Democrats will keep the legislature.

The GOP has a 29% approval rating in the state. Christie is winning based upon himself and NOT his party.

[Renew Deal]

2. I'm pretty sure he's untouchable at this point

Live boy, dead girl...

[Bandit]

12. That is what EVERYONE said about GHW Bush also

He had a eighty percent favor ability rating and no well known Democrat would even attempt such a foolhardy candidacy. That is how Clinton got the nomination and the rest is history....

[Dawson Leery]

3. kick

[The Wizard]

6. New Jersey king maker

Boss Norcross is behind Christie, no matter how many times he says he's behind Buono.
Christie is putting State money in Boss Norcross business ventures, charter schools and insurance to government entities.
Boss Norcross was instrumental in getting Christie elected in 09. He effectively suppressed Democratic turnout by using his influence to stop County Committees from getting out the vote. In Ocean County almost no Democrats came out to vote.
One of Christie's first acts as governor was to attack public schools and teachers. He took funds from public schools and directed those funds to charter schools.

[blueclown]

8. Yep..

Corzine getting slaughtered in Monmouth and Ocean Counties in 2009 led to his defeat. And Norcross is definitely a king-maker in New Jersey. But there is still hope for Buono. She needs to speak truth to power and tell New Jersey residents that New Jersey's economy is still horrific, even before Sandy, and Christie has done little to improve it.

[SunSeeker]

10. And bring up Christie's horrific opposition to raising the minimum wage!

I hope she uses her campaign to fight for the minimum wage like she did here on the floor of the NJ State Senate:

[FleetwoodMac]

11. If Christie was a Democrat, the GOP would be launching a character assasination campaign of the...

likes never seen before.

After all, Christie has a lot of baggage in his closet, from lawsuits to a crime boss uncle.

But truth be told, I am pleased that we do not resort to such tactics.