Jon Corzine

Needy NJ Families Giving Thanks That Corzine Is Still Governor?

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 24, 2009, 6:53PM

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R)

Needy families in New Jersey are learning that elections matter. Outgoing Gov. Jon Corzine (D) and his incoming successor, Chris Christie (R) are having their first open policy disagreement since the election this week over how to care for the growing number of hungry families in New Jersey this Thanksgiving.

Corzine says he's using the final weeks of his term in office to pass an emergency plan to use state funds to fill the pantries of soup kitchens across the state, which have seen a decline in donations during the economic crisis. Christie, who takes office in January, says he's against any new spending while the state is still "broke."

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NJ-GOV

New Jersey: Christie Wins After Neck-and-Neck Race

Rachel Slajda | November 3, 2009, 10:13PM

NJ Gov. Chris Christie (R)

The Associated Press and MSNBC have called it for Republican Chris Christie in the New Jersey gubernatorial election.

With 71 percent of precincts reporting, Christie had 50 percent of the vote. His opponent, Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, trailed with 44 percent.

As results trickled in tonight, Christie held the lead but the race was too close to call. But as the night wore on, signs that Christie would take it appeared. RNC chairman Michael Steele flew from Virginia Governor-elect Bob McDonnell's victory party to New Jersey. And bellwether counties started going to Christie.

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NJ-GOV

New Jersey Still Too Close To Call

Rachel Slajda | November 3, 2009, 9:54PM

Chris Christie (R) and Jon Corzine (D)

With 64 percent of precincts reporting, Republican Chris Christie is leading Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine 50 to 44 percent in the New Jersey gubernatorial race.

The race is still too close to call. With important bellwether precinct numbers yet to come in, Corzine has been holding on.

But, as TPMDC's Eric Kleefeld explains, two counties which voted against Corzine in the last gubernatorial race -- Monmouth and Ocean -- have swung even further away from the governor this year.

We're still a ways away from calling it, but things aren't looking good for Corzine.

Late update: In a more troubling sign for the governor, GOP sources tell TPMDC RNC Chairman Mike Steele is boarding a plane bound for New Jersey.

NJ-GOV

Christie Takes Early Lead In New Jersey

Rachel Slajda | November 3, 2009, 8:43PM

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R)

Republican Chris Christie has taken an early lead in New Jersey, leading Gov. Jon Corzine 52 to 42 with 35 percent of precincts reporting. Chris Daggett, the Independent candidate, trails with six percent of the vote.

The all-important Independent vote appears to be going to Christie, with an early CNN exit poll showing 58 percent of Independents voting for the Republican candidate and only 33 percent going to Corzine. According to the poll, 28 percent of New Jersey voters are Independents.

CNN's exit polling also shows that 38 percent of voters said they were looking for change as the number one quality in a candidate. Most of those voted for Christie.

NJ-GOV

Christie Camp Calls For State Investigation Of Dem Robocalls Promoting Indy Candidate Daggett

Eric Kleefeld | November 3, 2009, 3:29PM

NJ-GOV Candidates Chris Daggett (I), Chris Christie (R) and Gov. Jon Corzine (D)

The Christie campaign is complaining to the state about a tactic from the New Jersey Democrats -- who have admitted to making robocalls to promote independent candidate Chris Daggett.

The calls happened in Somerset County, an area where Christie should likely do very well, and where any addition in vote for Daggett would likely come more from Christie's column than Corzine's.

The Christie campaign has sent a letter to ELEC (the state equivalent of the Federal Election Commission), demanding an investigation into the calls and an immediate directive that the Dems stop it, on the grounds that the calls would constitute an illegal in-kind contribution from the Dems to Daggett.

Keep in mind that these calls have been done in the final two days of a campaign -- meaning there's really no way to feasibly stop them, or to undo any potential damage that they might inflict.

NJ-GOV

Daggett Votes: I Practiced Finding My Name On The Sample Ballot

Eric Kleefeld | November 3, 2009, 2:32PM

Chris Daggett, independent candidate for governor in New Jersey

Independent New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett voted this morning -- in a process that involved some jokes about his obscure location on many county ballots, mixed in among numerous minor candidates.

As the Star-Ledger reports:

After taking a few minutes to fill out his ballot a poll worker said, "he can't find his name!"

When Daggett emerged he responded, "I found my name. I practiced on the sample ballot."

On my own absentee ballot, issued by Essex County, Daggett's name was ninth out of 12 choices. Corzine was first, and Christie was second, with a whole lot of lesser-known independent and third-party candidates between Daggett and the two major nominees.

NJ-GOV

New Jersey Dems Admit To Robocalls Promoting Indy Candidate Daggett In GOP County

Eric Kleefeld | November 2, 2009, 5:52PM

Chris Daggett, independent candidate for governor in New Jersey

The New Jersey Democrats have been caught in a dirty trick in the home stretch of the gubernatorial race, PolitickerNJ reports, sending out robocalls promoting independent Chris Daggett to a Republican-leaning county.

The calls went to Somerset County, which has usually been a Republican stronghold. It did vote for Barack Obama in 2008, but it also voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004, and for the GOP candidates for governor in 2001 and 2005, and for Senate in 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2008. (In two of those elections listed, Jon Corzine was the Democratic nominee.)

State Party chairman Joe Cryan had previously denied that the calls came from the Dems, though they did in fact say at the end that they were paid for by "NJDSC" (New Jersey Democratic State Committee), and listed the party's address. A party spokesperson has told PolitickerNJ that Cryan was unaware of the calls when he'd made the denial.

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NJ-GOV

Polls Show No Obvious Winner In New Jersey

Eric Kleefeld | November 2, 2009, 5:37PM

Chris Christie (R) and Jon Corzine (D)

Let's take a look at the final polls in New Jersey, which present a mixed bag of results and really no clear verdict as to who will win the close race between Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine and Republican former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie.

This race will really come down to two big questions: a) Which side is the better get-out-the-vote operation, and b) If independent Chris Daggett loses support in the voting booth, how many of his breakaway voters will be Corzine-leaners or Christie-leaners? Given past history in New Jersey, the Democrats probably have the edge on the first question. The second question, however, is simply unknowable at this time.

• The Monmouth poll has Corzine ahead 43%-41%, Daggett at 8%, with a ±3.7% margin of error. The previous poll from late last week had Christie ahead by 43%-42%-8%. The movement from one poll to the next was not statistically significant.

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NJ-GOV

Poll: Corzine Edging Christie By 43%-41%

Eric Kleefeld | November 2, 2009, 1:27PM

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R)

The new Monmouth poll of the New Jersey gubernatorial race gives Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine a narrow lead over Republican Chris Christie, in an election that is really anyone's guess going into Election Day tomorrow.

The numbers: Corzine 43%, Christie 41%, and independent Chris Daggett 8%, with a ±3.7% margin of error. This poll was conducted Saturday and Sunday. In the previous poll released yesterday, which was conducted Wednesday through Friday, Christie had a lead of 43%-42%-8%, not a statistically significant change.

From the pollster's analysis: "This race is still as close as it can be. It's possible that President Obama's visit boosted the governor's chances. But it is also likely that some anti-Corzine voters are still unsure of casting their lot with Christie. If the undecided vote breaks largely for the Republican, this race could be a squeaker."

Chris Daggett

Poll: Corzine Leads Christie By 41%-37%

Eric Kleefeld | November 2, 2009, 1:12PM

Chris Christie (R) and Jon Corzine (D)

The new Democracy Corps (D) poll of New Jersey finds Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine with a narrow lead over his Republican opponent Chris Christie, contrary to other polls today that have put Christie ahead.

The numbers: Corzine 41%, Christie 37%, and independent Chris Daggett 15%, with a ±4% margin of error. Last week, Corzine was ahead by 43%-38%-12%.

When Daggett-supporters are pushed to support a major candidate, Corzine is ahead by 47%-41%, which is consistent with other polls that have shown Daggett currently taking more votes away from Corzine than Christie. Third-party candidates often lose significant support on Election Day -- so this race could really turn on how many votes Daggett loses in the voting booth, and how many of those people are Corzine-leaners or Christie-leaners.

NJ-GOV

Poll: Christie Up Over Corzine 45%-42%

Eric Kleefeld | November 2, 2009, 12:20PM

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R)

The new SurveyUSA poll of the New Jersey gubernatorial race gives Republican nominee Chris Christie a narrow lead over Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in the home stretch.

The numbers: Christie 45%, Corzine 42%, and independent Chris Daggett 10%, with a ±4.1% margin of error. Late last week, Corzine and Christie were tied at 43%-43%-11%.

The pollster's analysis supplies its own caveats for the poll data: "On 2 of the 3 nights, much of NJ was home watching local teams play in the World Series. And: 1 of the 3 nights was Halloween, when families with children are home in uniquely large numbers. As such, results of this survey should be interpreted cautiously: a narrow Corzine victory is not inconsistent with the data, but a narrow Christie win is more consistent with the data."

The final polls have been showing some momentum for Christie in the home stretch. Let's see whether it holds true tomorrow night, or whether the New Jersey Dems' ground game puts Corzine over the top.

NJ-GOV

Poll: Christie Ahead of Corzine By 42%-40%

Eric Kleefeld | November 2, 2009, 8:54AM

Chris Christie (R) and Jon Corzine (D)

The new Quinnipiac poll of the New Jersey gubernatorial races gives Republican nominee Chris Christie a slim lead over Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine -- a late Christie surge, after Quinnipiac last poll had put Corzine ahead.

The numbers: Christie 42%, Corzine 40%, and independent Chris Daggett 12%, with a ±2.5% margin of error. In the previous poll from last week, Corzine had 43%, Christie 38%, and Daggett 13%.

The pollster's analysis says that as of right now, Daggett is taking more votes away from Corzine than he is from Christie: "Daggett is the key to an incredibly close New Jersey election."

NJ-GOV

Poll: Christie Ahead Of Corzine By 47%-41%

Eric Kleefeld | November 1, 2009, 11:57PM

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R)

The new survey of the New Jersey gubernatorial race from Public Policy Polling (D) gives Republican nominee Chris Christie a six-point leader over Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine.

The numbers: Christie 47%, Corzine 41%, and independent Chris Daggett 11%, with a ±3.1% margin of error. The previous poll from last week gave Christie a narrower lead of 42%-38%-13%.

From the pollster's analysis: "If Christie does indeed end up as the winner it will be an indication that you can only be so unpopular as an elected official and still hope to get reelected. 57% of voters in the state have an unfavorable opinion of Corzine while only 34% view him positively. Christie isn't exactly Mr. Popularity, as only 43% of voters in the state have a favorable opinion of him to 42% negative, but compared to Corzine those numbers look pretty good."

Late Update: Another poll from today, Monmouth poll, gives Christie an edge of 43%-42%, plus Daggett with 8%, with a ±3% margin of error. The previous poll from two weeks ago had the race tied at 39%-39%-14%.