Can a nice guy finish first?
“My baseball career spanned almost five decades—from 1925 to 1973, count them—and in all that time I never had a boss call me upstairs so that he could congratulate me for losing like a gentleman. “How you play the game” is for college boys. When you’re playing for money, winning is the only thing that matters. Show me a good loser in professional sports, and I’ll show you an idiot. Show me a sportsman, and I’ll show you a player I’m looking to trade to Oakland so that he can discuss his salary with that other great sportsman, Charley Finley.”
~ Legendary Baseball Manager Leo Durocher, Nice Guys Finish Last
If Joe Kyrillos overcomes the double digit lead that several polls give Bob Menendez in the U.S. Senate race over the next two weeks without going negative, he not only will be making political history, he will have transcended human nature and rewritten the “how to win an election as a challenger” campaign books.
As much as people complain about negative political ads, they are the only ads that work for a challenger or candidate behind in the polls.
Vice President George H.W. Bush’s “Willie Horton” ad against Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis in the 1988 presidential campaign is probably the most memorable political ad of all time. It is arguably the most negative…and effective…as it propelled Bush to overcome a 17% deficit in the national polls and win the White House.
Kyrillos’ campaign has been complaining that the mainstream NJ media has not been covering the campaign enough. That changed this weekend as The Star Ledger/NJ.com featured Monmouth County’s senior state senator and the U.S. Senate campaign three times in the last two days. NJTV’s Reporters Roundtable dedicated a third of this weekend’s show to the Senate race.
Yesterday Matt Friedman profiled Kyrillos in Meet Joe Kyrillos, a nice guy trying to unseat powerful US Senator Menendez. Today, Salvador Rizzo wrote about how tame the the Senate campaign has been and Mark Bonamo also wrote a candidate profile wherein Kyrillos describes his “duty to run.”
If Joe K’s objective was to introduce himself to New Jersey as the nice guy that he truly is, his campaign is working. If he’s out to beat Menendez, it does not appear to be working. The predicate of the campaign was if Obama wins New Jersey by less that 10%, Kyrillos could beat Menendez. Yet, based upon recent polls, Menendez is outperforming Obama in New Jersey. Put another way, Kyrillos is under-performing Romney in New Jersey.
Even the jabs Kyrillos threw at Menendez in their three debates were nice. His press releases leave the harsh quotes to his campaign manager. His TV ads are nice.
If nice gets voters’ attention and overcomes a double digit deficit in the current New Jersey race, it will be a first.
More from my site
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Endorses Kyrillos for Senate
Menendez’s Self-Serving Double Standard
Don’t cry for me Bob Menendez
Menendez Out Raises Kyrillos in Second Quarter Money Race
Senator Joe Kyrillos’ Response to Senator Bob Menendez’s Campaign Kick-off
FDU Poll: Menendez leading Kyrillos 45%-33%, but Kyrillos has room to define himself
Cowardly Senator Bob Menendez rejects Kyrillos’ debate challenge
Menendez complains about constitutional amendment to make judges pay their fair share
New Kyrillos Ad Hits The Airwaves 
Menendez Song Parody Contest Gets Its Own Page
[…] Cross-Posted at MoreMonmouthMusings “My baseball career spanned almost five decades—from 1925 to 1973, count them—and in all that time I never had a boss call me upstairs so that he could congratulate me for losing like a gentleman. “How you play the game” is for college boys. When you’re playing for money, winning is the only thing that matters. Show me a good loser in professional sports, and I’ll show you an idiot. Show me a sportsman, and I’ll show you a player I’m looking to trade to Oakland so that he can discuss his salary with that other great sportsman, Charley Finley.” […]
“Kyrillos’ campaign has been complaining that the mainstream NJ media has not been covering the campaign enough.”
Did You Expect The Liberally Based, Lame Stream Media To Do Anything Else?
If you are going to run a campaign in this state, you need to bring buckets and buckets of money to the table and start fighting the day after the primary.
You did neither and it’s too late to start complaining about it.
This All Goes Back To The NJ GOP Thinking That Romney Getting Close To Obama In This State Would Have Some Coat Tail Effect For Joe.
IT WAS A FLAWED ASSUMPTION…
If Romney wins the Presidency in 2012 and fixes this mess in time for 2016, Romney might very well win NJ then, but to expect anything else but a 8-9 point deficit for Mitt when you got union power behind Obummer is being “stuck on stupid”
The number 48. While Bob was in DC, he forgot his humble beginnings and did nothing to bring us up from being 48th in money back to us for the money we send down there. 16 trillion in debt has been repeated since our convention, and we all keep hearing they got the number one terrorist. Etc.. Next, I’d highlight his most lib votes like for Obamacare, that Joe would be the no vote on, etc..am sad he was so busy trying for name i.d. He forgot to delineate the differences of why his being there would be better for our state!
Just to throw a question out there….baring the upset of all time which I dont think anyone thinks will actually happen but how close does Kyrillos have to get where people would say he did a good job and maybe gets another chance down the road? Come within 3 or 4 points?
He will need to be grateful he is a good state senator and be the best one he can be. The line is pretty long to be the one to take on “the Laut” next time: if he stays alive.. Joe will have to beat Tom K. Jr. for that nomination..and, NJ is still a tough electorate to move away from the familiar name,like “Palloney”, no matter how poor their performance in office!
And to beat expectations, he would have to come within 4-5 points.
That would set him up against whoever takes Lousenberg’s place
Joe needs to win in order to get another shot.
Even he if beats expectations but loses this time, he would likely face a serious primary challenger should he take another run for statewide office.
Joe’s other shot at the US Senate would be an appointment by Christie if Launtenberg’s seat becomes vacant.
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