fbpx

Christie Reverses the Gender Gap

Women Approve of Christie More Than Men Do

Public Workers Give Governor High Marks

Photo by Serena DiMaso. Taken with Tom Arone's phone

Guv Christie accepting Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long’s endorsement. Photo by Serena DiMaso. Taken with Tom Arone’s phone

Governor Chris Christie still looks to be cruising to reelection, according to a Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press poll released this morning.

Christie’s overall approval rating is 63%, according to Patrick Murray, the director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.  The governor’s ratings are slightly stronger among registered voters, 65% of whom approve of his job performance. 86% of Republicans, 64% of Independents and 52% of give Christie high marks.

On the stump, Christie has been promoting how he has reduced the size of government in New Jersey since taking office. “There’s over 5000 fewer employees in state government today than when I took office, and over 20,000 fewer government employees across the state,” Christie says in a campaign video, “We promised to make government smaller, we’ve made government smaller.”  Despite these facts, 54% of public workers approve of Christie’s job performance compared to 37% who do not.

Since Superstorm Sandy, there has been virtually no “gender gap” in Christie’s approval ratings as measured by the Monmouth Poll.  In a poll released on September 27, 2012, one month before Sandy, men approved of Christie’s performance by a 61%-31% margin. Women approved by only 6 points, 47%-41%.  In Murray’s first post Sandy poll on Christie, in December, the gender gap closed. 68% of men and 66% of women approved in December.  The trend continued in the February poll with 69% of men and 70% of women approving of the governor.  In today’s poll, the gender gap exceeded the statistical margin of error for the first time since Sandy, with the surprising result that women approve of Christie more than men do. Women approve by a 65%-26% margin and men approve by 61%-27%.

If Murray polled a head to head match up between Christie and the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor, State Senator Barbara Buono, he did not report the results today. He did report that 59% of registered voters think that Christie deserves a second term.

Posted: April 17th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 2013 Election, 2013 Gubernatorial Politics, Barbara Buono, Chris Christie, Monmouth University Poll, Patrick Murray | Tags: , , , , , | 10 Comments »

Low turnout is a major risk for LD 13 incumbents

LD 13:Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Rumson, Sea Bright, Union Beach

LD 13:Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Rumson, Sea Bright, Union Beach

The idea that State Senator Joe Kyrillos and Assembly Members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon could be defeated by their Tea Party challengers, Leigh-Ann Bellew for Senate and Edna Walsh and Stephen Boracchia for Assembly, in the June 4 primary is unthinkable, even laughable, to many Monmouth County Republicans.

But recent history and a look at the numbers indicate that an upset with statewide consequences could very well be in the making if the challenge is not taken seriously.

With only nominal competition in the governor’s race, voter turnout in the Republican primary on June 4 is likely to be very low.   Therein lies the danger for the incumbents. Even “good Republicans” rarely vote in primaries.  Even fewer if there is no perceived competition.

There are 34,216 registered Republicans in the 13th district. In the 2011 primary, the last time the legislature was on the ballot, only 2,274 Republicans voted.   The challengers know that.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: April 15th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 2013 Election, Amy Handlin, Assembly Republicans, Bayshore Tea Party Group, Declan O'Scanlon, Diane Gooch, Joe Kyrillos, LD 13, Leigh-Ann Bellew, Monmouth County, Monmouth GOP, Primary Election, Serena DiMaso, Shaun Golden, Tom Arnone | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments »

Chris Matthews gets no tingle from Barbara “Dawn Quixote” Buono

Barbara Buono did not give Chris Matthews a tingle up his leg during her appearance on Hardball yesterday.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

“You’re very nice, Senator, seriously,” Matthews said to end the interview to Buono’s disapproving smirk.

Matthews spent the first two thirds of the segment setting Governor Chris Christie up as impossible to beat in November.  A “Dawn Quixote” graphic, inferring that Buono’s quest to defeat Christie in November is an Impossible Dream, displayed for the entire interview.

Buono Dawn Quixote2

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: April 12th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 2013 Election, 2013 Gubernatorial Politics, Barbara Buono, Chris Christie | Tags: , , , | 8 Comments »

Can Buono Give Chris Matthews A Tingle Up His Leg?

State Sen Barbara Buono and US Sen Bob Mendendez. Photo: Barbara Buono/facebook

State Sen Barbara Buono and US Sen Bob Mendendez. Photo: Barbara Buono/facebook

Barbara Buono, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor will be a guest on Hardball with Chris Matthews this evening at 5:45.

A Democrat who does not want to be known for talking to a Republican blogger told MMM that Buono receives tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions every time she goes on MSNBC.

Posted: April 11th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 2013 Election, 2013 Gubernatorial Politics, Barbara Buono | 5 Comments »

Why is the Bayshore Tea Party Group Challenging Monmouth County Incumbents?

Bayshore Tea Party Group Co-Founders Bob Gordon and Barbara Gonzalez took to their Asbury Park Press blog yesterday to attempt to explain why they are challenging the 13th Legislative District and County Republican incumbents.  In this post I’ll attempt to explain their explanation with the benefit of having spoken to them and having attended the meeting where they introduced most of their candidates.  If I get any of it wrong, I suspect they will correct me in the comments.

Gordon and Gonzalez would probably object to the characterization that they are challenging the incumbents.  They would say they are supporting the challenge, not doing the challenging.  Just as senate candidate Leigh-Ann Bellew said she is not the BTPG’s candidate, but anticipates the group’s support.  This a linguistic distinction without a practical difference.  The challenge is a Tea Party challenge.

THE PROCESS

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: April 11th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 2013 Election, Bayshore Tea Party Group, LD 13, Legislature, Monmouth County, Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, Monmouth GOP | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments »

Bellew Invokes Margaret Thatcher As Inspiration For Her Candidacy

Leigh-Ann Bellew“The world lost a giant yesterday,” said Leigh-Ann Bellew, Republican candidate for State Senate in District 13. “My condolences go out to the family of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. She blazed the path for women like me to enter into politics, showing that a strong woman can be an effective leader.”

In a statement released this afternoon, Bellew called for men and women alike to emulate Thatcher’s strong leadership, free market principles and reverence for life.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: April 9th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 2013 Election, Leigh-Ann Bellew, NJ State Legislature | Tags: , , | 6 Comments »

Lautenberg ailing…..what if he retires early?

U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg missed work, on doctors orders, for the entire month of March.  On Friday he released a statement saying he will not return to Washington on Monday as the Senate convenes after a two week recess, according to reports in The Star Ledger and Politico.

“I regret that I will not be returning to Washington next week as I continue  treatment for, and recuperate from, muscle weakness and fatigue. My physician  continues to advise me to work from home and not travel at this time,”  Lautenberg said in a statement issued by his office.

Lautenberg added: “I am disappointed I will not be present for the opening of  the debate on gun legislation in the Senate. It is an issue I am deeply  passionate about, and my victories over the gun lobby are among my proudest  accomplishments. I am, however, gratified that my legislation to ban  high-capacity ammunition magazines will be one of the key amendments offered to  this bill.”

Lautenberg will also miss the confirmation of U.S. Magistrate Patty Shwartz to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, a nomination that was initially blocked by New Jersey’s junior senator, Bob Menendez.

“I have worked hard since Judge Shwartz’s nomination by President Obama toward her confirmation, and I am confident that she will be confirmed by a strong majority of my colleagues,” Lautenberg said.

Lautenberg, 89, announced in February that he would not seek reelection in 2014.

Should the senate seat become vacant on or before August 27, New Jersey’s election law requires that a successor be elected in the November general election.   If a vacancy occurs after August 27,  the next election for the seat would be on schedule in November of 2014, unless the governor calls for a special election sooner.  Governor Christie could appoint a temporary senator or leave the seat vacant.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: April 7th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 2013 Election, 2013 Gubernatorial Politics, 2014 U.S. Senate race, Chris Christie, Cory Booker, Frank Lautenberg, Frank Pallone | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments »

Why the Christain Peter story matters…

…and why I wrote it

By Art Gallagher

As a political blogger, I expected that my story about former NFL player and convicted sex offender Christian Peter being on a Christie fund raising committee would be viewed in a political context.   Both Democrats and Republicans asked me, “Why are you taking a shot at Christie?”  “I’m not,” I replied, “I’m taking a shot at Peter.  I am close to a few sexual assault survivors and I am related to recovering alcoholics.  I don’t give sexual predators or addicts any slack.”  “Yeah, right,” they said, “you’re taking a shot at Christie.”  That’s they would be doing.

I confess, if I found out that Peter was on the host committee of a Menendez or Buono fundraiser, my inner partisan blogger would be inclined to make hay with that information.  But I would wait until after the fundraiser.  I would try to get photos taken at the fundraiser of Peter with the candidate and the other politicians present and then wait to use them to strike or counter-strike at the opportune time.  That’s how the game is played, as they say.   But sexual assault and the destructive wake of addiction is not a game for me.

So, my inner political blogger did my friends who will be attending the Christie fundraiser a favor.  Most that of them that I talked to before I published the story had either forgotten about or never knew of Peter’s history of violence against women, even though it was written about just four months ago in the New York Times.  Who would have guessed that my political friends don’t read the New York Times’ sports section?   Now they know about Peter’s history.  They can choose to pose for pictures with him, or have a drink with him, or not, with full knowledge of his history.

That’s part of why I wrote the story, but not the most important reason.

The story I wanted to write about Peter is a tale of how he’s turned his life around.  A tale about his triumph over his demons. About how he’s made amends to the people he has hurt. I wanted to write about how he is making a difference for battered women and how he’s training young athletes not to make the mistakes he’s made.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: April 6th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 2013 Election, 2013 Gubernatorial Politics, Ashley Dupree, Christian Peter, Crime and Punishment, Rape | Tags: , , , , | 9 Comments »

Former NFL Player, Sex Offender Christian Peter Is A Supporting Member Of Christie Fundraiser Committee

ASBURY PARK, NJ - JANUARY 12:  NFL player, Christian Peter and WCW World Heaveyweight wrestler, Diamond Dallas Page attends the 2012 Light of Day New Jersey Rock N' Bowl A Thon at Asbury Lanes on January 12, 2012 in Asbury Park, New Jersey.  (Photo by Bobby Bank/Getty Images)

ASBURY PARK, NJ – JANUARY 12: NFL player, Christian Peter and WCW World Heaveyweight wrestler, Diamond Dallas Page attends the 2012 Light of Day New Jersey Rock N’ Bowl A Thon at Asbury Lanes on January 12, 2012 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Bobby Bank/Getty Images)

Former NFL player, admitted alcoholic and convicted sex offender Christian Peter is a member of the host committee for a Governor Christie fundraiser/cocktail party scheduled for April 30th in Middletown.

Political fundraising host committees typically don’t meet.  Members names are included on invitations in order to encourage others to attend and contribute to the event and as an acknowledgement of the level of funds the member has agreed to contribute or raise.  The invitation to the April 30th event at the DiPiero residence on Navesink River Road can be viewed here.

The committee, chaired by Senator Joe and Susan Kyrillos, is a who’s who of investment banking, medicine, commerce, philanthropy, politics and government in Monmouth County and beyond. Peter’s name sticks out like item from a which item does not belong test.

which item does not belong test

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: April 5th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 2013 Election, 2013 Gubernatorial Politics, Chris Christie, Joe Kyrillos | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments »

Bellew Comes Out Swinging

LD 13 GOP State Senate challenger Leigh-Ann Bellew wasted no time in kicking off her campaign to unseat incumbent  State Senator Joe Kyrillos.

“Negative” is not a strong enough word for the press release Bellew sent out this afternoon. “Scathing” is a more accurate description.

 

IN OFFICE SINCE THE 1980s, KYRILLOS TAKES HEAT FROM CONSERVATIVE PRIMARY CHALLENGE

Union Beach, NJ — State Senator and defeated 2012 U.S. Senate candidate Joe Kyrillos, a leading GOP “moderate” who has broken with most Republicans on taxes, abortion and gun control, is facing a conservative primary challenger backed by a full slate of candidates.

“Joe Kyrillos has been in office since the 1980s – that’s nearly 30 years – and his  ‘accomplishments’ have included tripling state spending, endorsing new and expanded gun control laws, and  supporting abortion,” said Leigh-Ann Bellew, a Union Beach educator and conservative activist challenging Kyrillos in the June 4 Republican Primary.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: April 2nd, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 13th Legislative District, 2013 Election, LD 13 | Tags: , , , | 59 Comments »