Those young campaign staffers do the darnedest things.
Anxious to promote President Obama’s endorsement of Newark Mayor Cory Booker for U.S. Senate earlier this week, a Booker staffer searched for a photo of Obama and Booker together to post of the campaign website. The problem, apparently the only time Booker and the President have been photographed together was at the 2009 rally for former Governor Jon Corzine’s failed reelection bid.
The kid was savvy enough to know that Booker really doesn’t want to be associated with the disgraced former governor who remains under investigation for the missing $1.2 billion in customer funds that disappeared during the MF Global collapse.
So he/she put a text box over Corzine’s head.
Lachlan Markay caught it and shared it with the world before the adults in the Booker campaign had it taken down.
Booker responded on social media. He’s a kind politician, not a new kind of politician.
Hmmm. This post might give New Jersey more insight into Booker’s foreign policy philosophy than the Lonegan campaign’s “silly and childish” tweet during a Democratic primary debate. Let’s be kind to terrorists and our foreign enemies. That fits with the Obama/HClinton/Kerry foreign policy of apologizing for America.
Patrick Murray’s poll of likely voters continues to show Booker beating GOP nominee Steve Lonegan by double digits. Today’s 54%-38% Booker lead is nearly identical to the pre-primary 53%-37% lead the Newark Mayor enjoyed in June. In other words, Lonegan has gained no ground by deploying his anti-Obama campaign strategy in the last two months.
But despite his huge victory, the Democratic primary took something of a toll on Booker’s favorability ratings, which have dropped 12 points net since June. Given how easy Congressmen Frank Pallone and Rush Holt went on Booker during the primary, a 12 point drop is significant.
photo via facebook
In order to close the gap and make the Special Senate Election competitive, Lonegan needs to scrap the idea of making the campaign a referendum on President Obama’s policies. We had that referendum last November and Obama won in New Jersey by 18 points. Lonegan has said that Obama’s numbers are going to drop. They have dropped a bit, only 49% of New Jersey likely voters told the Monmouth University poll that they approved of the President, while 43% disapprove. If those numbers suddenly plunge, Lonegan will benefit without trying. If Obama’s approval stays stubbornly positive, as they have through various scandals, Lonegan stands to gain little ground.
50% of those who said they have a favorable opinion of Booker also said they could change their minds. Booker’s favorables are soft. Obama’s have proven to be stubborn.
GOP U.S. Senate nominee declared in his primary victory speech last Tuesday night that he would not that he would not alter his message nor parse his words during his special election campaign against Democratic nominee Cory Booker.
In his appearance with NJTV’s Michael Aron this weekend (video not yet posted), Lonegan presented himself as a reasonable fiscal conservative focused on the economy. He distanced himself from the Tea Party, which he characterized as an eclectic, leaderless network.
During an appearance MSNBC’s Weekends with Alex Witt yesterday afternoon, the former Bogota mayor again comes off as reasonable, not a radical, framed Booker as an extreme liberal and stuck to economic issues:
This morning on Fox and Friends (also not yet postedSave Jersey has the video), Lonegan emphasized his Ridgefield Park roots, 32 year marriage, and two Gold Star Girl Scout daughters to make the case that he is representative of New Jersey and its values and that Booker is the liberal extremist.
With 18% of precincts reporting, the Associated Press has declared Newark Mayor Cory Booker the Democratic nominee to replace the late Senator Frank Lautenberg in Washington.
As of 8:52PM,. Booker has 33,296 votes to Congressman Frank Pallone’s 15,424. Congressman Rush Holt has 8,060 votes and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver 2,744.
Will VBM ballots and 9 of 458 precincts reporting, Frank Pallone is leading Cory Booker in Monmouth County, 53%-29%, in the Democratic Senate Primary.
In the Republican Primary, Steve Lonegan is leading Dr. Alieta Eck 84% -14%.
