Christie-Kean Rift Was Over Differing Strategies

Governor Chris Christie’s post-election attempt to replace Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr with Senator Kevin O’Toole was not a matter of Christie doing Senate President Steve Sweeney’s bidding, as has been widely perceived, but the culmination of a months long battle over differing strategies over how to wage the legislative campaign.

That Christie was unable to persuade Senate Republicans to dump Kean as their leader in favor of O’Toole was viewed by the media and political observers as a shocking act of defiance of the governor by the caucus viewed as obedient followers.  But insiders say the united Republican front portrayed to the public masked an ongoing dispute between Kean’s and Christie’s political teams that resulted in Christie’s landslide reelection yielding no pick up of seats in the Senate.

Early on in the campaign, the Christie campaign concluded winning a majority in the State Senate, picking up 5 seats, was unlikely given the legislative map and the resources that South Jersey Democrats and their Independent Expenditure supporters were known to be deploying to defend their turf.  Team Christie devised a strategy of winning a “functional majority,” by winning three Senate seats…District 14 (Middlesex and Mercer Counties)  where former Senator Peter Inverso came out of retirement in an attempt to unseat Democrat Linda Greenstein, District 18 (Middlesex County), gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono’s district where East Brunswick Mayor David Stahl switched parties to run as a Republican against Assemblyman Peter Barnes, and District 38 (Bergen County) where businessman/educator Fernando Alonso was out to defeat Democratic Senator Bob Gordon…and courting policy friendly Democrats…Senators Brian Stack and Sandra Cunningham of Hudson County…to deliver the 20th and 21st votes for a majority when needed during Christie’s second term.

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Election Recap

Two of New Jersey’s top political strategists, Republican Chris Russell and Democrat Steve Asycue sat down with NJTV’s Mike Schneider to recap the week’s political news.  Their conversation was much like the rest of the week in Trenton politics….bi-partisan praise for Governor Chris Christie and ongoing animus over the legislative races and Senate President Steve Sweeney’s ongoing feud with Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr.

My takeaway….the Trenton Dems are already working on 2015 and 2017, and Russell and Asycue wouldn’t mind joining Christie 2016.

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Governor Christie’s Victory Speech

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Monmouth Vote By Mail Going 2-1 for Christie

As of 4pm, mail in ballots in Monmouth County were breaking 2-1 in favor of Governor Chris Christie. Two thirds of the ballots had already been counted, according to a reliable source.

Christie has coattails in Monmouth County.  Our source said the election is looking to be a Republican landslide throughout the county and in all legislative districts.

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Control of the N.J. Legislature is up for grabs today

Control of the N.J. Legislature is up for grabs today (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Will Gov. Chris Christie turn the blue state Legislature red? With the Republican governor leading Democrat Barbara Buono by anywhere from 20 to 36 points in the latest polls, that’s the question on everyone’s mind. All 120 seats —…

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FDU Poll: Christie Up By 19%, 40% Say They Are Republican

The biggest, perhaps only, surprise in the FDU Public Mind Poll of the New Jersey gubernatorial race released this morning is that 40% of the respondents identified themselves as Republicans. 47% said they are Democrats and only 13% said they are Independent or refused to identify their party.

The overall results in the FDU poll are in line with the other Independent/Academic polls of the race: Governor Christie is going to win.  The question is his margin.  Will it be 19% as FDU says this morning, 33% as Quinnipiac said on Tuesday or by 24% as the Monmouth University Poll measured two weeks ago.

In Quinnipiac’s October 29 poll, 30% of likely voters said they were Republican,  34% said they were Democrats and 31% said they were Independent.  Monmouth weighted it’s respondents, 38% Democratic, 28% Republican and 34% Independent.

If there is a surge in New Jersey voters considering themselves Republican, there could be unexpected coattails from Christie’s victory into the legislative races. If that happens, Trenton will have been turned upside down.

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NJ Candidates, Political PACs Break the Bank, Breaking Records for Spending

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Lt. Governor Debate Tonight

The only debate between Lieutenant  Governor Kim Guadagno and her Democratic opponent, labor leader Milly Silva will take place this evening at 7PM.

News12 will broadcast and livestream the hour long debate.

Watch the debate live here.

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