Forget trying to beat Booker, the NJ GOP should plan for the next gubernatorial election

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U.S. Senator Cory Booker is going to be elected to his own full term next November.

None of the Republicans said to be considering a challenge to Booker can beat him.

It’s not that Booker is invincible, as was widely thought prior to the Special Senate Election last October.  He is beatable.  Steve Lonegan exposed the fallacies of the Booker myth and Patrick Murray documented that Booker’s support is shallow.   Had Washington Republicans not followed Senator Ted Cruz’s lead to shut down the government in October and had State Comptroller Matt Boxer released his audit of Newark’s City Government which exposed millions of wasted taxpayer money and management practices that encourage fraud in September instead of this week, Lonegan might have pulled off the upset that Booker deserved.

There’s nothing wrong with 4 of the 5 Republicans reported to be looking to challenge Booker.  Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick, Senator Minority Leader Tom Kean JR, Senator Mike Doherty or Assemblyman Jay Webber would all serve New Jersey well in the U.S. Senate.

That Darryl Isherwood included Assemblyman Chris Brown is his list of 5 Republican of potential candidates to challenge Booker is more of a reflection of Isherwood’s sense of humor than it is of Brown’s viability as a candidate for any office in the future.  After blaming his Assembly running mate John Amodeo’s 39 vote loss on Governor Christie, Brown will be lottery winner lucky if he is even re-nominated for his Assembly seat in 2015.  “What will Brown do after politics?” MMM asked a senior Republican strategist after the gaffe.  “We’ll find out soon,” the strategist said with a laugh.

(Correction:  As a commenter pointed out, Isherwood was referring to a different Assemblyman Chris Brown (the LD 8 Brown) than the one who blamed Christie for his running mate’s loss.  My mistake makes my overall point.  MMM readers are more informed than the average voter.  How many knew there was even one Chris Brown in the Assembly prior to the LD 2 Brown’s gaffe?  There isn’t a member of the legislature with the statewide name ID to compete with Booker~ Art)

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Geraldo Rivera Considering Running For U.S. Senate from New Jersey

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Television personality Geraldo Rivera announced on his radio show this morning that he is considering seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2014, according to The Hill.

“I mention this only briefly, fasten your seatbelt,” Rivera said on his radio  show. “I mentioned this only briefly to my wife … but I am and I’ve been in  touch with some people in the Republican Party in New Jersey. I am truly  contemplating running for Senate against Frank Lautenberg or Cory Booker.”

“I’m not going to drill this out, because obviously I’ve got commitments to Fox  and to here at the radio program and I’m really having a great time,” Rivera  added. “But I figure at my age, if I’m going to do it I’ve got to do it. And  there doesn’t seem to be any Republicans ready to work against or run against  Corey Booker, the popular Newark mayor.”

Riviera is a former Monmouth County resident and the former owner of The Two River Times.  He currently lives in Edgewater, Bergen County.

The Hill says Rivera could face a tough primary should he seek the nomination.

Rivera could face a tough primary challenge, however, with reports suggesting  that Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick of Westfield, state Sen. Joe Kyrillos  of Monmouth County and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno are all weighing bids for the GOP  ticket.

Don’t count on that.  If Rivera is willing to spend his own millions on a Senatorial run, the NJ GOP would clear the decks for him, barring another televison personality with millions to spend, like Lou Dobbs, getting into the race.

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