The Hill: Stender files for repeat run against Ferguson

[Adlai Stevenson]

By Aaron Blake
May 24, 2007

Democratic state Assemblywoman Linda Stender officially filed Wednesday to run against Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-N.J.) again in 2008, but a spokesman said the filing was for legal reasons and stressed that she has not made a final decision on running again.

Chief of Staff Ed Oatman said Stender had to file because money is coming into the campaign but that she is not ready to jump into the race. However, Stender has indicated she is strongly considering another run at Ferguson.

She lost to Ferguson by less than two points and held him below 50 percent in 2006 — his worst showing in four successful congressional elections.

Democrats have zeroed in on the seat after not giving it as much emphasis as many others last year.

Ferguson has been preparing for another bruising race, having raised $418,000 in the first quarter of this cycle. Stender has not been raising money but has instead been preparing for a state Assembly reelection bid this year.

Other top Democratic candidates have yet to emerge to challenge Stender in the primary.

Stender and Ferguson did not return calls seeking comment.

http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/stender-files-for-repeat-run-against-ferguson-2007-05-24.html

George W. Bush won NJ-7 by 53%-47% in 2004 and 49%-48% in 2000.

[Tender Branson]

She´s lucky that her name isn't "Ständer" ...

[Gabu]

Hopefully she can get her opponent to run more ads that even further raise her name recognition this time.

[Conan]

Hopefully she can get her opponent to run more ads that even further raise her name recognition this time.

Stender the Spender was pretty catchy. I had never seen any commercials for really any NJ congressional disctrict before. NYC market's pretty expensive. I think she'll win this time if she raises enough money/starts early enough.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

$2,000,000 isn't enough to win a Congressional race?  Really?

[Keystone Phil]

Ferguson should have been "fine" last year. I don't remember hearing a thing during the campaign about him possibly losing. As I watched the election coverage, I noticed that he just barely survived which was shocking.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Because Ferguson is a moron who doesn't have the slightest clue how to run a campaign.

[Keystone Phil]

Because Ferguson is a moron who doesn't have the slightest clue how to run a campaign.

Clue #1 - Win the election.

Ferguson - 95,830    49%
Stender -  92,591     48%

Ok, so he has one clue on how to run a campaign.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

By that logic Minnesota State Rep. Phyllis Kahn is a good campaigner despite the fact that two of her biggest issues are lowering the voting age to 12 (I am not making this up), and imposing a tax on breast implants and all cosmetic surgery because she won with over 70% last election.

Or maybe that's because she's in a district that's so heavily DFL that it would elect opebo if he based his entire campaign around mailings that gave info on how to screw Thai hookers. That's similar to why Ferguson won too.

[Keystone Phil]

By that logic Minnesota State Rep. Phyllis Kahn is a good campaigner despite the fact that two of her biggest issues are lowering the voting age to 12 (I am not making this up), and imposing a tax on breast implants and all cosmetic surgery because she won with over 70% last election.

Why would highlighting issues such as those (as stupid as they may be) make her a bad campaigner?

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Ah, so that's why you brought her up. Go one day without posting something about strippers, opebo, sex, alcohol, etc. Try it. It will help you cope with your serious illness.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

That'll happen when I'm in Indiana for Dude Fest.

The point is, Ferguson only won because of his gerrymandered Republican district, not because he's a good campaigner. The seat shouldn't have even been close, so the fact that it was so close proves it. That's like saying Jean Schmidt is a good candidate because she won.

[Keystone Phil]

The point is, Ferguson only won because of his gerrymandered Republican district, not because he's a good campaigner. The seat shouldn't have even been close, so the fact that it was so close proves it. That's like saying Jean Schmidt is a good candidate because she won.

Wait, where did I ever say that he was a good campaigner? You were the one who brought that up with State Representative Nobody Cares (DFL), not me.

You said Ferguson didn't have a clue as to how to run a campaign. I said he had one clue - the most important - and that's called winning. He won. That doesn't mean he was a good campaigner though.

[Conan]

The point is, Ferguson only won because of his gerrymandered Republican district, not because he's a good campaigner. The seat shouldn't have even been close, so the fact that it was so close proves it. That's like saying Jean Schmidt is a good candidate because she won.

Wait, where did I ever say that he was a good campaigner? You were the one who brought that up with State Representative Nobody Cares (DFL), not me.

You said Ferguson didn't have a clue as to how to run a campaign. I said he had one clue - the most important - and that's called winning. He won. That doesn't mean he was a good campaigner though.

People can win a campaign just on statistics. And yes, he is an idiot who doesn't know how to run a campaign. There was at least 4 or 5 reports on this forum highlighting his vulnerability also.  His district is about 50 50. I'd say it will be a dem district next year.

[Verily]

The point is, Ferguson only won because of his gerrymandered Republican district, not because he's a good campaigner. The seat shouldn't have even been close, so the fact that it was so close proves it. That's like saying Jean Schmidt is a good candidate because she won.

Wait, where did I ever say that he was a good campaigner? You were the one who brought that up with State Representative Nobody Cares (DFL), not me.

You said Ferguson didn't have a clue as to how to run a campaign. I said he had one clue - the most important - and that's called winning. He won. That doesn't mean he was a good campaigner though.

People can win a campaign just on statistics. And yes, he is an idiot who doesn't know how to run a campaign. There was at least 4 or 5 reports on this forum highlighting his vulnerability also.  His district is about 50 50. I'd say it will be a dem district next year.

53-47 for Bush, I think, but Stender did amazingly well in the conservative areas on the district out in Hunterdon County. New Jersey has two marginally Republican seats, Ferguson and LoBiondo, the latter of which should really have been more seriously contested in 2006 (it was 50-49 for Bush).

[Galactic Overlord]

I would think that conservatives would be happier with Ferguson than the prior incumbent, Bob Franks, who was more moderate. Ferguson must have really been asleep at the switch.