NJ Democratic Senate Primary - General Discussion

[Keystone Phil]

With a little over a month to go and things starting to heat up, this thread seems appropriate. And to prove that things are starting to get serious, I just saw Lautenberg's ad hitting Andrews on Iraq. It was perfect (unfortunate for us Andrews backers).

Check it out for yourself - http://www.lautenbergfornj.com/multimedia/video?id=0006

[Nutmeg]

Were I Lautenberg's media guy, after showing Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Bush, I would have put a pic of Andrews right after that - the 4 in succession would have been more powerful.

Nonetheless, of the attack ads I've seen this cycle that try to tie a local candidate to an unpopular national figure, this is probably the most fair.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Go Andrews!  Obviously the Democrats will win so maybe fresh blood would be nice

[Lief 🗽]

I fully support the real Democrat in this race, Lautenberg.

[MAS117]

I have been supporting and helping Rob Andrews. We need new leadership in New Jersey. Debate already Frank!

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I have been supporting and helping Rob Andrews. We need new leadership in New Jersey. Debate already Frank!

Frank's just not good at that anymore.  Not that he was good at it when he was younger, but he's definitely gotten worse and more cranky.

Voting in Rob Andrews right now is just plain a smart move for New Jersey.  He's a fiscal moderate who's liberal on all the right social issues, and young enough to build up some serious seniority.  He could really be New Jersey's next Bill Bradley—it's been a long draught since New Jersey had a great Senator, as opposed to an okay one (Corzine), a lackluster one (Lautenberg), or an awful one (Torricelli).

[Verily]

I notice Menendez doesn't even get a mention as a Senator

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I can't enter polls, so I'll just post the data here.

New Jersey U.S. Senate
Pollster: Gannett/Monmouth Univ.

TOPLINE—Democratic Primary
35% Frank Lautenberg*
28% Undecided (vol)
20% Rob Andrews
8% No Preference (vol)
5% Donald Cresitello


All voters on Lautenberg: 26% Reelect; 61% Someone new

Lautenberg Job Performance
59% Approve; 19% Disapprove (among Democrats only)
48% Approve; 31% Disapprove (among all voters)

Andrews
13% Favorable; 12% Unfavorable (among all voters)

TOPLINE—GOP Primary
40% Undecided (vol)
25% Dick Zimmer
20% No Preference (vol)
6% None of These (vol)
5% Joe Pennachio
4% Murray Sabrin

GENERAL ELECTION
"Regardless of who the candidates are, do you think you are more likely to vote for the Democrat or the Republican candidate for senator in November?"
54% Democrat
24% Republican

And just for fun:
Corzine's job approval is 34% approve; 52% disapprove.

(Note that I feel a good chunk of these numbers are suspect—the poll has Obama out in front of McCain by 56%—32%, a 24-point margin.)

[MAS117]

Still no word on debates from Frank Lautenberg.

[Conan]

Fox News just put an R next to Cresitello's name. (he was calling for Christie's resignation over the illegal alien flap)

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Fox News just put an R next to Cresitello's name. (he was calling for Christie's resignation over the illegal alien flap)

I can almost forgive them on that one—he's a nobody who does naught but rail on illegals.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I fully support the real Democrat in this race, Lautenberg.

[MAS117]

I fully support the real Democrat in this race, Lautenberg.

Just a point of reference here, I'm curious to know BRTD why you like Nutter, Menendez, and Feinstein are fake Democrats.

[Verily]

I fully support the real Democrat in this race, Lautenberg.

Just a point of reference here, I'm curious to know BRTD why you like Nutter, Menendez, and Feinstein are fake Democrats.

He thinks so because they endorsed Clinton.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

In addition to their right wing positions on other issues, yes.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

From PolitickerNJ:

Does Lautenberg have an Unanue problem?

Residency could be the issue of the week in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. According to a report from Politics1.com, four-term incumbent Frank Lautenberg claimed a homestead property tax exemption by declaring his Washington, D.C. condo as his permanent residence, and notes that a concierge at Lautenberg’s Bergen County condo says that he rarely stayed there over the last few years and “only recently began using the apartment again in the last couple of months.” Lautenberg’s wife lives in New York City, where she is registered to vote.

Lautenberg's office says the Senator did not take a homestead property tax exemption for his place in Washington, and said that a D.C. government computer system error mistakenly gave tax breaks to people that did not qualify. Lautenberg, his office says, uses his New Jersey condo when he's not in Washington and picks up his own mail there.

[Conan]

From PolitickerNJ:

Does Lautenberg have an Unanue problem?

Residency could be the issue of the week in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. According to a report from Politics1.com, four-term incumbent Frank Lautenberg claimed a homestead property tax exemption by declaring his Washington, D.C. condo as his permanent residence, and notes that a concierge at Lautenberg’s Bergen County condo says that he rarely stayed there over the last few years and “only recently began using the apartment again in the last couple of months.” Lautenberg’s wife lives in New York City, where she is registered to vote.

Lautenberg's office says the Senator did not take a homestead property tax exemption for his place in Washington, and said that a D.C. government computer system error mistakenly gave tax breaks to people that did not qualify. Lautenberg, his office says, uses his New Jersey condo when he's not in Washington and picks up his own mail there.

This has already been disproven! You'd think political reporters would know this was taken care of years ago.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

From PolitickerNJ:

Does Lautenberg have an Unanue problem?

Residency could be the issue of the week in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. According to a report from Politics1.com, four-term incumbent Frank Lautenberg claimed a homestead property tax exemption by declaring his Washington, D.C. condo as his permanent residence, and notes that a concierge at Lautenberg’s Bergen County condo says that he rarely stayed there over the last few years and “only recently began using the apartment again in the last couple of months.” Lautenberg’s wife lives in New York City, where she is registered to vote.

Lautenberg's office says the Senator did not take a homestead property tax exemption for his place in Washington, and said that a D.C. government computer system error mistakenly gave tax breaks to people that did not qualify. Lautenberg, his office says, uses his New Jersey condo when he's not in Washington and picks up his own mail there.

This has already been disproven! You'd think political reporters would know this was taken care of years ago.

The relevant information here is more the fact that Frank Lautenberg simply does not live in New Jersey and has no interest in living in New Jersey—this goes beyond the Dem sniping at Rick Santorum.   Lautenberg DOES have a residence in the area he spends time at.  It's just that the residence in question is across the river in New York.

You know, the city where Lautenberg has his gym membership.  And where his wife lives and is registered to vote.

But hey!  He picks up his own mail in New Jersey!  SIX MORE YEARS!

[Conan]

From PolitickerNJ:

Does Lautenberg have an Unanue problem?

Residency could be the issue of the week in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. According to a report from Politics1.com, four-term incumbent Frank Lautenberg claimed a homestead property tax exemption by declaring his Washington, D.C. condo as his permanent residence, and notes that a concierge at Lautenberg’s Bergen County condo says that he rarely stayed there over the last few years and “only recently began using the apartment again in the last couple of months.” Lautenberg’s wife lives in New York City, where she is registered to vote.

Lautenberg's office says the Senator did not take a homestead property tax exemption for his place in Washington, and said that a D.C. government computer system error mistakenly gave tax breaks to people that did not qualify. Lautenberg, his office says, uses his New Jersey condo when he's not in Washington and picks up his own mail there.

This has already been disproven! You'd think political reporters would know this was taken care of years ago.

The relevant information here is more the fact that Frank Lautenberg simply does not live in New Jersey and has no interest in living in New Jersey—this goes beyond the Dem sniping at Rick Santorum.   Lautenberg DOES have a residence in the area he spends time at.  It's just that the residence in question is across the river in New York.

You know, the city where Lautenberg has his gym membership.  And where his wife lives and is registered to vote.

But hey!  He picks up his own mail in New Jersey!  SIX MORE YEARS!

I don't see the issue. He grew up here, built his business here, is registered to vote here, and keeps a residence. Plenty of NJ people spend a lot of their time in NYC. You have to be kidding with this gym membership. Are you serious? Is that supposed to mean something? What a joke.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I don't see the issue. He grew up here, built his business here, is registered to vote here, and keeps a residence. Plenty of NJ people spend a lot of their time in NYC. You have to be kidding with this gym membership. Are you serious? Is that supposed to mean something? What a joke.

Personally, I like my Senators to actually live in the state which they represent.  Kinda gives them an idea of what's going on around them.  I guess you don't care, so long as the Senator is a harsh, partisan jerk.  (And so long as the person is a harsh, partisan Democrat, cause I sure don't remember you being so forgiving with Andy Unanue!)

[Conan]

I don't see the issue. He grew up here, built his business here, is registered to vote here, and keeps a residence. Plenty of NJ people spend a lot of their time in NYC. You have to be kidding with this gym membership. Are you serious? Is that supposed to mean something? What a joke.

Personally, I like my Senators to actually live in the state which they represent.  Kinda gives them an idea of what's going on around them.  I guess you don't care, so long as the Senator is a harsh, partisan jerk.  (And so long as the person is a harsh, partisan Democrat, cause I sure don't remember you being so forgiving with Andy Unanue!)

I wasn't harsh on Andy Unanue and he didn't even claim a residence or own a residence in NJ. This is a non-issue.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I highly doubt that was ruined the train-wreck known as Andy Unuanue, however, this could be an issue for Lautenberg.  NY really has 3 senators, this man has no interest in NJ or its people, I bet he couldn't find his way around the state.

[DownWithTheLeft]

BUMP

Little over a week left, I really have no idea how this race is going to turn out.  I would assume Zimmer wins for the Republicans.  As far as the Dems, does anyone have any knowledge, trends or polls or something?  I really hope Andrews pulls it out.

Here's the real shocker:  In a Zimmers/Andrews race I would be supporting Andrews

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

BUMP

Little over a week left, I really have no idea how this race is going to turn out.  I would assume Zimmer wins for the Republicans.  As far as the Dems, does anyone have any knowledge, trends or polls or something?  I really hope Andrews pulls it out.

Here's the real shocker:  In a Zimmers/Andrews race I would be supporting Andrews

Polls generally show Lautenberg way ahead of Andrews, but such polls are rather unreliable—they simply do not convey the importance or power of the line.

The line will be even bigger in the GOP race, where Pennachio actually has a solid group of lines.  If not for that, he'd be finished.

[Verily]

Finally got an Andrews mailer today. There's been no signs of life in the campaign here at all. Not that surprising; Bergen County will be solidly for Lautenberg. But it might bode ill for Lautenberg if parts of Central and South Jersey get better turnout. There's been much more activity in the local City Council primary (which I've been leafletting for, as the county Democratic Party is yet again trying, and hopefully failing, to upend the rebel Democrats' control of Englewood).