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Former U.S. attorney becomes first Republican to win governor's office in 12 years
BY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Republican Chris Christie, the former corruption-busting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, won the the gubernatorial election Tuesday night over incumbent Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine.
Christie will take office Jan. 19 as the first Republican governor of Democratic-dominated New Jersey since Christie Whitman won a second term in 1997.
The victory cannot be considered an upset since the race was considered too close to call when voting began.
With 99 percent of the vote reported, Christie beat Corzine 1,132,689 to 1,026,899. Independent Chris Daggett received 132,181 votes. Christie picked up 49 percent of the vote. Corzine came in with 45 percent while Daggett received about six percent.
Less than 50 percent of New Jersey's 5.2 million registered voters turned out.
The Democrats, however, retained their eight-year-long control of the Assembly so when Christie takes office, he will have to deal with the opposing party's majority when attempting to move his proposed programs in the lower house and the Senate.Voters also narrowly gave the financially strapped state government, which is $38 billion in debt, permission to sell $400 million in bonds to fund another round of open space, farmland and historic preservation. The open space question was approved 811,395 to 741,213.
During his concession speech, Corzine said the defeat put an end to his decade-long political career, nearly four as governor and six as a New Jersey U.S. senator. The multi-millionaire former Wall Street financier spent millions of his personal wealth on seeking election, including at least $22.6 million in this election.
Carried into office with Christie as New Jersey's first lieutenant governor was Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno, 50, of Monmouth Beach, a former federal and state prosecutor. She will be first in line for the governor's chair should it be vacated during the next four years.
To applause, chants of "Yes we can,'' and the music of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run,'' Christie began a 15-minute victory address at the Hilton-Parsippany at 11:15 p.m.
"Hey, New Jersey, we did it,'' he shouted.
Urging supporters not to boo the mention of Corzine's name, Christie thanked the governor for his years of service.
Noting that he was born in Newark 47 years ago where his parents rented an apartment, he said his family moved to Livingston so he and his siblings could receive a quality education.
"Tomorrow we begin fixing our broken state and I can tell you Kim and I are ready for the task. The campaign we just went through will seem easy compared to the challenges we face in this state.''- Chris Christie "It was my parents and education that gave me the values that enable me to stand before you tonight as the 55th governor of the state of New Jersey,'' Christie said. "This election tonight is not about me, it is not about (Corzine); this election is about the future of the state we love, the great state of New Jersey. You see, because for me and most of you, we already have a great New Jersey life. What we want to do is make sure everyone in New Jersey has an opportunity for a great New Jersey life and make sure our children and grandchildren have a great New Jersey life.
"The future will be difficult, we face a lot of problems,'' Christie said, "but standing here tonight I will tell you that Kim and I will get to work to make that happen (a better New Jersey life) starting tomorrow. Because tomorrow, together we begin to take back New Jersey. Tomorrow, we are going to take back New Jersey for our families, for our friends, for our neighbors, for the least fortunate among us who don't want government to fix every problem. They just want a hand up so they can obtain opportunity for themselves. Tomorrow we begin to build a New Jersey for our children and our grandchildren because I want my children to raise their children in this state.
"So tomorrow we begin fixing our broken state and I can tell you Kim and I are ready for the task. The campaign we just went through will seem easy compared to the challenges we face in this state. The next four years will be difficult. There are no easy answers but starting tomorrow, we are going to pick Trenton up and turn it upside down.
"We need to make New Jersey more affordable and we need to do it now. There will be naysayers who will say Kim and I will not be able to lower taxes and get government back under control. These are the same people who eight years ago said you could not fight corruption in New Jersey. They were wrong then and they are wrong now. Kim and I will do it without regard to party or politics and without regard to what part of the state you are from. New Jersey's problems are too big anymore to conduct the petty politics of yesterday. Kim and I will figure out how to get it done.''
Christie concluded by saying that for years "talking heads'' have maintained a candidate had to conduct a negative campaign to win in New Jersey.
"I did not follow my opponents into the gutter,'' he said. "I worked too hard over my life to give away my integrity for any job let alone this one. Let me tell you this. Through their overwhelming support tonight the people of New Jersey said no more negative, personal campaigns. In the face of a $30-million onslaught that consisted almost exclusively of a negative campaign against me, my family and my friends, the people of New Jersey decided enough is enough. Let's turn the page, let's put the petty politics of the past behind us and start a new era of hope in New Jersey. By the end of these four years, I promise you one thing we will restore your hope, your faith, your trust in New Jersey.''
In introducing Christie, Guadagno told the crowd, "I promised you change and tonight ladies and gentlemen we are going to see change like we have never seen before. Ladies and gentlemen there is hope. There is hope for less takes, hope for change, hope for a better New Jersey.''
Corzine conceded at 10:55 p.m. at his headquarters at the Hilton-East Brunswick.
In a five-minute concession speech, the governor said he is leaving politics but would continue to fight for Democratic principles and issues.
He said he called Christie minutes before and congratulated him on becoming governor.
"Chris was gracious in his response and I told him we will work together to make sure the transition is smooth,'' Corzine said. "That is my responsibility, that is my administration's responsibility and I know we will live up to it.
"It has been a long, hard fought campaign and I know everyone here tonight tonight put their heart into it,'' the governor said. "It has been been an incredible, incredible journey together and I am grateful to all New Jerseyans. We've had a lot of time to talk about jobs, health care, a new energy policy, a lot of things on the peoples' agenda. It wasn't easy but we have a bright future ahead for New Jersey if we stay focused on the things that matter and I will tell you I intend to do that the rest of my life.
"This is a moment where there is a little sadness,'' Corzine said, "but I will tell you I was never more honored to serve people as a U.S. senator and to be governor of this great state has been a joy I would never have imagined. We made an impact on people's lives and I'm proud of my administration."
Corzine called on Democrats to continue to fight for the party's principles at the local, state and national level. He thanked Daggett for making the campaign "more clear, more sharply focused. He was a very positive impact on the campaign.''
Corzine concluded by joking, "By the way, my mother is pretty happy tonight. She is a registered Republican but she is 93 year old so I think we will move beyond that.''
"I will tell you I was never more honored to serve people as a U.S. senator and to be governor of this great state has been a joy I would never have imagined.''- Jon Corzine Corzine's defeat was not only an embarrassment for him but for President Obama who got behind the campaign in a seemingly unprecedented way, visiting the state on three different occasions.
Obama was concerned that the election of a Republican in a Democratic state would appear as a referendum on his first year in office and give the GOP renewed hope for the important mid-term Congressional elections next year.
In August, fearing a traditional Democratic state could elect a Republican governor a year before the important Congressional mid-term elections, President Obama sent close political advisors to meet with Corzine and his campaign staff on how to turn his re-election bid around.
Joel Benenson, Obama‘s chief pollster in 2008, became a key figure in the Corzine campaign. A major part of the effort to overcome Christie involved Obama leading four rallies for Corzine during three visits to the state. Corzine campaign staff also brought in Vice President Biden, former president Bill Clinton, former vice president Al Gore, and Caroline and Robert Kennedy Jr.
National Democratic Chairman Tim Kaine commented on the Republican victories in New Jersey and Virginia and appeared to indicate national Democrats expected a Corzine defeat.
"In both Virginia and New Jersey we had strong candidates who were running against a significant historical tide and faced uphill battles from the start of this campaign. In New Jersey, the party in power in the White House hasn't won the governor's office since 1985 and the party in power in the White house hasn't won the governor's office in Virginia since 1977. It would have been historic if not unprecedented to win one or both of these races given historical trends."
Daggett conceded at 9:44 p.m. at his election night headquarters at the Dolce in Basking Ridge.
"When we do find out who won we need to get behind that person and support that person with all the energy we had in this campaign whether it is Chris Christie or Jon Corzine,'' Daggett said. "With all the problems we face in New Jersey we really need to get behind that person. Whoever wins tonight deserves our total support.
Daggett noted that his campaign received national attention.
"No one could have imagined such a small group of people having such impact,'' he said. "Collectively, we were the mouse that roared.''
Christie, 47, of Mendham, a former Morris County freeholder, campaigned that he would clean up state government while cutting spending, property taxes and business taxes to help restore the state's economy. While voters listed the economy as their major concern, the Democrats focused on Christie's position that he would try to cut health coverage costs by charging he would eliminated state-mandated mammogram coverage. Christie was also criticized for not offering specifics on how he would cut state spending while also reducing property taxes but he said he would not make promises until he saw the state government's problems from the governor's chair.
Corzine, 62, accepts only $1 a year as governor. He campaigned on what he saw as his record for his first term, creating a state economic recovery program, overcoming major budget deficits, restoring property tax rebates for the middle class, cutting crime and providing more health care, especially 100,000 children.
Daggett, 57, of Basking Ridge, a former federal and state environment protection official, garnered positive attention for proposing to cut taxes for all property owners by a maximum of $2,500 while extending the sales tax to luxury items usually purchased by higher-income people.
Political observers saw Daggett as a spoiler who would draw votes away from Corzine and Christie. In the end, he drew fewer votes than expected.
