GOP Councilman switches parties

Hutchison could care less about party affiliation. He's a self centered ego maniac who has an overly high opinion of himself. The only question I have is what did it take for George to buy this guy? I'm sure, knowing Hutchison, the price was cheap.

Martin, your words sound just like Adolf Hitlers and the Democratic Party is quickly becoming the Nazi party.

Leave it to Blue Jersey(Martin) to compare the most local party switch to the national stage "perhaps it is because the Bush administration is one of the most corrupt and inept administrations in history " oh yeah im sure thats it... people who run for township committee's as Republicans automatically are related to President Bush and that's why this guy switched..yeah that makes a ton of sense. I'm sure if board of ed elections were partisan Martin would find a way to compare them to President Bush as well. Come on! Not everyone with an R next to their name is a Bush supporter or can be linked to him at all..especially township committee's..who are you Bob Menendez?

First, Hutchison’s motives are unknown to us, and we are all making speculations on why he switched parties. From what others have posted, he never really seemed to be a card-carrying Republican, and he had refused overtures to run for state senate against Madden.

There is absolutely no proof that he was paid off or anything like that from the Camden County Democratic machine, so let’s not make the logical fallacy of jumping to conclusions. I felt this way, that is, resisting prejudgment until some verdict is made, when GOP Chairman Tom Wilson was implicated in the Robert Stears scandal with the BurlCo Bridge Commission, and I felt the same way about the Menendez-rental agreement subpoenas.

Not that I have to prove anything to anyone, but for those GOP posters who accuse me of following orders from the Camden County Dems, please take a look at my front page post on BlueJersey excoriating Senator Wayne Bryant and pay-to-play practices: http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3241 How many of you Republicans who claim to be for clean, transparent government have spoken out against K Street lobbying, Duke Cunningham, Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay, and the corrupt Bush administration? Sycophantic, indeed.

If you really want to know who is pulling the strings for the many GOP-to-Dem switches, it is most likely not Norcross, who has been effectively neutered by the Corzine administration, but probably instead Corzine and Rep. Andrews (The GOP didn’t even bother to run anyone against Andrews in November, a sign of his electability and power). Whether you agree with every policy that Corzine puts out, we all would have to concur that he is going through a honeymoon period, and most New Jerseyans, despite our cynicism towards state government, give him a favorable rating. Many GOP switchers, such as Bodine, I think were talked into switching by Corzine, and they may see this as their chance to become more influential in state government.

BackwardsNJ: Your posts are very fair, and I agree that my critique of Dino in the other thread was not fair in its criticism; not all Republicans think like that, and a broad stroke applied to all of them does not do justice to the plurality of views in the party. I do find it disturbing, though, in thinking of fundamentalism in the GOP, that three GOP presidential contenders raised their hands when asked whether they didn’t believe in evolution. It is moderates such as you who need to reclaim your party. Then again, respectfully, is there anything I can do to make you, an obviously rational and thoughtful person, to consider joining the Democrats? ;)

Finally, in a somewhat related matter, since I have lived in the state only four years, perhaps one of you can tell me whether, in your estimation, the state GOP, who stands to lose Ferguson’s congressional seat, lose their challenges to Lautenberg and Corzine in upcoming elections, are down 4 to 1 in fundraising for November 2007, may very well lose state senate seats in said elections, and are having Republicans switch to Democrats on a weekly basis, has every been this collectively weakened?

Marty, you're a stand up guy going after Wayne Bryant. Takes some guts.  What's next?  Attacking Barry Bonds for steroid use?

To give you some credit though, you are not totally off base in your last paragraph. Ferguson will survive the next two elections, since his district generally leans GOP and he survived the '06 tsunami. In '12, he will be cut to ribbons in redistricting when New Jersey loses a seat and he is dealt off the table.

Also agree with you on the State Senate. At most, one Dem senator (Karcher) is remotely vulnerable, whereas the GOP is facing oblivion in several districts, especially in your neck of the woods.