Noteworthy

PROPERTY TAXES MORE THAN CORRUPTION WILL HURT THE DEMS THIS YEAR.

JUST LOOK AT THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS.

FOLK HAVE HAD IT WITH FAT CAT GOV EMPLOYEES UNIONS
WITH HUGE PENSIONS

A vote for Kean is a vote against the President. He will not vote to finish the war in Iraq if it does not benifit him politically. He is his fathers puppet. Tom Kean Jr is a Pro-Abortion tax and spend liberal republican just like Christie Whitman. In a time of war the president needs men of courage on his side. Not someone who is afraid of getting his picture taken With Dick Cheaney out of fear of being politically incorrect.

GBush#1 -- Elections are about choices in the real world, not choices in the fantasy world you might wish. The choice before New Jersey voters in November is going to be Hudson County Democrat Boss Bob Menendez or unproven/fresh-faced/potential reformer Tom Kean Jr., who is, as anyone who's been paying attention to New Jersey politics knows, significantly more conservative than his father.

Is Tom Kean Jr. pro-choice on abortion? Yes, he is. Is Tom Kean Jr. in favor of state funding for embryonic stem cell research? Based on his vote in the senate earlier this year, yes, he is. But if the two candidates have exactly the same position on those two issues you (presumably) care about, the logical thing to do is remove those two issues from your decision matrix, and then look at the other issues.

Does Tom Kean Jr. have a history of taking campaign contributions from corrupt individuals? No, he does not -- but Bob Menendez does. Does Tom Kean Jr. have a history of voting for tax relief? Yes, he does -- but Bob Menendez does not.

Perhaps most importantly, if you're truly a supporter of George Bush, is the first vote that will be cast in the new U.S. Senate next January -- the organizing vote. Bob Menendez will cast a vote to make Harry Reid the Majority Leader. In doing so, he will be voting to give subpeona power to Democratic committee chairmen.

Tom Kean Jr., by contrast, will not do that.

Consider that when you think about who you're going to support in the fall. If, that is, you are truly a support of George W. Bush.

Seriously, what kind of "reform" is Kean Jr. talking about? If the federal government is really in need of reform, it's the Republican Party that's done it. They've had the House for 12 years, the Senate for 11 of the last 12, and the White House for 6 of the last 12.

What's needs to be reformed in Washington was created by Republicans. Sending another Republican to DC ain't gonna reform nothing.

GBush#1, as I stated at the outset of my original post, the choice in November will be a choice between Menendez and Kean. Whether you like it or not, that will be the choice you will be offered by the two major parties. Even John Ginty himself has acknowledged in print that he will not win the GOP primary in June.

If you feel like voting for Ginty over Kean in that GOP primary, by all means, cast your vote that way. But do not be deluded into thinking that in doing so you will be casting a vote for a winner. John is a nice man, a committed conservative, a tireless grassroots activist, and a strong local leader. I have sat at a dining room table and stuffed envelopes with him, and I have the utmost respect for him. I even wish him well in his endeavor.

But if even John Ginty is not deluded enough to think he is going to win the primary against the scion of one of the most influential families in the state's history, why should you be?

The 08 elections will not be a good year for Republicans. However, Kean might have a shot if he can run against the Democratic party machinery, while at the same time find common ground on certain issues. By the way, I am not suggesting he has to be pro-choice and pro-gun control in order to win, but a 100 percent ACU rating will never get him elected state-wide in NJ. He needs to campaign as a Republican in the mold of Specter, Snowe, Collins, McCain, and Voinovich in order to win here.

I originally thought this was going to be a relatively easy win for Menendez (and I am still inclined to believe it is). However, listening to Steve Kornacki's commentary this weekend made me re-think this one a little. In the 1996 elections, Tim Hutchinson, a very conservative Republican from Arkansas won an open seat formerly held by a popular moderately-liberal Democrat in a year when popular native son Bill Clinton was cruising to reelection. So you never know.

spedkaufman shouted at the top of his lungs:

"PROPERTY TAXES MORE THAN CORRUPTION WILL HURT THE DEMS THIS YEAR.

JUST LOOK AT THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS.

FOLK HAVE HAD IT WITH FAT CAT GOV EMPLOYEES UNIONS
WITH HUGE PENSIONS"

And these are federal issues, how, exactly?

Matthew 7:1 is onto something here.

Paulie, Who are you talking about? BM is the political boss of a county that would make Cook County blush - Corruption not race will be BM's downfall. As for forign pollicy experience I suppose you meen BM's aquantence with folks of doubvious antecedence involved in clandestine import and export. Hudson county has contributed a great deal to our State's well earned reputation.

If TK is neutral, it seems like a good place to start.

Everyone just calm down for a minute. Regardless of whether you support Kean or Menendez, facts are facts. And they are, dispassionately:

1. New Jersey is one of the most Democratic states in the nation: there are a quarter-of-a-million more D's than R's here, and R's haven't won a state-wide race in almost ten years.
2. This is probably the worst political environment for Republican candidates since Watergate.
3. The Democrat in this race is going to enjoy a TREMENDOUS fundraising advantage over the Republican.
4. The very experienced, very articulate, very decisive Democratic candidate is running against a very inexperienced, very inarticulate, very indecisive Republican candidate (I'm being honest and fair here, but also trying to be polite about it).

Everyone on this message board is in the weeds, arguing about which campaign's messages resonate best within the echo chamber that is politicsnj or 101.5, but among the deaf/dumb/mute electorate, messages don't really matter that much, to be quite frank. With the above four factors, the result of this election is literally indisputable. Barring an October surprise (like Osama being captured or something), the outcome of this election is already cemented. Am I the only one who sees this?

The self assurance of my Dem. friends is remarkable. Why even have an election? Oddly TK seems determined to run.
Tip O'Neil famously said "all politics is local". and in this case local meens Dems raising local and state taxes (ie. your kitchen table and checkbook). DC is far away and who really understands what they talk about anyway. Jon doesn't run for three more years, BM runs in November (NJ-Blue enough that the only way to go is Red)!

Tom Kean and Bob Menendez have the same views on 100% of the issues. Kean supports abortion, embryonic stem cell cloning, gay marriage, gun control, more government programs and illegal immigration, just like Menendez. More often than not, if elected, he would double Lautenberg's vote rather than cancel it out.

Yes, Ali. 100% of the issues. You and GBush#1 should start a political consulting firm or something. Hey, if it doesn't work out, there's always watching Teletubbies and clapping.

I guess some people who commented on this site have not realized that A. The primary isn't untill june. B. The grassroot support that John Ginty has is more than they can imagine. C. Tom Kean jr. campain does not resonate with the average voter. D. Any conservative who claims to be pro life, will not vote for Tom Kean who is pro-abortion. Before your annoint Kean as winner, realize Bob Franks in 2oo1 thought he was a lock!!

Shore to please -- he doesn't.

Not your party -- it might be wise to learn to spell "campaign" (or to spell at an adult-level period), before you begin your tirades. Comparing Ginty to Schundler is apples and oranges. By 2001, Schundler had been eyeing the governor's race for years, and had a campaign operation raising funds for months in advance. Ginty barely filed on time. Schundler was the mayor of the second-largest city in the state, which also happens to be a Democrat stronghold, and had an impressive track record. Ginty is...well, he was the president of the Ridgewood Republican club. I know they're comporable, but I'll give the slight edge to the Jersey City Mayorship on that one. Anyway, nothing against Ginty -- great guy, great service to his country, but at this point he doesn't stand a chance against TK.

Kean Jr. is our best chance to actually win an election for once. I'm tired of losing. Again, don't cut off your nose to spite your face. Conservatives in the party always bitch and moan whenever a moderate is "alienating" them and takes them for granted...which they do, I'll admit...but it works both ways, and at times we are just as guilty as the moderates of this. That or we get into a huff and walk away like a child leaving the playground early with his basketball.

Oh, and one more difference between Ginty and Schundler -- in 2001, I voted for Bret. This year, I'll be voting for Tom Kean.

I see the Kean campaign staff is up late working and replying to the six people who post here.