Official face-off over N.J.'s '09 governor race

New Jersey's political leaders are looking forward to a gubernatorial election in 2009, but they're looking back at 2008 to plan their campaigns.

In a recent political roundtable that provided a not-so-sneak preview of the coming race, Democrats said that the economy would remain the top issue in the new year and that it played to Gov. Corzine's biggest strength: his Wall Street experience and financial skills.

Republicans, however, said a dissatisfied public responded to President-elect Barack Obama's message of "change" and would next push entrenched Democrats out of Trenton in 2009.

Leaders from both sides tested their messages and sound bytes in a discussion hosted by the New Jersey Business and Industry Association.

"The '08 election was about competency. . . . The '09 election will be about competency as well," Democratic state chairman Joseph Cryan said at the December event. "The public wants to see somebody who responds to the needs . . . and understands the economy of the state. No one does that better than Jon Corzine."

Republicans countered that despite their disadvantages in a state with a liberal electorate, they have the benefit of voters hungry for new leadership.

"The only times Republicans can win, in my opinion, is when Democrats screw it up," said GOP strategist Roger Bodman. He pointed to rising taxes and a slew of corruption charges as evidence that New Jersey's ruling party has done just that. "This is not a good environment, given the past eight years of Democratic leadership."

Both sides said the election ultimately would turn on the incumbent's record. But they wrestled over how the public would view Corzine.

Republican state chairman Tom Wilson said New Jerseyans would blame Corzine for the state's problems the same way voters punished the GOP in 2008.

"Campaigns aren't about explaining. The truth is what people believe in a campaign," Wilson said, "and most New Jerseyans right now think we are in worse shape than we were four years ago."

But Harold Hodes, a Democratic strategist, said the economy would trump all. He pointed to Corzine's work to cut the state budget and his experience leading investment bank Goldman Sachs.

"This is our domain. This is what people elected Jon Corzine for," Hodes said.

As the financial crisis has worsened, Corzine has emphasized his economic credentials. He has appeared regularly on cable television shows to discuss the meltdown and push for another federal stimulus; he has called a special legislative session to address New Jersey's needs; and, with much fanfare, he has signed several bills to aid residents dealing with the fallout and to spark business activity.

Corzine's resume, Bodman said, might not be the asset Democrats think.

"If Wall Street is a credential for winning an election in 2009, that's news to me," he said.

The discussion, led by the New Jersey Network's Michael Aron and aired last month on the station, went for more than 10 minutes before the topic of ethics came up. The man who many see as Republicans' best hope, former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, made his name prosecuting corruption.

So far, however, the only Republicans to officially enter the race are former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan and Morris County Assemblyman Rick Merkt.

Whoever ultimately emerges from the June primaries, the candidates will face a brand-new wrinkle: They must choose lieutenant governor nominees to run with them.

The selection will work much like a vice presidential pick, with the gubernatorial candidates choosing running mates to join their tickets.

Cryan, who is also a state assemblyman, from Union County, said Democrats would look to a minority or female candidate.

"Someone who doesn't look like the governor," he said, "that's important because we want to be inclusive."

Wilson said the new spot on the ticket would create many questions for the campaigns.

"How is the public going to react to it? How much attention will be paid to it?" he said.

The answers will play out over the next 11 months.