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Monday, December 1, 2008
Lonegan enters governor's race

Steve Lonegan, the conservative former mayor of Bogota, formally entered the 2009 governor's race today.

Lonegan, one of the most outspoken conservatives in New Jersey, also ran in the Republican gubernatorial primary in 2005, finishing a distant fourth in a seven-person field.

Lonegan has since snared headlines for leading the attacks on Democratic initiatives, most prominently Gov. Corzine's plan to raise tolls to cut state debt and a public question on borrowing to fund stem cell research. While protesting the toll plan at a public hearing Lonegan was arrested, further raising his profile.

In making his announcement this afternoon, Lonegan pledged to cut government spending and overturn two influential, and controversial, state Supreme Court decisions: one requiring all towns to provide affordable housing and one forcing increased state support for schools in 31 historically poor, urban areas.

The only other person formally running for governor right now is Assemblyman Rick Merkt, another conservative Republican. Gov. Corzine, however, has informally said he intends to run and the New Jersey political world is keeping an eye on Chris Christie, the U.S. Attorney who is in his last day on the job and is widely cited as Republicans' best chance in 2009.

Gannett New Jersey's coverage of Lonegan's announcement: http://www.app.com/article/20081201/NEWS0301/81201042/1007/NEWS03

Lonegan's web site: http://www.lonegan.com/Home.aspx 

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.

Posted by Jonathan Tamari @ 3:39 PM  Permalink | 1 comment
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Posted by Get Smart 10:26 AM, 03/26/2009
Who says Chris Christie has the best shot at winning the GOP primary for governor? A Daily News reporter? Christie has no executive experience and has never run for statewide office. The establishment wing of New Jersey's republican party keeps nominating republican politicians who mimmic their democratic opponents--and they keep losing election after election. It's time the party nominates a real republican and gives the voters a real choice in the general election. Lonegan's the only GOP candidate with the executive experience and leadership skills to save New Jersey--and he can win in November.
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About Garden State Grapevine
Garden State Grapevine covers politics and government in Trenton and South Jersey.

Cynthia Burton has covered politics and politicians in Philadelphia, Trenton and South Jersey. She wrote about Frank Rizzo's last mayoral race, was Philadelphia City Hall bureau chief, and now covers the New Jersey races for the House and U.S. Senate.

Jonathan Tamari has reported on New Jersey government and politics since 2004, including the 2006 state government shut down. He joined the Inquirer this year.

Troy Graham covers federal courts and law enforcement issues in New Jersey. He has written about crime for the past decade, including the last six years in The Inquirer's South Jersey bureau. He is a native of West Virginia and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

Adrienne Lu returned to the Inquirer, where she first worked in newspapers, in 2008. She writes about state government and politics in New Jersey. She has also worked at The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. and The Record of Bergen County.
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