Democratic incumbents staved off Republican challenges in New Jersey’s two most closely watched Senate races on Tuesday, denying Gov. Chris Christie coveted wins at the southern and northern ends of the state.
In Atlantic County, Sen. Jim Whelan defeated GOP Assemblyman Vince Polistina. In Bergen County, Sen. Bob Gordon edged out GOP Freeholder Chairman John Driscoll Jr. Republicans held both Assembly seats in the 2nd District, ensuring local representation would remain politically split.
Voters in New Jersey also approved a ballot question to legalize sports betting at casinos and race tracks, provided a federal ban is lifted.
Despite Christie’s personal popularity and ability to raise millions for his party, Republicans’ hopes were dashed by 10 p.m.
that Tuesday would be a good night for the party.
“My friends, I have a feeling there is no party at Drumthwacket tonight,” Gordon said in reference to the governor’s mansion in Princeton.
Christie repeatedly downplayed expectations for Republicans on the ballot, but he campaigned and raised money for select candidates and hoped to make symbolic inroads in the Democratic majorities.
“It’s not a referendum on my governorship,” Christie declared.
Democrats control the Senate 24-16 and the Assembly 47-33. All 120 legislative seats were being decided Tuesday.
The state’s 40 legislative districts, redrawn this year to reflect population shifts recorded in last year’s census, favored incumbents.
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5 Responses
This Story…and the Ohio vote on the collective bargaining bill! Watch you back Christie…the adage that you can’t fool all the people all the time may be coming to roost. I hope it is.
1. Why don’t you talk about the other bill in OH, the one that said OH will NOT be part socialized medicine??
And the Public Union Collective Bargaining Bill you are talking about was simply ratified by the Unions NOT the poor private sector that has to pay these public guys twice what the private sector makes.
Because, you dim wit, nobody wants socialized medicine. Calling Obama’s health plan either socialized medicine or a “government takeover” is demagogic propaganda…even less accurate than calling you an intolerant fascist! 🙂
Mark…the collective bargaining bill was overturned by a state-wide referendum of all voters.
And my learned friend, present some data to support your general proposition that State workers make more than those in the private sector..not some anecdote about a secretary somewhere…but real data comparing like positions. You are full of hot air.
Hey Levin…
“Employees of state & local government earn an average of 11% and 12% less, respectively, than comparable private sector employees. An analysis spanning two decades shows the pay gap between public and private sector employees has widened in recent years.
These findings are contained in a new report, “Out of Balance? Comparing Public and Private Sector Compensation Over 20 Years” commissioned by the Center for State and Local Government Excellence (Center) and the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS). The co-authors are Dr. Keith Bender, Associate Professor, Dept. of Economics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Dr. John Heywood, Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Economics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.”
See http://www.nirsonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=395&Itemid=48
Stick to the facts, Son