The winds of change

In the spring we declared Newark Mayor Cory Booker the next governor. It appears as if we may be wrong. While Booker is clearly the Governor-In-Waiting and will be referred to as (G.I.W.) on all future references, it is clear the Booker will may have to wait a while.

Republican Chris Christie’s campaign has made many right moves lately. His Lt. Gov. pick was excellent on a multitude of ideological, geographic, demographic and biographical levels. Christie resisted the temptation to select a typical hackneyed, inside the box selection such as Bergen County Clerk Kathe Donovan.

Governor Jon Corzine for his part has made many missteps. State Senator Kevin O’Toole (Norcross- Cedar Grove) comments to PolitickerNJ.com comparing the Lt. Gov. selection process of the two gubernatorial were spot on. The Christie campaign’s handling on the process was professional as the campaign projected confidence.

The Corzine campaign has looked foolish and indecisive with all the trial balloons it has floated. The most embarrassing option is Randall Pickett the former Apprentice contestant.

Corzine needs the support of urban power brokers such as Cory Booker and his allies and this means not selecting someone who could challenge Booker as the future of the party. Immediately this forces Corzine to select a B-list candidate. So Corzine finds himself needing the support of Booker, without being able to land an A-lister such as Booker.

For his part the G.I.W., doesn’t need Corzine, there is little upside for him to run with Corzine. Ironically, Corzine the billionaire wall street wizard turned failed governor NEEDS Booker.

Also benefiting Christie is the axiom that some times you win because you simply aren’t the other guy. Eight years of Democrat rule in Trenton with numerous scandals, eye-popping job-killing tax increases, questionable budget practices have Corzine stuck in a quagmire. The Democrats run EVERYTHING in New Jersey. They own this economy and Corzine is the head of the party.

Finally, the national political environment has turned so sour so quickly that it will affect this race. Even in a blue state like New Jersey, the runaway public spending in Washington will act as a drag on Corzine. This is what happens when one party runs everything in a bad economy.

All around the country Democrat incumbents have seen their poll numbers drop like rocks and the fall off has come from centrist to conservative Democrats and independent voters. The very same voters that elected all over the Democrat incumbents.

At this point if Christie continues to run a mistake free (or near mistake free) campaign, it appears as if he could actually win.

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