Across our nation, the two big elections this year are the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. The governor, Chris Christie (R), is facing off against state Senator Barbara Buono (D). Both have experience in New Jersey politics. Christie, known as a moderate conservative, started his political career running on the Board of Freeholders for Morris County. Eventually, Christie defeated Governor Corzine in the 2009 gubernatorial election and is now at the end of his first term. Buono, a progressive, is no neophyte to New Jersey politics either; she has been in the state Assembly and later in her career in the state Senate.
Both candidates easily won their primaries and advanced to the general election. Since then, there have been only two debates between Christie and Buono. The first debate was held at William Paterson University and the second at Montclair State. Both debates have been commissioned by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), and were mandatory for both candidates to participate due to their choice in public funding. In New Jersey, candidates running for governor can opt to have their campaign publicly funded by ELEC. The theory behind publicly funded campaigns is that they increase transparency and fairness. However, public funding doesn’t mean that the candidates each get an equal sum of money to spend – instead it means that, after initially raising $380,000, for every $1 a candidate raises privately ELEC matches with $2 of public funding. Both Governor Christie and Senator Buono are participating in public funding.
Christie was born in Newark, New Jersey and was educated at University of Delaware for his undergraduate degree and Seton Hall for law school. Governor Christie started his political life by winning a seat on the Morris County Board of Freeholders. After losing an election he went back to private life for a little while remaining a successful Republican fundraiser. He raised enough money for President George W. Bush to be appointed Attorney General of the United States for New Jersey. In that capacity he became famous for his crackdown on corruption conducted by state elected officials. Christie convicted 130 public officials without a single acquittal. Shortly after resigning from U.S. Attorney, Christie geared up for his 2009 campaign to become governor. He ran against the unpopular Governor Corzine and won by 4 points.
Christie used the Governor’s Office to make himself a nationally known politician. It all started with his YouTube videos, filmed at Town Halls, which would show the Governor making witty or sometimes insulting remarks to constituents. He uses taxpayer’s dollars to conduct these Town Halls that critics say are identical to campaign events.
Governor Christie boasts about his effort to not raise taxes at the State level, pension and benefits reform for state workers, Sandy recovery, increased education spending, and his ability to form bipartisan coalitions.
One way Christie sets himself apart from previous Republican governors are his deals with Democrats. Christie has been able to form deep alliances with some of New Jersey’s most powerful political bosses, such as George Norcross III and Joe DiVincenzo – both powerful Democrats. Without their support Christie would not be the successful politician he is today. Christie has received many endorsements from Democrats, including Joe DiVincenzo, for his re-election.
Senator Buono is no stranger to the Statehouse in Trenton. Buono went to Montclair State University for undergrad and Rutgers-Camden for law school. She started as councilwoman in Metuchen and then made her way into the Assembly. While in the Assembly she was known as a progressive legislator who would defy party bosses. She also became chair of the Budget Committee while in the Assembly. Next, she won election for State Senator and has been there since 2002. She would still remain one of the Democrats most progressive voices in the Senate and even served a term as Majority Leader.
Despite New Jersey’s liberal leaning, Buono has struggled to receive party support in her bid for governor. Many believe this is due to Christie’s alliances with powerful Democratic bosses, whom often are able to raise large sums of money for campaigns. Many of these bosses have either sat out of this race or endorsed Christie. Governor Christie deciding to have the $24 million special Senate election before the regular election also hurt Buono by not having Booker at the top of her ticket.
Both candidates have opted to use ELEC’s publicly funded election program. But that’s not to say outside spending doesn’t occur. In fact ELEC says over $21 million in outside spending has happened in this race. Between the two candidates, Governor Christie commands a large lead in fundraising. On October 8th, 2013, a month before the election, Christie received the maximum amount under ELEC’s regulations, which amounts to $8.2 million – leaving him with $12.6 million. Lagging far behind is Buono, receiving $1.4 million from ELEC – and having a total of only $2.5 million.
Polls have consistently shown Christie leading in the race. The most recent poll, from Quinnipac University, shows Christie with a 29-point lead over Buono. Christie expects his potential victory to have coattails that would allow Republicans to win seats in the legislature – however that is unlikely according to the most recent polling.
“Gov. Christopher Christie was able to keep Mayor Cory Booker off the November ballot, and the governor certainly looks like a winner in his race against State Sen. Barbara Buono” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
