I know the NJ Gubernatorial race was watched by the national pundits, but you have to really understand the nutty politics here to get what just happened this week.
I have been immersed in the craziness for the past few years as a Bergen County Committee member AND elected official during the reign of Boss Joe Ferriero.
This race was easily a referendum, not on Obama, or even Democrats in general, but plain old Jersey style corruption. I am not implying here that Corzine lost because he was corrupt. It was actually because he angered the machine that normally would have turned out the base for him.
In Bergen where the trial of Joe Ferriero was still on everyone's lips, and the front page, the local candidates that were ANTI-Pay-to-Play Dems WON while the MACHINE Dems or those handpicked by Joe Ferriero himself suffered bruising defeats. The split-ticket results may make no sense to someone from outside NJ. Those who know, who knows who, and who did what, aren't surprised at all. At the local level, the voters educated themselves and rejected the machine candidates. At the Governor's level, what damaged Corzine was that the machine didn't really roar to life on behalf of a Governor who wants to reform ethics here in NJ. Not having those boots on the ground was deadly to a campaign that was being watched NATIONALLY by the RNC, and by the White House.
Not many remember, but in NJ, Obama was not the machine candidate last year. The NJ Dem machine supported Hillary. Only Hillary. Loretta Weinberg and Steve Rothman supported Obama before anyone. Obama still excites voters here, but not the Dem machine.
Christie, Corzine and Loretta Weinberg all had a hand in bringing down Boss Joe, but Boss Joe was only one rotten apple. There are a lot more FOJ (Friends of Joe) still seething at Senator Weinberg for sponsoring the Party Democracy Act with Republican Senator Diane Allen. And they are probably mad as hell at Corzine for signing the bill into law. The Party Democracy Act will really change the way things are done in NJ and in my opinion will clean up a lot of corruption. Diane Allen dubbed it the "Stick it to the Chairman" bill. It is designed to prevent Party Bosses from amassing too much power at the County Committee level.
And so, the machine that usually comes to life every November wasn't that enthusiastic about the do-gooders at the top of the ticket. All the machine had to do to lose this race was - nothing. Loretta Weinberg, Valerie Huttle and Gordon Johnson won elections AGAINST the machine in the past - even running off the line as Real Bergen Democrats. The VOTERS here absolutely love Loretta, Valerie and Gordon, as they are affectionately known here in District 37, but the machine Dems? the Pay to Play dems? - not so much.
What tells me loud and clear that this election was a referendum on corruption was that the Bergen County Democrats lost 2 Freeholder seats in Bergen, while Corzine carried this county. Corzine gained in the polls after adding corruption fighter Weinberg to his ticket. Prior to that he was trailing way behind.
The NJ race was a referendum on corruption and a lesson in what happens when the Party Bosses just aren't that into you. It all comes down to 2 things - Money and Support. In Jersey, even if you have the money, like Corzine, you still need boots on the ground - SUPPORT. If you have support, you can't wrest a nomination from the NJ Party Bosses unless you also have lots of MONEY.
Here is a good primer on Boss Joe Ferriero, who Christie helped convict on corruption charges the very same day that Obama visited Bergen County on behalf of Jon Corzine.
The good thing about this election in NJ is that at the local level at least, the citizens rose up and declared that they weren't going to tolerate corruption anymore. I HOPE that Christie is telling the truth about wanting to fight corruption in BOTH parties, because a lot of folks here would greatly appreciate it.
One other positive fact about this election is that Christie actually TURNED DOWN visits from wacky Sarah Palin. This election had nothing to do with crazy rightwing nutjobs well, except for Steve Lonegan - who thankfully LOST in the primary.