Election Results: Middletown Township Committee

Pallone Endorses Buono For Governor, Urges New Jersey Democrats To Unite Behind Her Candidacy

Pallone: Buono “our strongest candidate to beat Gov. Christie.”

(Trenton, NJ)—New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. endorsed State Senator Barbara Buono for governor today, and called on New Jersey Democrats to unite behind her candidacy. Rep. Pallone represents New Jersey’s 6th Congressional District.

“I believe Senator Buono is our strongest candidate to beat Governor Christie this fall, and I’m proud to endorse her,” Rep. Pallone said.

“That’s why I’m urging New Jersey Democrats and independents to come together to support her candidacy and avoid a divisive primary.

“Through the years, I’ve seen Senator Buono’s tireless commitment to improving the lives of New Jersey’s families firsthand. She’s never forgotten her working class roots and what it means to struggle. It’s why the Senator has led the fight to protect investments in education and health care and job training while keeping our budget balanced.

“As the first woman to be Senate Majority Leader and Chair the powerful Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee,Senator Buono has shown the leadership and the toughness we need in our next governor. She will focus on creating new jobs and bringing down out-of-control property taxes, and nothing could be more important to New Jersey’s struggling middle class and working poor,” Rep. Pallone said.

“I’m grateful for Congressman Pallone’s support and his friendship over the many years we’ve worked together,” Buono said. “He has been on the frontlines in the fight for New Jersey’s middle class taxpayers and has been a champion for progressive values and all New Jerseyans should be thankful he’s representing us in Washington.

“I look forward to campaigning with Congressman Pallone in the months ahead as we lay out a starkly different vision for New Jersey than the failed policies we’ve seen under Governor Christie. We can’t afford four more years of the fourth-worst unemployment rate, the highest property taxes in the nation and soaring tuition costs. Together we can bring progressive change to Trenton and deliver the results New Jersey’s working families deserve.”

Buono Campaign Raises $250K In First Month

State Senator Barbra Buono has stated that her fundraising effort for the shortened quarter has exceeded her expectations. By raising $250,000 since announcing her candidacy for Governor last month. She has quickly jumped out and has seized the early upper hand over any of her potential democratic rivals for the right to take on Gov. Christie in November.

It is going to take a lot of money to unseat Christie from his governor's chair, upwards or over $50 -$100 million in my estimation. So it is crucial for her (or any democrat) to get off to a fast start, solidify support and raise as much money as possible.

If others, such as  Steve Sweeney, Dick Cody or even former EPA Chief Lisa Jackson, are thinking about jumping in to the race, they better hurry before Buono sucks up all the cash and solidifies her backing.

Buono has been under estimated before and has shown her toughness as a former Budget Committee chair and NJ Senate majority leader.

I support her and wish her well.

Barbara Buono, "I just filed my papers, and I’m running for Governor!"

State Senator Barbra Buono  (D-Metuchen) has become the first Democrat in the state to throw her hat into the ring to challenge Gov. Christie in next year's 2013 gubernatorial campaign. She filed the paperwork earlier this morning.

I have meet her on several occasions over the past couple of years and I have to say, she'll be a fantastic candidate that shouldn't be underestimated or counted out. She is one tough cookie!

The question remains however, who else will take the plunge to challenge Buono for the Democratic nomination? A lot of names have been thrown about lately; former Governor Dick Cody, NJ State Senate President Steve Sweeney, Newark Mayor Cory Booker (the 8 hundred pound gorilla in the room), and Congressmen Bill Pascrell, Jr. and Frank Pallone to name a few. We'll have to wait and see.

In the mean time, take a look at the video posted by Senator Buono on YouTube announcing her candidacy.

"All of us are focused on rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, but we have so much more to do. Under Governor Christie, our middle class has taken a beating. Property taxes have shot up and so has unemployment, now the highest in three decades. And we've fallen to 47th out of 50 states in economic growth.

It's time for a leader in Trenton who will put the middle class first -- lifting our schools instead of scapegoating our teachers; protecting property taxpayers rather than pushing income tax cuts for millionaires..." - NJ State Senator Barabra Buono

NJ WATCHDOG: Christie Flip-Flops; Will Run with Guadagno

For Immediate Release:

DESPITE SCANDAL, CHRISTIE & GUADANGO WILL RUN TOGETHER IN 2013

In an apparent flip-flop, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie welcomed Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno back as his running mate for 2013 – despite the baggage of her pension scandal.

"I am thrilled she is going to be part of the team as we seek to serve the people of New Jersey for another four years," said Christie in a statement.

Last week, Christie said he was unsure whether Guadagno would be on the ticket. When he announced his campaign to seek a second term, the governor said he had yet to talk to Guadagno about her plans.

With Guadagno, Christie is betting voters will overlook a $245,000 pension controversy that followed the lieutenant governor from her tenure as Monmouth County sheriff.

Christie has never publicly addressed the issue – including the question of whether he should appoint an independent prosecutor to handle the case.

False statements by Guadagno in 2008 enabled her chief officer, Michael W. Donovan Jr., to collect nearly $85,000 a year in state retirement pay in addition to his $87,500 annual salary. The story was first reported by New Jersey Watchdog in 2010.

For the full story, go to New Jersey Watchdog at http://newjersey.watchdog.org.