By Tommy DeSeno
Photo: Paul Booth/Coaster
Asbury Park, NJ. New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate and former U.S. attorney Chris Christie doubled down on the corruption and crime-fighting plank of his campaign platform today by selecting Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno to run with him as Lt. Governor.
This year’s race for New Jersey governor is being closely monitored on a national level, with RNC Chairman Michael Steele often mentioning the race and Newt Gingrich at this year’s CPAC convention calling the race, “One of the most important elections in American history.”
Christie made the announcement this morning on Facebook and Twitter. As to the digital only press release, Christie noted that while he never used those networking sites before he ran for governor, he has used Facebook and Twitter throughout his campaign and said, “I like them” and promised to continue using them.
Guadagno has been Sheriff of Monmouth County since 2007, before that serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney as well as a New Jersey Assistant Attorney General. She is married to Superior Court Judge Michael Guadagno, who serves in the Family Division in Ocean County.
Consistent with campaign speeches she made as Sheriff, Guadagno identifies herself as a battler, opening her remarks by telling the crowd, “I’ve been in a fight. I’ve been in a lot of fights,” then turning to Christie and promising, “I know you’ve not shied away from a fight, and I know I won’t shy away from a fight.”
The live announcement having taken place in Asbury Park was fraught with symbolism, as the two former crime fighters used as a background this fledgling city on the Atlantic Ocean that has been a notorious hub for violent crime and public corruption for decades. Both Christie and Guadagno concentrated their efforts as prosecutors on bringing down corrupt public officials, including some here.
Promising to bring corruption busting to the Statehouse, Guadagno asked the crowd, “What do you think the politicians are going to think in Trenton when two former corruption attorneys are leading them?”
In response to questions and perhaps anticipating criticism from the Corzine campaign that selecting another prosecutor adds nothing new to the Republican ticket, when asked what issue she wanted to tackle above all others, Guadagno gave a two word answer: “Property taxes.”
Guadagno pushed the economic theme during her remarks: “You walk down the boardwalk and talk to people and I bet you people will tell you they have had conversations with friends and family members about leaving this state.” She said, “People can no longer afford to live here. Back when I moved here it was affordable.”
She noted that while she chose to live in New Jersey 20 years ago, she fears that if the state continues its current economic road that her three sons my have to leave New Jersey for economic opportunities elsewhere.
In a personal moment of reflection about being Sheriff in a bad economy, Guadagno lamented, “I’ve foreclosed on the homes of my friends. I’ve foreclosed on the homes of my children’s friends. Shame on Jon Corzine for not stopping this.”
Both Christie and Guadagno spoke of making tough decisions they claim the Corzine administration refuses to make, with Guadagno reminding the crowd she made the decision of laying off employees at the Sheriff’s Department due to the economy.
One issue where Christie and Guadagno split is on abortion, with Christie identifying himself as Pro-Life and Guadagno as Pro-Choice. To find common ground with her running mate Guadagno promised to work to “reduce the number of abortions in New Jersey.”
While Christie indicated that Guadagno would be his partner on all state decisions, he conceded that the role of Lt. Governor is ill defined by the legislature. In fact, Lt. Governor is a brand new post in New Jersey, having been created by Constitutional Amendment in 2005, with the first election for the position being this November.
On hand for the announcement was New Jersey Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R, Monmouth), who has a bill pending that further defines the role of Lt. Governor.
O’Scanlon noted that right now the Lt. Governor position is not subject to various campaign finance disclosure laws, and it is unclear how the office will be budgeted. He promises his bill will clarify those issues along with the Lt. Governor’s salary. “My fear is if we don’t pass this bill then the Democrats, if they win, will use the Lt. Governor’s office to create another sprawling bureaucracy with patronage positions. I want to put a stop to that before it begins.”
Democrat Governor Jon Corzine has until Monday to make his Lt. Governor selection.
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1 comment:
Chris Christie is NOT pro-life. If he was pro-life, he would promise not to re-appoint anyone currently serving on the NJ Supreme Court. (What good is enacting reasonable restrictions on abortion like parental notification if you know that Stu Rabner and his gang of liberal activists will only overturn those restrictions?)If Christie was pro-life, he certainly wouldn't choose a pro-abortion liberal to be Lt. Governor.
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