The Gothic Times

Issue date: 11/25/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Reuters Christopher J. Christie celebrated his victory with his running mate for lieutenant governor, Kimberly M. Guadagno, center, and members of their families at their headquarters in Parsippany.

Media Credit: New York Times

On Tuesday November 3, the citizens of New Jersey elected former U.S. Attorney, Republican Chris Christie, as the 55th governor of the Garden State, with a 49 to 45 percent victory over incumbent, Democrat Jon Corzine.

Christie becomes the first Republican to win a statewide election since former Governor Christie Whitman's re-election victory in 1997.

The majority of those interviewed by the Gothic Times, expressed concern and frustration over the results, although there was a minority who supported Christie.

"I agree with most of his [Christie's] policies…mainly because he's pro-life," said Joseph Sforza, 21, a Journalism major from Guttenberg.

Much was made about what, if any, affect Independent Candidate Chris Daggett would have on the election.

Daggett may have received 5.8 percent of the vote statewide, but students and faculty at NJCU did not rush to the polls to vote for this one-time Department of Environmental Protection commissioner.

Some members of the NJCU community greeted the results with a positive outlook and expressed tentative optimism for the next four years.

"I hope [New Jersey] will get better," said Jeremy Jagla, 19, undeclared, from Jersey City.

The campus as a whole seemed to have a rather indifferent attitude toward Christie's win and realized they're going to have to accept the results and keep a positive attitude.

"I was more [supportive of] his [Corzine's] campaign than Christie's, [but] the people voted him into office, so I guess he is now my governor," said Phaenehas Lubrin, a NJCU facility worker from East Orange.

Like Lubrin, those interviewed appeared to be in Corzine's corner, whether or not they actively participated in the election.

Jorge Llivicura, 40, an Accounting and Finance major from Fairview believes, "the situation is a little precarious.

"He [Christie] needs to work a little more...do [more] to benefit the public."

Christie campaigned on the promise of cutting taxes, revamping the Department of Education (DOE) and improving higher education overall. He also made strong statements indicating his desire to provide New Jersey residents with affordable healthcare.

However, the issue of union contracts, a subject covered extensively by the Gothic Times, was on the minds of many members of the NJCU community.

Dr. Joseph Moskowitz, professor of Political Science at NJCU and President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 1839 was one of them.

He didn't vote for either of the top three candidates and instead went with a less popular choice, Independent Gary Stein, stating that he "was enthusiastically against the other three alternatives."

"I was not interested in voting for any of the leading candidates. And I found that Mr. Stein's explanation about who he [is], was most entertaining. He made me laugh," said Moskowitz.

Phaenehas Lubrin's concerns over union contracts were summed up in one short sentence, "I hope Christie doesn't prolong furlough days."

Once the results were in, speculation as to why Christie was victorious blanketed cable news, radio, and the blogosphere.

Pundits and citizens alike may have offered their own opinions as to reasons for Corzine's defeat, but the truth was in the numbers.

Although the Corzine machine turned out voters in Hudson, Essex and Camden counties, the margin of victory in these three overwhelmingly Democratic counties was lower than in 2005.

During the 2005 election, Corzine defeated Republican Doug Forrester 75 to 22 in Hudson County, 73 to 25 percent in Essex County, and 60 to 35 percent in Camden County.

Corzine held on to these three counties this election, but the diminished margin of victory (69 to 27 percent in Hudson, 67 to 28 percent in Essex, 54 to 40 percent in Camden) hurt Corzine's chances statewide.

The Corzine campaign is certainly looking at the overall decline of 6 percent in these counties as one of the key factors to Christie's victory.

Significant losses in Atlantic, Burlington, Cumberland, Gloucester, Middlesex, and Salem Counties further contributed to Corzine's defeat.

Another contributing factor in Christie's victory was the independent voters. According to various sources, Christie won 62 percent of the bloc's vote.

Independents broke for Christie during this election, but the key to a re-election victory may lie in his ability to connect with disenchanted Democrats.

When asked if he would consider voting for Christie during the next election (if Christie positively transformed the economic and political landscape of New Jersey), Dr. Moskowitz responded by saying, "Yes, anybody can change."

"And then maybe I can change my analysis."

When the Gothic Times presented the same question to Dr. Moskowitz's colleague, Acting Assistant Dean, William J. Maxwell College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Fran Moran, he simply laughed out loud.

"Yeah, I suppose [I could vote for Christie]."

"My political training would seem to say there is no way it's going to happen, but sure, [it's possible]."

Dr. Moran is also skeptical as to whether it's even possible to turn around the state.

"New Jersey is…almost ungovernable in its current structure. It's way too localized, way too fragmented and it needs some consolidation."

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