A Memorable Day for the GOP

They don't necessarily deserve it and should serve a bit more time in exile for selling out their base by passing the prescription drug bill and running up what were once considered huge deficits (until Obama). But the GOP has been gifted a horrid first year by Obama and generally loathesome Dem candidates in two big races in the last couple of months. We have new life it seems.

First off, Chris Christie took over for Jon Corzine in New Jersey in what can only be a harbinger for the new year. Corzine made McGreevey look sane and centrist with his ultra-liberal policies. Businesses ran for the exits and taxes went sky-high. Christie has vowed to cut spending and if he doesn't thisae state will not elect another Republican for twenty years. I think he'll do okay but he is facing massive deficits and a bloated beuracracy.

The other big event is the possibly impending win by Scott Brown. No real exit polling, only anecdotal info but there's huge turnout. The polls close at 8:00 EST. Much more on this later. It could be a momentous day for us on the right.

Update: The Inquirer didn't even put the Brown-Coakley race on the front page but instead put some drivel about Obama mobilizing his grassroots. The biggest story of the new year is being intentionally ignored by the Inqy. About what I expected.

The First Election Cycle During Obamanation

The first election cycle after we became a post-racial nation, which is loved by the entire world is set to take place in a month. How will the GOP do being as they've been handle a gift of epic proportions. The Dems gave us Obama and he's tanked in ways we couldn't have dreamed, faster than anyone thought possible. Will the GOP do what they always do and blow every single political opportunity afforded them or take the ball and break the plane?

The first glimpse we'll have into whether Nobama can lead his party forward or over a cliff is about to play out in the bluest of blue states--my home state of New Jersey:

Corzine's chances of winning re-election now are no better than they were a month ago. The governor continues to be stuck between 38 percent and 42 percent in the ballot test, where he has been for many months, and the fundamentals of the race continue to favor the Republican challenger.

Corzine was at 39 percent among likely voters in the newest Quinnipiac survey, not much different from his 37 percent showing at the end of August, his 40 percent showing in early August or his 38 percent showing in mid-July.

The most recent Quinnipiac poll showed Christie leading Corzine by 4 points because the Republican's vote has slipped from 46 percent or 47 percent in other Quinnipiac surveys to 43 percent. In turn, Independent candidate Chris Daggett's number in the ballot test has risen to 12 percent in the most recent Quinnipiac poll, up from the 7 percent to 9 percent he had been drawing in other recent Quinnipiac surveys.

The media want you to believe Corzine's got a shot because it is of great significance and a loss by Corzine--whom The One has campaigned pretty hard for--would show that the presidents coattails are pretty short indeed. If a buffoon like Christie who would never have a shot in any other year can win, all bets are off for 2010.

Update: We're seeing it in Pennsylvania as well where Pat Toomey is making a move past the zombie Arlen Specter.

New Jerseyans Go to the Polls

Today we find out who will take on Jon Corzine in the November gubernatorial election. the two leading Republicans are former US Attorney Chris Christie and former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan. Lonegan is the conservative while Christie is the more moderate.

I voted for Lonegan as he is a fiscal hawk and would at least attempt to cut spending, rein in taxes and cut the government payrolls. plus he won't kiss the ass of every single labor union from Cape May County to Sussex County. The problem is that conservatives just can't get elected in this liberal state and that's the downside of Lonegan. He does edge Corzine by a single point but Christie leads him by nine as of two weeks ago.

Christie on the other hand talks like a fiscal conservative as they all do to win the primary but he's an unknown on spending. He's going to win and that may be a good thing as he's the only one of the two who could beat Corzine come fall. Either we keep a liberal tax and spender akin to all the other former Wall Street bigwigs in the Democratic party (and Obama administration) or we get a moderate Republican. The lesser of two evils.

Turnout is expected to be very low so I guess anything could happen but Christie is up in the polls big.

Baby Steps: Tedisco Now Leading By 12 Votes

With public sentiment wavering on Obama's handling of the economic situation, the race to replace Sen. Gillibrand in NY was viewed as a foreshadowing of the 2010 election and the feeling of Americans on Obama and his administration. I never bought into that as the traditional honeymoon period is not over.

That said, the race was close and now has flipped in favor of the Republican Tedisco:

As voting machines are re-canvassed, Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco has picked up 37 votes, evaporating Democrat Scott Murphy's lead in the race to replace Kirsten Gillibrand in Congress, according to county election officials who are conducting a recanvass.

Tedisco now has 77,236; Murphy has 77,224.

Tedisco trailed by 25 votes yesterday after a recanvass in Columbia County. Elections workers in Rensselaer, Dutchess, Columbia and Otsego counties looked over their tallies today. Other counties will do so in the coming days.

Every seat we take back brings us closer and if Tedisco can pull it out, it will be at least a starting point. The GOP has a huge opportunity come the next election cycle and they better grab it. The economy will right itself eventually and once it does they will have lost the chance to make gains.

Update: The Dems are always screaming about voters being disenfranchised. That is, when it's poor or minority voters but when it comes to military voters actually doing something productive to protect our freedom, the Dems say "screw them". Typical and expected.

Israeli Election Day

Polls say Netanyahu but it's close and things change once people enter the voting booth.

Aussie Dave is live blogging at Israelly Cool.

In absolutely a non-surprising fashion, the LA Times seems upset that Israel would favor security of her citizens over negotiating with terrorists.