Christie will defend his record, Call for bi-partisan cooperation in his Budget Address

Governor Chris Christie will highlight the progress that New Jersey has made in the 2220 days since he was sworn in as governor and challenge the legislature to put aside partisanship and continue to work to solve the State’s problems for the next 630 days until the next gubernatorial election in his 2017 Budget Address this afternoon, according to excerpts released by his office.

The State’s ongoing recovery from Superstorm Sandy was not mentioned in the excerpts.

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Sweeney plan to bypass Christie on N.J. public worker pensions clears first hurdle

TRENTON — A key state Senate committee on Thursday approved legislation to ask voters to revise the New Jersey constitution to require the state ratchet up contributions to the public pension system. The constitutional amendment relies on a big economic unknown: That the state’s natural growth will drum up at least $600 million a year in… Read the rest of this entry »

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Christie’s N.J. approval rating sinks to historic lows, poll finds

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Christie comes closest to besting Clinton, Virginia poll finds

Christie comes closest to besting Clinton, Virginia poll finds (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — In the swing state of Virginia, Gov. Chris Christie is the Republican with the best chance of beating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a presidential faceoff, a new poll shows, though her lead us shrinking. According to a Quinnipiac…

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Chris Christie’s Port Authority appointee David Samson’s judgment defended amid scandals

Chris Christie’s Port Authority appointee David Samson’s judgment defended amid scandals (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — For four decades, David Samson has quietly prospered at the nexus of New Jersey’s powerful legal and political worlds as his clout and connections have enriched his law firm, Wolff & Samson. The firm, one of New Jersey’s largest, has…

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Chris Christie leaves for Oklahoma Thursday, raising ire of Democrats and gay rights activists

Chris Christie leaves for Oklahoma Thursday, raising ire of Democrats and gay rights activists (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie leaves late Thursday afternoon for his first out-of-state fundraising trip as chairman of the Republican Governors Association — and liberal groups have noticed. Christie first heads to Oklahoma to campaign for Gov.…

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Christie: “I don’t want to serve another day with a Democratic Legislature”

photo credit: Rhoda Chodosh. Click on photo for larger view. Sen Joe Kyrillos is NOT wearing mouse ears.

He’s finally saying it.

Yesterday afternoon at Bachstadt’s Tavern in North Middletown Governor Chris Christie urged the enthusiastic crowd of several hundred to “vote Republican from the top of the ballot to the bottom. I don’t want to serve another day with a Democratic legislature.”

“He finally said it,” I quipped to Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, JR who was present at the rally along with Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnik.  “He’s been saying it everywhere,” Kean replied.

SaveJersey reports that Christie made a similar appeal in South Jersey’s 2nd legislative district.

“I need Frank Balles in Trenton,” Christie told supporters as he worked the enthusiastic crowd. This trip constituted his second and final announced foray into Southern New Jersey before Election Day. The Governor also had a few harsh words for Balles’s opponent, incumbent state Sen. Jim Whelan, whom Christie rebranded “Grandfather Whelan” and an “animal” simultaneously, implying that the veteran Democrat behaves different back in his district than he does in Trenton.

And PolitickerNJ reports that the Governor declared that the GOP can “turn this blue state red” in Bergen County on Friday.

“We’re driving home for the biggest margin we can get,” Christie said. “We want  to take advantage of this once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn this blue  state red.”

The GOP needs to win five seats in the Senate and nine seats in the Assembly in order to take control of both chambers.

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Christie Drops Appeal To Gay Marriage Decision

Same Sex Nuptials Are Now Certain To Remain Legal in New Jersey

Kissing Brides, Heather Jensen and Amy Quinn, an Asbury Park Councilwoman, celebrate their marriage shortly after midnight this morning. facebook photo

Given the State Supreme Court’s signal that the Christie administration would not prevail in its appeal of Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson’s decision compelling the State to grant same sex couples the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples, Governor Chris Christie withdrew his appeal today, the first day that gay couples can wed in New Jersey under Jacobson’s order and the Supreme Court’s refusal to stay that order.

“Although the governor strongly disagrees with the court substituting its judgment for the constitutional process of the elected branches or a vote of the people, the court has now spoken clearly as to their view of the New Jersey constitution and, therefore, same-sex marriage is the law,” said Colin Reed, a spokesman for Christie. “The governor will do his constitutional duty and ensure his administration enforces the law as dictated by the New Jersey Supreme Court.”

State Senator Mike Doherty issued a statement condemning Christie for caving to the activist judiciary.

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Shutdown: N.J. Republicans mirror deepening divisions within national party

Shutdown: N.J. Republicans mirror deepening divisions within national party (via NJ.com)

WASHINGTON — Rep. Scott Garrett insists Democrats are to blame for the shutdown — now in its 11th day — saying it was them who “failed to fund the federal government” and must negotiate a rollback of the Affordable Care Act. Rep. Leonard Lance…

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Christie Skipping Rand Paul’s Endorsement Of Lonegan

U.S. Senator Rand Paul is coming to New Jersey on September 13 to endorse Steve Lonegan for Senate in the October 16 Special Election against Cory Booker.

Governor Chris Christie, who had a well publicized rift with Paul over the NSA’s monitoring of domestic communications, was invited to attend the Friday afternoon rally.  Christie and Paul are widely considered GOP contenders for the 2016 presidential nomination.

Christie declined the invitation because he will be away celebrating the First Lady’s 50th birthday.

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