Anna Little Rally With Governor Christie

Before a crowd that overflowed into the streets of Port Monmouth, Anna’s Army of volunteers and supporters rallied this evening at Bachstadt’s Tavern.

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Rally With The Governor Tonight

Governor Christie will be rallying Anna Little, Sheriff Shaun Golden, Freeholder Rob Clifton, Mayor Tom Arnone, Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger and Kevin Settembrino and hundreds of their supporters at Bachstadt’s Tavern, 8 Bray Ave, Middletown. 

The event starts at 7PM. 

In Middlesex County, Governor Christie Stops at the Middlesex County Victory Office with Scott Sipprelle and the Middlesex County Republican Ticket

Start Time: 6:30PM

Location: Middlesex County Victory Headquarters

4095 Route 1 South
Located in the South Brunswick Square Mall
Monmouth Junction, NJ

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Monmouth University Poll: Sipprelle Slipping

By Art Gallagher

The gap that Scott Sipprelle needs to close in order to return Rush Holt’s career to plasma  has widened from 5% to 8%  in the last two weeks, according to a Monmouth University Poll released this afternoon.

Holt has widened his support in Middlesex County to 10%, 52%-42% vs a 4 point margin, 50%-46% in the earlier poll.  Sipprelle still leads among Independents in the district, but only buy 11% vs 15% two weeks ago.

“While he’s not out of the woods yet, Rush Holt appears to be solidify his standing among voters in this district,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

That’s a puzzling conclusion from Murray, given that Holt’s support has remained constant at 51% in the two polls Monmouth conducted.  “Undecided and other” have doubled as a percentage of respondents in the current poll, from 3% to 6%.  Among Independents, “undecided and other” has increased from 7% to 9%.   Rather than Holt solidifying his support, it would appear that Holt’s negative ads have been taking on toll on Sipprelle’s support and/or that Scott has failed to give Independents a reason to come out for him over the last two weeks.

The most surprising number both of Murray’s NJ-12 polls is Sipprelle’s favorability rating.  In the October 13th poll, 41% of the respondents did not know enough about Scott to form a favorable or unfavorable opinion, including 44% of Independents and 24% of Republicans.  In today’s poll, the “no opinion” number dropped only 2 points to 39%, including 42% of I’s and 24% of R’s.  This is particularly surprising given Sipprelle’s radio and TV advertising throughout the summer and fall.

Just as Holt is “not out of the woods,” Scott has not been knocked out and can still win this race, though time is running short.  Fast, and expensive adjustments are necessary for him to win.

Scott needs to “let it hang out”  and let the Independent voters know the more human side of himself.  Elections are not won on debating points.  To a large extent they are won on likeability.   Scott has been argumentative and a bit strident since the second debate.  He’s argued with Holt’s commercials and he’s argued with the Asbury Park Press.  He’s been defending himself instead of convincing the voters he’s going to fight for them.  The “I don’t know and I don’t care” clip from the second debate that Holt is using on TV hurts.  It shows a side of Scott that those who challenged him back in convention season saw a great deal of, but that the electorate does not need to see in the closing days of the campaign.   A feel good, emotion provoking TV spot with his family and voters could turn the tide.  It would have to be written, produced and booked tomorrow, but Scott has the resources to make that happen.

Focus on increasing the turnout in Monmouth County where Scott has a 60%-35% lead, according to Murray.  Let Holt have Trenton and the rest of Mercer.  Any resources spent there are a waste at best and possibly counterproductive in the last four days of the campaign. Close the gap with Middlesex Independents with the new ad.  Play it during  NFL games if there are spots available.

Play this ad as often as possible:

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Christie Sinks ARC. Pallone Is Disappointed

Trenton, NJ – Today, Governor Chris Christie accepted the recommendation of NJ Transit Executive Director Jim Weinstein to continue the orderly and expeditious shutdown of the ARC Project. Despite intense negotiations with federal and state participants, no agreement was reached on terms that would assure New Jersey’s taxpayers would not pay more than $2.7 billion for a completed Trans Hudson Express ARC project.

Phoney Palloney (Falsetto Frankie to Soprano State fans) is disappointed:

Frank Pallone Jr. Disappointed to hear Governor plans to cancel ARC tunnel at a time when New Jersey needs more mass transit options.

Well, if Pallone had any clout in Washington after 22 years, maybe he could have gotten the Feds to cover the cost over runs on the project.   Or maybe he could have gotten his friends in the New York delegation to lean on Albany to contribute their fair share to a project that would have benefited New York more than it would have helped NJ anyway.  Think of all those tax dollars New Jersey residents would have been paying to New York after we spent $15 billion dollars to give them a way to leave the state to go to work.

As our friend Harold Kane,  the next Middlesex County Clerk, pointed out last week, New Jersey has 40 million square feet of vacant office space.  What do we need to spend billions of dollars to send people to work in New York for?

Christie did the right thing and come Tuesday Pallone is going to be despondent.

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Look who is covering Little and Pallone!

The Asbury Park Press has a front page piece about the Monmouth University Poll on CD-6.  There is even a positive headline for Anna Little,
Poll: Little closing in on Pallone in 6th District race.  Good for the Nudniks, they easily could have written, Little still trailing Pallone.

They’re probably trying to get back into the CNN news feed.

Actually the credit should go to Patrick Murray.  The Nudnik article was basically a rewrite of his press release for the poll.

With this line, Frank Pallone will need to bet on a strong turnout in more Democratic areas of this district to fend off this challenge,” Murray acknowledged that the incumbent is not winning this race.  The poll predicts a strong Democratic turnout in its sample.  Such a turnout can not be counted on.

There is no question this race will be determined on turnout.  As my friends at InTheLobby write today, Independents are siding with Republicans nationally by 14%.  In NJ-6, Little leads Pallone by 21% among Independents, according to Murray. Up from 14% three weeks ago.  The increase in support among Independents correlates with Little’s increased name recognition.  Three weeks ago, 45% of the voters had no opinion of her. Now that number is down to a still very high 31%.

Frank Pallone is on the verge of losing to a relative unknown.  As Little becomes more known, her support swells.  She’s easy to vote for, despite Pallone and Barbara Buono trying to paint her as extreme and out of the mainstream.

Murray credits the “Anna’s Army” ground game, lead by “General” Russ Cote, as the reason that Little has closed the gap so significantly in three weeks.  There is no question that The Bayshore Tea Party’s passionate and tireless troops continue change the political landscape of Central Jersey.  If Anna wins, they will have made that unpredictable result happen.

However, also contributing to Anna’s surge is Governor Christie’s personal involvement in the campaign, and Frank Pallone’s own TV ads. Pallone’s “positive” ad emphasises how out of touch he is with the district.  In my own unscientific poll of 5 CD-6 voters, 80% said they were less likely to vote for Pallone after seeing the ad. 20% were undecided.  Pallone’s “negative” ad attacking Little is a complete failure.  100% do not believe Little is the extremist Pallone portrays her to be. The ad can’t help but increase her name recognition.

Finally, Diane Gooch’s ad for Voice For My Child , while not mentioning Little, has given Independents an additional reason to vote against Pallone.

Little’s TV advertising will start airing tomorrow.  Her direct mail pieces have been going out for the last week.  She is poised to win this, but still needs help. 

Do what you can to get out the vote for Anna Little in CD-6.  Donate, talk to friends and family, email your friends links to her ads.  As Governor Christie has repeatedly said, we don’t want to wake up on November 3 regretting the one thing we didn’t do. 

If you’re in CD-12, or know people who vote in CD-12, do the same for Scott Sipprelle.  Send them the link to this ad.

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Serious Signs Of Weakness For Pallone in Middlesex County

Senator Barbara Buono is on Blue Jersey and The Daily Kos (with links to MMM, my advertisers thank you Senator) pleading with Democrats to support and volunteer for Frank Pallone.

Joe Vas , John Lynch and Jim McGreevey were not available.

With one week to go, who would you rather have in your corner?  Chris Christie or Barbara Buono?

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Governor Chris Christie on Anna Little

ADVERTISEMENT. GRAB THE LINK AND EMAIL IT TO CD-6 VOTERS

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Christie Profile On The Today Show This Morning

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Governor Chris Christie on Anna Little

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Anna Little Rally With Governor Chris Christie

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