Posted on 08/12/2004 6:25:27 PM PDT by Ziva
TRENTON -- Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan this afternoon said that he has filed paperwork with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission to run for Governor in the 2005 election.
Lonegan will run in the June 2005 Republican Primary and said his announcement today was designed to tell Republicans and Democrats alike that “the Democrats can run who they want to replace McGreevey. They don’t scare me. Every one of these possible candidates represents the same failed pro-tax, anti-suburban, pro-abortion, anti-homeowner liberal-left agenda that McGreevey represented and I’ll beat whoever they put up, regardless of how much they spend.”
The Bogota Mayor, who won reelection last year to a third term by 16 points in a town carried by both Gore and McGreevey by 3-2 margins, said he has been urged to run by conservative leaders throughout the state who are “fed up with the ultra-left agenda being pushed by the soon to be former Governor and his legislative lapdogs.”
“All along we expected that McGreevey would ultimately not be the candidate so the Governor’s announcement today has had no effect on our strategy,” Lonegan said. “Corzine, Codey, Andrews and McGreevey have the exact same ultra-left views on every single issue from taxes to debt to abortion to gun control and everything else. New Jersey taxpayers are fed up with their tax and spend liberal big government and social engineering programs that have made our taxes among the highest and our business climate among the worst in the nation.”
Lonegan said he particularly hoped to run against Jon Corzine. “Jon Corzine is even more radical and extreme than Jim McGreevey if that is even possible. I look forward to leading a grass-roots army of New Jersey taxpayers against Jon Corzine’s elite country club liberals in the November 2005 election,” said Lonegan. “And after we beat him in 2005, we’re going to get rid of him once and for all in 2006,” the Mayor said.
“His money may scare a lot of people out of this race, but it doesn’t scare me,” the Mayor said. “This race is about issues and not personality. I’m ready to take my record of controlling taxes, reducing debt and keeping taxes far below inflation to Trenton because our state is a mess and needs a conservative change,” Lonegan added.
Lonegan for Governor, Inc. today submitted paperwork to the Election Law Enforcement Commission registering as a campaign committee and reporting two initial contributions of $2,600 from the Mayor and his wife Lorraine. “My job in the next sixty days is to match our two $2,600 contributions with others to reach the $260,000 threshold for matching funds,” Lonegan said. “I’ll be calling as many people as possible in the coming days to ask for their help in winning the nomination and the November election,” added Lonegan.
Mayor Lonegan will be returning tonight from an overseas flight and will be hold a press availability tomorrow, Friday, August 13.
McGreevey's boyfriend must be the one with the balls, because if McGreevey had any, his resignation would have been effective immediately.
You know, I though I've been to every town in Jersey north of the Pinelands, but have never been to Bogota. Isn't it a lower middle class kinda place, like Garfield?
Isn't Bogota in South America someplace?
“the Democrats can run who they want to replace McGreevey. They don’t scare me. Every one of these possible candidates represents the same failed pro-tax, anti-suburban, pro-abortion, anti-homeowner liberal-left agenda that McGreevey represented and I’ll beat whoever they put up, regardless of how much they spend.”
Praise the Good Lord, this man sounds Great!
Lonegan is good but Bret Schundler is the man for NJ
Schundler is a "Conservative" when it suits him, and does not have what it takes to win. Lonegan is a TRUE Conservative, and has shown the ability to gain cross-party support to win in NJ, as does Congressman Scott Garrett. Keep you eyes on Lonegan, I predict he is the dark horse int he this race.
If there is a special election..Shundler may take the governor's race before November.
What about Forrester?
He might be pretty good as well.
Somebody also mentioned Alan Keyes.
It worked so well and got so much attention in California!
If Schundler and Lonegan both run and split conservatives, isn't it likely that the liberals in the GOP will nominate their own third contender?
Forrester speaks in circumlocutions. He cannot attract much attention, can he?
I bet you are sorry you moved in time to miss this one!
Miss you Clemenza!
>>>Doesn't the New Jersey GOP need to focus on impeaching/removing McGreevy first?
This is interesting. We have discovery if it is challenged. How do we explore this?
LOL Keyes is booked for the foreseeable future.
I think he could run two races at once. I don't think there are any laws against it.
I've heard a lot of good things about Lonegan.
Get somebody who knows about New Jersey law and stuff. I'm here in Arkansas where we have our own share of government corruption.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.