Conservatives May Sit Out N.J. Gov Race

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[Sub-Driver]

Conservatives May Sit Out N.J. Gov Race

By ANGELA DELLI SANTI, Associated Press Writer 37 minutes ago

Conservative Republican Dave Pawson agrees with GOP candidate Doug Forrester on most issues in the New Jersey governor's race. But when Pawson goes into the voting booth next Tuesday, he won't pull the lever for Forrester — or for the other guy, either.

Forrester's increasingly vocal support of abortion rights in his campaign against liberal Democratic Sen. Jon Corzine (news, bio, voting record) has so alienated Republican conservatives that they are threatening to withhold their votes on Election Day.

"People like myself will not click Corzine or Forrester," said Pawson, a 54-year-old public school teacher. "They'll vote for the Assembly candidates and their local races but skip the governor's race."

Whether that is likely to make a difference is a matter of debate. But Forrester's willingness to write off the right wing reflects a political reality in New Jersey: At a time when the national electorate seems increasingly polarized over abortion, New Jersey is a largely centrist state, and its voters strongly support abortion rights.

"Among the independents, who he needs, the pro-choice issue is an important one," said Ingrid Reed, director of the Eagleton New Jersey Project, a political research institute at Rutgers University. "What you're seeing with Forrester is trying to expand his base in the middle."

Democrats outnumber Republicans about 5-4 in New Jersey, but there are over 2.7 million unaffiliated voters — more than the number of registered members of both parties combined — and contests are fought over the political middle. The two most recent Republican governors, Tom Kean and Christie Whitman, supported abortion rights and held centrist views on most other social issues.

[rhombus]

Or so the AP hopes and prays.

[goldstategop]

Most voters in New Jersey are liberals. And conservatives don't stand a chance. A contest between a RINO and a Democrat is no contest at all.

("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")

[DogBarkTree]

Forrester could be for killing puppies and he will still get my vote next week. Im voting against Corzine and Doug has the only chance of beating him.

[goldstategop]

ROFL! Forrester couldn't even beat a cadaver called the Laut in 2002. How any one thinks he can beat Corzine is beyond me. Voters in the Garden State are prepared to forgive the Democrats just about anything. It didn't bother them their last Governor turned out to be in the closet.

("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")

[eskimo]

Conservatives May Sit Out N.J. Gov Race

Conservatives may sit out every race in the nation as long as the present Dem/GOP political consortium runs only socialist puppets.

[Rosemont]

Does that include the dead man "Jimmy Hoffa" voting bloc that always goes to the Democrats?

[308MBR]

We'll miss those three real conservative New Jersey Republicans. They're probably moving to Florida anyhow.

[MarcusTulliusCicero]

Or as long as the GOP continues with the strategy of "Don't worry about the conservative base....where are they going to go?"

[FlipWilson]

Great, sit it out and then just complain about Gov. Corrzine again and again.

[MadIvan]

Corzine is utter scum - Forrester is not ideal, but it is imperative that Corzine is defeated.

Regards, Ivan

[ozzymandus]

Sounds like RAT wishful thinking to me.

[oceanview]

there are alot of conservative voters who will do this unfortunately. and its sad because Forrester has a decent shot at winning.

[goldstategop]

The Democrats don't need vote fraud in NJ. But the New Jersey Supremes - Whitman Era RINOs will happily make sure no conservative can ever win. The Democrats and the RINOs have an incestual relationship there. Its a sweetheart racket for the Big Government types. But for principled New Jerseyans, its not such a good deal.

("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")

[Zenith]

Conservatives want Corzine to win !!

IDIOTS !!

[goldstategop]

He doesn't care for conservatives. Why they should go out of their way to help as a Republican as liberal as Corzine is something I'll never understand. There ain't a dime's worth of difference between the Republican and the Democrat. They both want to expand government, coddle cop killers and kill babies. Its not much of a choice.

("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")

[RobbyS]

A wasted vote. Forrester can't win and he has commited the Republican Party to pro-abortion policies.

[goldstategop]

Tell that to the RINOs who ditched the conservative Schundler. We aren't welcome in their country club party. And they've made their abhorrence of us clear. The feeling is a mutual one.

("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")

[Tired of Taxes]

So far, I know of only 3 reasons to vote for Forrester:

1. He's Republican.
2. He is running against Corzine.
3. He's against pay for play.

That is how I've convinced myself to make time to go to the polls and pull the lever for him. Otherwise, I'd stay home, too.