Free Republic

Republicans in New Jersey face an unambiguous choice in next Tuesday's gubernatorial primary between a Republican moderate and a candidate with strident and untested views. Bob Franks is clearly the better qualified of the two. Mr. Franks has shown himself to be a pragmatist with the experience and temperament to carry the party's banner admirably in the November election. What was expected to be an easy victory for Mr. Franks has turned into a bitter, close race with name-calling that threatens to discourage voters from showing up. That would be a big mistake, especially for moderate Republicans. Mr. Franks, a...

Bret D. Schundler, the crusading conservative mayor of Jersey City, soundly defeated former Representative Bob Franks in the Republican primary for governor today, setting up a sharply drawn November contest with James E. McGreevey, the Democrat. Mr. Schundler, an ardent opponent of abortion and a supporter of the rights of gun owners, who promised to lower taxes, cut government spending and take down the tollbooths on the Garden State Parkway, united both fiscal and social conservatives behind his campaign. His wide margin of victory, despite a Republican establishment united behind his opponent, gave the party's conservative wing the upper hand...

The Democrats are in chaos. The governor is resigning amid a sex scandal that gets more sordid by the day. Meanwhile, they're running the state on borrowed money and also raising taxes at a rate that leads the nation. That brings me to the question that all thoughtful political observers in New Jersey are asking themselves: How will the Republicans screw this up?