By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org Even before the ink on the final ballot was dry Tuesday, a certain class of political observers were busying their keyboards with the takeaway that the vote in New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie‘s favor served as nothing more than a proverbial catapult for the nation’s highest office in Washington, D.C. “The win gives Christie momentum as he decides whether to enter presidential politics,” said CBS This Morning anchor Charlie Rose. “I don’t think there’s anyone in Republican politics who doesn’t think he’s running in 2016,” chimed New York Magazine‘s John Heilemann on MSNBC. This week’s TIME magazine did one better, putting Christie on the front […]
Lonegan-Booker: If blacks stay away from New Jersey polls, could the Republican win?
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org If black voters in New Jersey don’t come out Wednesday in full force for Democratic Newark Mayor Cory Booker, it could be an easy victory for Republican Steve Lonegan, former mayor of Bogota, in the race to become New Jersey‘s next U.S. Senator. That’s the analysis by one prominent mathematician and political observer who has close eyes on how the minority vote could affect the final result of Wednesday’s special election. JUST MATH: Farley says a low voter turnout for black ultimately could win the race for Republican Steve Lonegan. “Lonegan can win if blacks don’t show up,” said Jonathan […]
VIDEO: Cory Booker-Steve Lonegan Oct. 9 debate REMIX
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org Here’s a mash-up of the best moments from the New Jersey U.S. Senate debate between Democratic Newark Mayor Cory Booker and Republican former mayor of Bogota, Steve Lonegan. The debate originally aired on Oct. 9. Enjoy: Contact Yaël Ossowski at yael@watchdog.org and follow him @YaelOss.
Booker and Lonegan’s New Jersey consensus: The taxes are too damn high
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org TRENTON — One is a tea partyer and the other is a Twitter partyer. One runs New Jersey’s most populist city and the other runs the state’s biggest conservative organization. While they have many conflicting views, Democratic Newark Mayor Cory Bookerand his Republic opponent, Steve Lonegan, former mayor of Bogota and head ofAmericans For Prosperity New Jersey, have one thing in common that could affect the life of every New Jerseyan: They both think taxes in the state are too damn high. At least that’s the indication from Friday’s debate between the liberal Democrat and the conservative Republican. Pressed on […]
The 10 most GIFable moments from the Booker-Lonegan debate
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org There was a grand debate at Channel 6 Studios in Trenton, N.J., on Friday to determine who would be the best candidate for U.S. Senate. There was this guy, Cory Booker, the Democratic candidate and establishment favorite: And his opponent, the Republican conservative activist who gave Gov. Chris Christie a run for his money in the 2009 gubernatorial primary: One of the first topics was the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, ready to be implemented in 2014. Steve Lonegan pleaded for a more time to implement the controversial law. And Cory Booker went on the offensive: Lonegan responded by […]
Billionaire Bloomberg bails out Booker
BIG FRIENDS: This ad for New Jersey U.S. Senate candidate Cory Booker was paid for by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Super PAC. By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org NEWARK, N.J. — A large cornerstone of Newark Mayor Cory Booker‘s campaign centers on his ability to attract millions in outside investment to his city, but now it seems the same logic can be applied to his fledgling U.S. Senate campaign. Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City. In the final week of the New Jersey race against former Bogota mayor and conservative activist Steve Lonegan, Booker has received some substantial financial help from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg — $1 million worth, to be […]
Establishment sours on Cory Booker in New Jersey Senate race
WANING SUPPORT? A lawn sign for Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate in New Jersey Cory Booker. By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org While Newark Mayor Cory Booker‘s fate once seemed written in the stars, it’s now careening ever violently toward the sun. At least that’s the indication from the campaign trail just 12 days out from the special U.S. Senate election in New Jersey. The tweet-a-stripper mishap and the swift introduction of negative ads against his Republican opponent, Steve Lonegan, former mayor of Bogota, has signaled to critics that Booker’s celebrity status and massive Twitter following may not be enough to lock up another Democratic voice in the Senate. ATTACK ADS: A still from Cory Booker’s first […]
What if they held a $24 million election and no one came?
CHRISTIE: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie acknowledges the crowd Tuesday at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.. By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org The idea of a Wednesday election in mid-October is probably the furthest thing from ideal for the average New Jersey voter. Especially after years of popular campaigning and political outreach to remind citizens of all stripes to exercise their voting power through the ballot box on the Tuesday after the first Monday of every November. It’s a tradition that will not be upheld in the Garden State’s special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated […]
Is Cory Booker a ‘rubber stamp’ for Barack Obama?
By Yaël Ossowski | Watchdog.org A key part of Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Steve Lonegan‘s campaign consists of tying his Democratic opponent Cory Booker to the administration of President Barack Obama. In a fundraising email Lonegan sent Wednesday, the former mayor of Bogota laid out his case for way the race has reportedly narrowed to just 6 points according to Lonegan’s leaked internal polls, published in the National Review on Tuesday. “This race is close because I’m not afraid to point out the stark differences between Cory Booker and myself,” writes Lonegan. “And I’m not afraid to point out that Cory Booker is nothing more than a […]
Interview on 1450 WCTC Central New Jersey Radio
I appeared on 1450 WCTC Central New Jersey this morning to talk about my Watchdog.org story on Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s fake Twitter followers.