Can New Jerseyans explain why big name Democrats aren't stumping for Barbara Buono?

[fried eggs]

She is the person running against Chris Christie for governor of New Jersey. I never heard of her prior to stumbling upon an interview she did today with Chuck tOdd, and I felt bad for her because it appears she has been abandoned by the democratic party.

[djean111]

1. I believe Buono is a Progressive Democrat.

Also think Christie is closer to what the new Centrist Dem Party is all about these days.

[leftyohiolib]

2. defunding public education now a democratic meme?

[MineralMan]

3. Do you have a link where her support for that is explained?

It will be difficult for any Democrat to defeat the incumbent Governor at this point, but I think you should offer some backup information on your claim about the Democratic candidate.

[onehandle]

4. Pretty sure leftyohiolib meant Christie. Not Buono. nt

[leftyohiolib]

16. thank you

[geek tragedy]

5. Dirty secret is that endorsers don't like to endorse losing candidates.

They're frontrunners--they don't want to endorse someone and then watch them get obliterated, thus proving that their endorsement is worthless.

[gopiscrap]

7. yup, that's a lot of it

[JustAnotherGen]

13. No

Kickbacks to the DEMOCRATS in STATE that endorsed her.

Everything - and I mean EVERYTHING is a shake down or a scam in NJ - especially with our very oily Democratic Party machine.

She is a perfect progressive - and it has been an honor to canvass and call for her in spite of a double whammy of pnuemonia and MRSA -

We did the best we could. But the fucking machine in this state fucked us over good.

[BlueCaliDem]

6. Barbara Buono has major "cojones" for willing to challenge Chris Christie when no one else dared.

And for this alone she should be 100% supported by the Democratic Party and progressive New Jerseyans. Based on Chris Christie's very Republican "leadership" in the Garden State, he needs to be removed, and all Democrats should vote for Buono even if they have to ignore the Democratic Party that is supporting him.

If you don't know who this experienced Democratic politician is, a simple Google search will remedy that:

Before entering the Senate, Buono served in the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature, the General Assembly, from 1994 to 2002, where she served as the Minority Parliamentarian from 1996-98. In the Assembly, Buono became the ranking Democrat on the Assembly Budget Committee. She was Democratic Conference Chair from 2004 to 2007.[2] She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succeeding Stephen Sweeney.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Buono

[Mass]

8. For the same reason that only crazy Republicans are stumping for Cooch. The do not want to stump for

losers.

[cali]

9. pretty pathetic. and btw, Cooch has tons of heavy hitter repukes campaigning for him

[Mass]

10. Did you miss the part about crazy? Do we have crazy Democrats that are heavy hitters?

Not to my knowledge.

I think it is too bad. She would be a good governor. But the political reality tells them that she cannot win, so they are not showing up.

In addition, quite a few Dems have come and campaign for her. It is just that the media only care about the Clintons and Obama. Guess what, the Clintons only show up when they see their advantage, and Obama will not come to support a candidate that will lose. That is as basic as that.

Happy to see my governor came.

[FarCenter]

11. She lacks support of major NJ Democratic figures, so national big names are shy.

Chris Christie’s Opponent, Barbara Buono, Wages Lonely Campaign

It’s not just about crowd size, although that is stark as well. High profile Democrats have parachuted in to campaign for her, including Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, and Chair of the Democratic National Committee Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. But it’s much lonelier when you look at the big names about to campaign for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe. Both Clintons have already hit the road for their old friend, and the president and vice president will stump with him Sunday and Monday.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/11/chris-christies-opponent-barbara-buono-wages-lonely-campaign/

It's not good when headlines identify you by relating you to your opponent.

[DonViejo]

12. Based solely on my experience of running campaigns

for political office, I have to ask, has she asked the mucky-mucks to campaign for and/or with her? I know that's a really stupid position but I'm surprised how many grand poo-bahs won't get off their butts for a candidate unless they are asked/invited to.

[JustAnotherGen]

14. Kind of have to go through the State Leadership

For that - and those 'good old boys' were against her right out of the gate.

[tabbycat31]

15. She's a woman

Like it or not (and nobody will admit it) the NJ Democratic Party (and I say this as a NJ Democrat) is an old boys network, and they have not backed her 100%.

[bigdarryl]

17. I live in this state and its a CESSPOOL!!! high unemployment High ass property taxes

And fatso is going around bragging he did State pension reform which is a joke he didn't do shit but screw there state worker work force right up the you know what.This guy has so many skeletons in his closet that it makes Big Dog look like a choir boy.But the media kisses his ass like 101.5 that leans right wing and doesn't go into what he has done politically in the past

[tabbycat31]

18. The media has been in love with him from day 1

I'm surprised that they're not pulling his pants down on national TV at this point.

I am a resident of NJ but I'm living in NC for a work assignment now.