Va., N.J. candidates diverge on using Obama

[Blue_Tires]

The two Democrats running for governor in the closely watched New Jersey and Virginia elections this fall are taking markedly different approaches when it comes to President Barack Obama.

Down by double digits in polls and facing rock-bottom approval ratings, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine has embraced the president with gusto, regularly invoking his name on the campaign trail and embracing his agenda at every opportunity.

Obama, in turn, has headlined a campaign rally and fundraiser for the embattled incumbent and, in another show of support, last week sent an e-mail to Corzine supporters calling the governor “a great leader” and “a partner” in working to improve the economy.

In Virginia, however, state Sen. Creigh Deeds has taken a different tack. He’s been far more circumspect about his relationship with the president, using him to raise money and win support from the Democratic base but showing little desire to introduce Obama as a central character in his race or make the contest a referendum of the administration’s policies.

The disparate uses of the president reflect each candidate’s unique political calculus and highlight Obama’s strengths and drawbacks in two consequential elections that will reveal the contours of the 2010 political landscape.

“There were over 500,000 new voters that came out to support President Obama in both New Jersey and Virginia, and the trick for any Democratic candidate is to get them to show up again,” said Nathan Daschle, the executive director of the Democratic Governors Association. “And there’s nobody who’s better at getting them out than the president.”

(SNIP)

For Deeds, a longtime state legislator from rural Virginia, the political equation is complicated. During the Democratic primary, Deeds argued he was the most electable Democrat precisely because of his moderate voting record. Establishing a Corzine-like connection with the president could undermine that image.

Instead, on the campaign trail, Deeds talks about how he’s following in the footsteps of Virginia Govs. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and refers to Obama only sparingly. In his latest fundraising e-mail appeal, which attacks McDonnell for his ties to the Bush administration, he made no mention of Obama.

Deeds has insisted that he wants to keep the focus on statewide issues and avoid distractions about national policies that he has little control over. But it’s not lost on the Deeds campaign that Virginia, which holds its gubernatorial election one year after the presidential election, has a streak dating back to 1977 where that state has voted for a governor from the president’s opposing party.

It’s a delicate balance for the Democratic nominee. While Obama carried Virginia in the general election — making him the first Democratic presidential candidate to do so since 1964 — Deeds is looking to hold onto his own core voters in the rural western swath of the state, where Obama’s activist domestic agenda isn’t viewed as favorably as in other parts of the state.

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/07/va-nj-candidates-diverge-using-obama
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As i've said before; Deeds is really starting to worry me...I never thought I'd regret NOT voting for McAuliffe, but had he won he would have at least been running a much smarter campaign...By the time Deeds wakes up I fear it may be too late...DUers who are keeping track of things in New Jersey can chime in with how that race looks...

[leveymg]

1. If we had nominated McAuliffe, there would be two states where the GOP leads by double-digits

Obama will be with Deeds at a campaign rally in Northern Virginia next week. Just let the guy run his own race. Deeds is doing fine.

[Blue_Tires]

3. i guess i'm worrying too much

because i see nothing but McDonnell signs and stickers in my area...

[karynnj]

2. The NJ race is ugly

It doesn't help that there was another large corruption scandal with 40 some arrests, including some Democratic mayors. The only hope is that when push comes to shove, people vote on the issues. NJ is not a conservative state and Christie is conservative.

As to McAuliffe, this is just buyer's remourse. You have to remember that McAuliffe managed to lose a huge lead even though he had far more money than anyone else. As to smarter campaign - I think HRC was not all that well helped by him.

[MadBadger]

4. People are sick of Corzine already, and another negative campaign wont help him.

Christie is running a negative campaign as well, dont get me wrong. But this would be at least the second ugly campaign that Corzine has been involved in. They are both only running one ad, and its a negative one. I've seen these ads 2-3 times every hour on NY television stations. At this point, I'm sitting this race out.

[karynnj]

12. You said it

Not to mention, that every time I have ever done phone banking, a significant number of people bring up corruption. This time it will be worse. The negative ad makes this worse as it would be better to be able to defend good things - if that were what people were seeing something on that.

I actually think he did make some decent hard decisions on the budget - surprisingly managing to not cut school funding. I saw Corzine speak to Morris County Democrats and he did a great job defending the values behind that budget. I had thought he would have run a campaign with a centerpiece that his values and strength of leadership was shown in a very very tough time that required tough decisions. He has to defend the budget anyway and it really would be better done on the offensive than the defensive. It also wouldpush the debate to the issues and values. On this, I think the voters are closer to Corzine than to Christie. (My quess is that they think that it is better if people buy that Christie is corrupt too.

I will volunteer, but I am not enthusiastic. I do think that I can contrast their positions on issues to Corzine's advantage - but I also live in Christie's county.

[Blue_Tires]

5. oh yeah

i forgot about that corruption thing with the mayors, rabbis and organ selling...horrible stuff...

[Jennicut]

6. NJ once elected Christine Todd Whitman. Who knows what will happen?

Here in CT we have a moderate Repub governor. NJ can go back and forth.

[karynnj]

11. NJ had a string of GOP governors, including Whitman and Kean

Whitman likely won because Florio, the Democratic governor in acted a state income tax - after finding the state was in worse shape than Kean said. There was such a big backlash against Democrats over this that NJ almost voted out Bill Bradley for the unknown Whitman.

[ccharles000]

7. k/r

[FSogol]

8. Deeds needs to use Obama in NO Va and exburbs and go it alone in the southern part of the State.

My 2 cents.

[depakid]

10. And people say the south has :"changed"

The only major change was the economy- and the Republican's ability to chose halfway responsible candidates.

[Beacool]

9. It hasn't helped Corzine at all.

He's still tanking in the polls.

:(

[karynnj]

13. Where it might help is that it could have recruited some volunteers

One thing that they did right was that the various county parties got tickets and rented buses to the event. Corzine mad a pretty decent speech. Many Democrats have really not seen him. The list of people who went with the counties is already being used to try to get people to commit to helping.

I never thought that high profile people can transfer their popularity. What they can do is get people out to see the candidate running. That is the value of having appearances by people like the Clintons or any other high profile person. (I know when Corzine ran the first time, Kerry went to about 5 towns and made a pitch for people to volunteer and help elect Corzine. People were asked to give their email and phone number if they were willing to help. In Morris County, which is very Republican, they got 500 valid numbers and emails. I assume this was helpful - and it was much much smaller than Obama coming.)

[Beacool]

14. It may have helped with volunteers, I agree.

But this election is going to be a difficult time for incumbents. People are angry and afraid. Too many don't have jobs and others are afraid of losing the job they have. I have no beef with Corzine, he's a neighbor and I see him around town on occasion. But, I fear that he is going to lose, particularly after the current corruption mess.

Well, at least in Hoboken, Cammarano is finally resigning. Damn jerk was in office for only 3 weeks before getting arrested. That's a record even for Jersey.

:eyes: