The Hard Road, and Funny Ad, of a New Jersey Independent
A good reason for skepticism about whether Chris Daggett's percentage on Election Day will remain as high as it is in recent polls: Just 14 percent say he can win. Another 14 percent aren't sure.
I had looked at recent New Jersey statewide races in vain for any sign that third-party or independent bids can have an impact; Wally Edge shows just how far back you have to look:
Winning as an independent in New Jersey is indeed difficult: the most an independent running for state office has won is 6 percent (Murray Sabrin, as the Libertarian gubernatorial candidate in 1997); and only one person, Anthony Imperiale, has ever won election to the state legislature as an independent — for Assemblyman in 1971 and State Senator in 1973. In 2009, there are ten independent candidates running for governor.
Obviously, there's a first time for everything, and considering how well he's polled, and the amount of attention and coverage he has received, it's possible Daggett will beat Sabrin's 6 percent.
Daggett has a new 30-second ad, which continues using impersonators for Democrat Jon Corzine and Republican Chris Christie.
I had been noting that Daggett seemed to have been pulling his punches a bit on Corzine, so I should give him credit — that commercial barely mentions Christie ("JAIL!") and holds nothing back against Corzine.
Having said that, if solving New Jersey's budget mess just required a governor who said, "Don't spend money you don't have," the state would be in better shape. Also Daggett's litany of taxes he'll cut doesn't mention how he'll extend the sales tax to additional services. State government gives cash back with one hand, but takes it back again with the other.
