NJ Governor's Race Finally Over: Christie Beats Corzine

Left photograph of NJ Governor Corzine by Rich Schultz/AP; right photograph of Chris Christie by Mel Evans/AP

NJ residents—and the White House—are anxiously wondering who the next governor of NJ will be. Incumbent Jon Corzine (D) was facing not just Republican challenger Chris Christie but also independent Chris Daggett. Currently, NBC projects that Chris Christie is the winner.

Update, 10:26 p.m.: The AP reports, "Republican Chris Christie has defeated Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in New Jersey. With 71 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Christie had 50 percent of the vote to Corzine's 44 percent. Christie, a 47-year-old former federal prosecutor, became the first member of his party in a dozen years to win a statewide contest in heavily Democratic New Jersey." (The last Republican governor of NJ was Christie Todd Whitman.)

Many people believe that NJ's troubled finances and suburban unhappiness about property taxes led to Corzine's defeat. Corzine conceded, "We may be retiring from politics, but we will not stop speaking up for the issues we believe in.... At the end of the day, elections are not about the people that are running, they are about the choices they make. The people have chosen tonight."

Christie told supporters in his victory speech, "The times are extraordinarily difficult, but I stand here tonight full of hope for our future, full of expectations and dreams. I beg you, let's turn the page. Let's put the petty politics of the past behind us, and let's start a new era of hope and optimism in New Jersey." He also promised to fight corruption.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on November 3, 2009 9:30 PM

Comments [rss]

Michelle

Dear 50% of the voting populous of New Jersey. You're insane. I was watching a show surveying people on who they were voting for. All the Corzine fans had reasons, the Christie ones might as well have had a foam finger, an elephant on their shirt, and just screamed out "We're still pissed off about Obama!" Christie, let's get started on splitting up North and South Jersey. We'll make a deal, all the sane people will move down here, and you can do whatever off the wall whiz you want up there without any problems from us, we'll take Corzine, or hell even that other dude if we have to.

Oh yeah, bet Christies wife will still get her mammograms.

Mr Mel

Wanna bet that he doesn't finish his term?

NannyState

Put it on a plate and he'll finish it.

Sketto

I'm amused by people who still believe there is a difference between wealthy, connected Republicans and wealthy, connected Democrats. I feel like it's listening to an adult who still believes in Santa.

Yeah, NJ! You got a DIFFERENT corrupt guy now. Yippee.

No wonder you talk about the dude's weight. It's the only thing left to distinguish them.

just saying

Exactly. When Christie was a lobbyist for the firm of Dughi, Hewit & Palatucci, he lobbied on behalf of, among others, GPU Energy for deregulation of the NJ electric and gas industry as well as the Securities Industry Association to block the inclusion of securities fraud under the state's Consumer Fraud Act.

New Jersey deserves the politicians they elect.

corbindallas

If he cant manage his weight how is going to manage the state? I rarely see successful fat people. Yeah they get fat after they are successful. Oh and my taxes better go down. but im sure he was full of crap.

felixthecat2

Stand back and pinch your nose when He is ready to unload his extra baggage.

Kreetoo

Ah, more evidence that liberals are full of shit. Everyone has to be PC until your guy loses, right?

MLHencken

For real. Lighten up.

Best NJ Governor's race comment thread, evar.

iamdmg

it is always OK to make fun of fatties!

felixthecat2

He had the fat vote

Kojak

Which is like, 4/5ths of the electorate. He was a friggin shoe in.

eunicemk

... where are you getting that he's jewish?!

just saying

Gothamist apparently deleted a comment here.

NannyState

Chris Christie is so fat, when he stepped up to give his victory address, the ballroom doors opened to a sub-basement.

felixthecat2

I hope for his wife's sake that he doesn't want to "celebrate" his victory. Damn, He must have to push his belly aside to get his groove on.

jpeditor

"Chris Christie is so fat, when he stepped up to give his victory address, the ballroom doors opened to a sub-basement"

and in that sub-basement, he found all of corzine's corrupt 'rat bosses and obamunist union thugs drowned by the NJ voters.

BWA-HA-HA...

Bernie Madoff-Goetz

Christie is so fat, when Corzine's driver swerves to avoid hitting him in the road, he runs out of gas.

openheads

NannyState hearts New Jersey. It's official.

just saying

You can make all the jokes you want, but it's a well-established fact that fat people are harder to kidnap.

just saying

If you mean Corzine, you are (among other things) completely mistaken. His ethnic background is Dutch and his religious affiliation is Protestant.

Do you have any other brilliant insights to share with us?

just saying

Hey, what happened to the comment to which I replied?

robingee

Now, now. We can find things to diss him for that have nothing to do with his weight. Like his name is Chris "My Parents Hate Me" Christie.

Oh also his politics.