Governor

Republican Gov. Jim Douglas applauded the selection of Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) as the Republican vice-presidential nominee Friday.

A second independent poll in seven days on the 2009 race for Governor shows a potentially close contest between Gov. Jon Corzine and Republican Christopher Christie, the United States Attorney.  A Zogby International poll conducted for Garden State Equality gives Corzine a 45%-36% lead over Christie; a Quinnipiac University poll released last Tuesday has Christie leading 41%-40% -- a statistical dead heat.

U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie is in a statistical dead head with Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in a 2009 gubernatorial poll: Getty Images Photo
A new Quinnipiac University poll released early this morning shows Gov. Jon Corzine and U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie are in a statistical dead heat in the 2009 race for Governor.  Corzine leads Christie 41%-40%. 

"Gov. Jon Corzine is in trouble.  Since most New Jersey voters say they don't know a lot about Christopher Christie, Gov. Corzine's record and inability to unscramble the state's budget mess is pulling him down," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.  

Los Angeles Mayor and rising Democratic Party star Antonio Villaraigosa appeared before several thousand cheering Teamsters Union members and environmental advocates Tuesday in Oakland to speak on behalf of linitiatives aimed at improving air emissions coming from the Port of Oakland and to provide better working conditions for non-union truck drivers employed there.

While Villaraigosa faces the same issues back home from the Port of Los Angeles-Long Beach complex, the political significance of his appearance in Northern California would seem to further signal the seriousness of efforts to improve his statewide name-recognition as he contemplates running to succeed Arnold Schwarznegger as governor in 2010.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom ended months of speculation by announcing Tuesday that he has formed an exploratory committee to consider running for governor of the Golden State in 2010. In an exclusive story broken by the broken by the Los Angeles Times, Newsom confirmed officially that he has filed papers to pursue being California's next governor, replacing the termed-out Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Gov. Jon Corzine’s job approval rating continues to be upside down, 38%-52% -- about the same as he was four months ago – according to a Quinnipiac University poll released this morning. Nearly six out of ten voters (57%) disapprove of his handling of the state budget.

Concord--State Sen. Joe Kenney (R-Wakefield) officially filed for governor with the Secretary of State today.

Is a lawsuit – settled out of court last month – against Donald DiFrancesco’s law firm alleging that the former Governor sexually harassed an attorney at this firm and then fired her the reason why against DiFrancesco Bateman Coley Yospin Kunzman Davis & Lehrer has a low percentage of women lawyers?  Of the nineteen partners at the firm, which includes State Senator Christopher Bateman, only one is a woman; the other eighteen are white men.  Of the eleven associates, eight are men; and three of the four Of Counsel are white men

Ending months of speculation, Vermont House Speaker Gaye Symington, a Democrat, will announce that she's running for governor on Monday, The Associated Press reports.

Two Democratic Party sources tell the AP that they were asked to keep their schedules free Monday morning, where Symington's kick-off announcement is expected at 10 a.m. at the statehouse in Montpelier.

Ending months of speculation, Vermont House Speaker Gaye Symington will announce that she's running for governor on Monday, The Associated Press reports.

Two Democratic Party sources tell the AP that they were asked to keep their schedules free Monday morning, where Symington's kick-off announcement is expected at 10 a.m. at the statehouse in Montpelier.