Mike Ferguson

Kean, Ferguson and Lance make the rounds in Cranford

CRANFORD -- State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Flemington) said turnout is high today, but that it won’t necessarily benefit his opponent in the 7th District Congressional race.

“I’ve been endorsed by every editorial board based upon my independence and views on the issues, and I believe that the public will vote based upon the issues,” said Lance, who’s running against Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Fanwood).

At his own polling place in solidly Republican Hunterdon County, Lance and his wife were voters numbers 305 and 306 as of 10:30 a.m., which Lance called a “very healthy” turnout.

CRANFORD -- State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Flemington) said turnout is high today, but that it won’t necessarily benefit his opponent in the 7th District Congressional race.

“I’ve been endorsed by every editorial board based upon my independence and views on the issues, and I believe that the public will vote based upon the issues,” said Lance, who’s running against Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Fanwood).

At his own polling place in solidly Republican Hunterdon County, Lance and his wife were voters numbers 305 and 306 as of 10:30 a.m., which Lance called a “very healthy” turnout.

Fresh from vacation with his family and sporting a new goatee, retiring U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson said State Sen. Leonard Lance is doing a “super” job trying to succeed him.

“He’s got a tremendous track record, legislative and politically. He’s a very strong campaigner, and he’s got a great record to talk about, particularly in contrast to someone we all know well has been raising taxes in our state for 15 or 20 years,” he said.

“When you look at the fiscal problems facing our state today, its’ because of people like Linda Stender who have been raising our taxes, increasing borrowing, increasing spending.  That’s a really positive contrast for him, and I think as the campaign plays out over the next couple months the voters are going to learn that.”

New Jersey Republican Chairman Tom Wilson released a statement Monday blasting Assemblywoman and Democratic congressional candidate Linda Stender (D-Union) on her personal tax problems.

In the statement, Wilson said Stender accured $90,000 in unpaid local, state and federal taxes over the last three years, paying only when faced with foreclosure on her home.

Wilson said Stender has consistently voted to raise taxes in the state Assembly while neglecting to pay her own.

Stender's raised taxes 64 times as a legislator, but when it comes to paying her own taxes, she routinely takes a pass," Wilson said in the statement. "The last thing Congress needs is another tax and spend liberal all too eager to raise everyone else's taxes because she doesn't want to pay hers."

Stender is facing off against state Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon) in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District. She failed in a 2006 bid to take the seat from incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-Ridgewood), who is not seeking reelection.

New Jersey Republican Chairman Tom Wilson released a statement Monday blasting Assemblywoman and Democratic congressional candidate Linda Stender (D-Union) on her personal tax problems.

In the statement, Wilson said Stender accured $90,000 in unpaid local, state and federal taxes over the last three years, paying only when faced with foreclosure on her home.

Wilson said Stender has consistently voted to raise taxes in the state Assembly while neglecting to pay her own.

Stender's raised taxes 64 times as a legislator, but when it comes to paying her own taxes, she routinely takes a pass," Wilson said in the statement. "The last thing Congress needs is another tax and spend liberal all too eager to raise everyone else's taxes because she doesn't want to pay hers."

Stender is facing off against state Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon) in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District. She failed in a 2006 bid to take the seat from incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-Ridgewood), who is not seeking reelection.

New Jersey Republican Chairman Tom Wilson released a statement Monday blasting Assemblywoman and Democratic congressional candidate Linda Stender (D-Union) on her personal tax problems.

In the statement, Wilson said Stender accured $90,000 in unpaid local, state and federal taxes over the last three years, paying only when faced with foreclosure on her home.

Wilson said Stender has consistently voted to raise taxes in the state Assembly while neglecting to pay her own.

Stender's raised taxes 64 times as a legislator, but when it comes to paying her own taxes, she routinely takes a pass," Wilson said in the statement. "The last thing Congress needs is another tax and spend liberal all too eager to raise everyone else's taxes because she doesn't want to pay hers."

Stender is facing off against state Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon) in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District. She failed in a 2006 bid to take the seat from incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-Ridgewood), who is not seeking reelection.

GREEN BROOK -- The idea has dogged State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Flemington) since he started his congressional campaign in the 7th District: that he's well respected as a policy wonk, but doesn't have the political wherewithal to run a federal race in a fiercely competitive district.

Lance's critics found evidence of that claim when they saw that he had only $80,000 cash on hand at the end of the last reporting period to rival Linda Stender's (D-Fanwood) $1.2 million.

Today, Lance acknowledged that some of his supporters were taken aback by the anemic war chest, but noted that he's raised a lot of money since the June 30th filing deadline - which occurred just 26 days after Lance blew his war chest against a well-funded primary campaign by Kate Whitman and five other candidates.

Lance said that he doesn't know how much he's raised since then, but that he's certain it's "more than $100,000."  He also has six fundraisers scheduled over the coming months, and will stay home to campaign and raise money during the Republican National Convention in September.

Politicker.com Managing Editor James Pindell has launched The Pindell Report, ranks and analyzes all U.S. Senate races and governors races, the top 59 U.S. House races, and 19 presidential swing states – with updates the moment news breaks. The report heavily leans on the basis of two dozen reporters in fifteen key states where Politicker.com currently has locally devoted political news websites. In New Jersey, Pindell says the U.S. Senate race is Likely Democratic, as is the race for Republican Jim Saxton’s open House seat in District 3. Pindell says the contest to replace Republican Mike Ferguson in District 7 is Leans Democratic.

Four Democratic Assembly seats not expected to be in play in 2007 turned out to be especially close, including Linda Stender, who won re-election in 2007 about the same number of votes Mike Ferguson did in his congressional race against her 2006 bid.

Stender defeated Republican Robert Gatto, who spent about $100 and mounted no real campaign, by just 3,327 votes in the 22nd district.  Her running mate, Gerald Green, defeated Bryan Des Roschers by just 3,260 votes.  Gatto and Des Roschers have both lost bids for municipal office.

WASHINGTON -- Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Union) will be one of the candidates attending a Wednesday evening fundraiser for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s top “Red to Blue” recruits.

A Stender spokesperson did not provide further details about the event, but a separate Democratic source said that public interest groups, political action committees, and labor and business groups were expected to be in attendance at the fundraiser. The event is set to take place at the Democratic National Committee’s Washington headquarters.

The fundraiser is being bundled with a Thursday DCCC-sponsored training session for House challengers focusing on messaging and rapid response which party leaders and top committee aides are expected to attend. The DCCC held similar sessions in February and May. Stender’s campaign would not say if they would be attending Thursday’s training session.