NJ Voters to Choose Governor
New Jersey voters haven't elected a Republican statewide in 12 years.
By DANIELLE JOHNSON
Updated 6:37 PM EST, Tue, Nov 3, 2009
Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, the billionaire former Wall Street executive, was fighting to earn a second term in a contest with Republican former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie and an independent candidate, Chris Daggett Tuesday.
With such a close race, centered on the economy and the state's highest-in-the-nation taxes, we've boiled down five issues, which may determine the outcome in the Garden State's gubernatorial election.
The three major candidates in the race for Governor of New Jersey got an early morning start to cast their votes. Corzine cast his vote in Hoboken; Christie in Mendham and Independent Chris Daggett cast his vote in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards.
Election workers said voter turnout has been steady across the state.
The race, considered to be primarily between Corzine and Christie, is too close to call.
The NJ Governor race is one of only two gubernatorial races in the nation, in which President Obama has shown he has a stake.
Obama has endorsed Gov. Jon Corzine as a partner in five campaign appearances, and a win by the Republican former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie would sting the president ahead of next year's midterm elections.
The other governor's race is in Virginia, where the Republican leads in polls.
New Jersey voters haven't elected a Republican statewide in a dozen years.
Obama carried New Jersey by 15 percent last year.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Philadelphia
First Published: Nov 3, 2009 1:09 PM EST
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