2005: Election Endorsements

Someone at work recently asked me whom I was going to vote for this year, and I had no idea what he was talking about. Then I remembered - we New Jersey voters have to elect a permanent governor on November 8. I forgot, and I was hoping I could have forgotten until November 9. Neither of the two candidates, Democrat Jon Corzine or Republican Doug Forrester, strike my fancy very much. Senate President Richard Codey, serving as acting governor, has actually done a good job keeping the fiscally troubled state afloat and being direct and honest with the electorate, and a lot of people - including me - wish he were running for governor. But he isn't, and now we have to choose between a self-made millionaire businessman on one hand and. . . a self-made millionaire businessman on the other hand. :-O

Anyway, with Election Day coming up, here are my endorsements for the major races this year - except the race for the governorship of Virginia, which I know nothing about.

For Governor of New Jersey: This blog, without much enthusiasm, endorses Jon Corzine, and for all the obvious reasons. He supports tougher gun control restrictions, he supports more affordable health care, and he is more likely to deliver on property tax rebates than Forrester is.

For Mayor of New York City: This blog endorses Republican incumbent Michael Bloomberg. New York City's streets remain as safe as they were when Bloomberg took over four years ago - safer, in fact - and the city's beleaguered school system seems to be showing something resembling improvement, no mean feat in this day and age. Plus, he showed real leadership during the August 2003 blackout that affected the Northeast. Although I respect Democratic challenger Fernando Ferrer, I have to go with Mike in this contest.

I now return you to ordinary life.