Booker considering challenging Christie in '13

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Christie and Booker are basically best friends. It's odd that he'd want to challenge him.

I like them both though and New Jersey would win either way.

[bedstuy]

I wouldn't be so pessimistic about Booker's chances. 

1. NJ is a clearly Democratic leaning state. 
2. NJ Democrats have picked consistently poor quality candidates and won anyway. 
3. Christie received only 48% of the vote against Jon Corzine. 
4. Cory Booker is an extremely talented candidate, who can raise a ton of money. 
5. A lot can happen between now and November 2013.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

I wouldn't be so pessimistic about Booker's chances. 

1. NJ is a clearly Democratic leaning state. 
2. NJ Democrats have picked consistently poor quality candidates and won anyway. 
3. Christie received only 48% of the vote against Jon Corzine. 
4. Cory Booker is an extremely talented candidate, who can raise a ton of money. 
5. A lot can happen between now and November 2013.

1. Christie's approval rating is around 55%

[Svensson]

I wouldn't be so pessimistic about Booker's chances. 

1. NJ is a clearly Democratic leaning state. 
2. NJ Democrats have picked consistently poor quality candidates and won anyway. 
3. Christie received only 48% of the vote against Jon Corzine. 
4. Cory Booker is an extremely talented candidate, who can raise a ton of money. 
5. A lot can happen between now and November 2013.

1. Christie's approval rating is around 55%

Which I believe makes him the most popular governor in recent New Jersey history, and certainly the most-liked current politician in the state.

[Horus]

This would be a difficult election to vote in because I actually like both candidates. Rare that something like that happens.

[Niemeyerite]

This would be a difficult election to vote in because I actually like both candidates. Rare that something like that happens.

That's my problem, too. I'm undecided right now. I may support Christie.

I wouldn't be so pessimistic about Booker's chances. 

1. NJ is a clearly Democratic leaning state. 
2. NJ Democrats have picked consistently poor quality candidates and won anyway. 
3. Christie received only 48% of the vote against Jon Corzine. 
4. Cory Booker is an extremely talented candidate, who can raise a ton of money. 
5. A lot can happen between now and November 2013.

1. Christie's approval rating is around 55%

1. Scott Brown's approval was over 60%. So was Chaffee's.

[RogueBeaver]

Federal race, not state. But I'll believe Booker challenges Christie if/when he makes an official announcement. Not before.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Polls better open seat. Hopefully Christie takes Perez dive.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I wouldn't be so pessimistic about Booker's chances. 

1. NJ is a clearly Democratic leaning state. 
2. NJ Democrats have picked consistently poor quality candidates and won anyway. 
3. Christie received only 48% of the vote against Jon Corzine. 
4. Cory Booker is an extremely talented candidate, who can raise a ton of money. 
5. A lot can happen between now and November 2013.

1. Christie's approval rating is around 55%

Which I believe makes him the most popular governor in recent New Jersey history, and certainly the most-liked current politician in the state.

Richard Codey is generally well-liked, or at least was the last time I spent a significant amount of time in New Jersey.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

This would be a difficult election to vote in because I actually like both candidates. Rare that something like that happens.

That's my problem, too. I'm undecided right now. I may support Christie.

I wouldn't be so pessimistic about Booker's chances. 

1. NJ is a clearly Democratic leaning state. 
2. NJ Democrats have picked consistently poor quality candidates and won anyway. 
3. Christie received only 48% of the vote against Jon Corzine. 
4. Cory Booker is an extremely talented candidate, who can raise a ton of money. 
5. A lot can happen between now and November 2013.

1. Christie's approval rating is around 55%

1. Scott Brown's approval was over 60%. So was Chaffee's.

The major difference: New Jersey actually has a solid, reliable GOP base around 40%.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Senate seat races tend to be far more partisan than Governor's races. Regardless of Scott Brown's personal policies, he was going to support Mitch McConnell. Meanwhile, when it comes to Christie, New Jersey is more concerned with his policies in the state than his party. The only partisan motivation they'd have to turn him out is to cut down a GOP star.

It's a 50-50 shot for Booker at best (and I doubt it's that good), so I doubt he takes it.

[bedstuy]

Senate seat races tend to be far more partisan than Governor's races. Regardless of Scott Brown's personal policies, he was going to support Mitch McConnell. Meanwhile, when it comes to Christie, New Jersey is more concerned with his policies in the state than his party. The only partisan motivation they'd have to turn him out is to cut down a GOP star.

It's a 50-50 shot for Booker at best (and I doubt it's that good), so I doubt he takes it.

I would definitely put the odds south of 50%. 

But what is the cost of losing though?  Obviously, it doesn't look good to lose, but I see some pluses to just giving it a shot.  He can build a donor network for future campaigns, become more nationally known and look like a good soldier for the Democrats.  Honestly, he should be worried about winning and becoming governor of New Jersey.  That might tarnish his political career more than losing to Christie. 

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Senate seat races tend to be far more partisan than Governor's races. Regardless of Scott Brown's personal policies, he was going to support Mitch McConnell. Meanwhile, when it comes to Christie, New Jersey is more concerned with his policies in the state than his party. The only partisan motivation they'd have to turn him out is to cut down a GOP star.

It's a 50-50 shot for Booker at best (and I doubt it's that good), so I doubt he takes it.

I would definitely put the odds south of 50%. 

But what is the cost of losing though?  Obviously, it doesn't look good to lose, but I see some pluses to just giving it a shot.  He can build a donor network for future campaigns, become more nationally known and look like a good soldier for the Democrats.  Honestly, he should be worried about winning and becoming governor of New Jersey.  That might tarnish his political career more than losing to Christie. 

True, but there's no shortage of people looking to move up in New Jersey. If he takes the plunge on Governor and, say, loses 52-48, will everyone else step aside so he can run for Senate the next year? Because that's probably the only statewide open seat that will be around for a while.

Right now, he has the power to pretty much clear the room when he wants to run for something. But that will likely only work once. I don't see him rolling the dice.

[bedstuy]

Senate seat races tend to be far more partisan than Governor's races. Regardless of Scott Brown's personal policies, he was going to support Mitch McConnell. Meanwhile, when it comes to Christie, New Jersey is more concerned with his policies in the state than his party. The only partisan motivation they'd have to turn him out is to cut down a GOP star.

It's a 50-50 shot for Booker at best (and I doubt it's that good), so I doubt he takes it.

I would definitely put the odds south of 50%. 

But what is the cost of losing though?  Obviously, it doesn't look good to lose, but I see some pluses to just giving it a shot.  He can build a donor network for future campaigns, become more nationally known and look like a good soldier for the Democrats.  Honestly, he should be worried about winning and becoming governor of New Jersey.  That might tarnish his political career more than losing to Christie. 

True, but there's no shortage of people looking to move up in New Jersey. If he takes the plunge on Governor and, say, loses 52-48, will everyone else step aside so he can run for Senate the next year? Because that's probably the only statewide open seat that will be around for a while.

Right now, he has the power to pretty much clear the room when he wants to run for something. But that will likely only work once. I don't see him rolling the dice.

Fair enough.  It depends on whether he's a gambling man.  If he's happy ending his career in the senate or as NJ governor, it's probably the wrong time.  If he really wants to be POTUS, he should just let it ride.  People thought Barack Obama was running for Senate too soon back in 2004. 

[Benj]

I wouldn't be so pessimistic about Booker's chances. 

1. NJ is a clearly Democratic leaning state. 
2. NJ Democrats have picked consistently poor quality candidates and won anyway. 
3. Christie received only 48% of the vote against Jon Corzine. 
4. Cory Booker is an extremely talented candidate, who can raise a ton of money. 
5. A lot can happen between now and November 2013.

1. Christie's approval rating is around 55%

Certainly Christie is quite popular--though Booker is equally or perhaps even more popular. Gubernatorial races are generally less partisan than federal elections, but between two very popular candidates, it seems that the underlying political fundamentals would again become important. I think it's very hard to say who would win. One thing that is often overlooked about 2009 is the complete abandonment of Corzine by the NJ county machines (amusingly, out of staters often referred to Corzine as a machine politician--nothing could be further from the truth). Booker would not have the same problem.

[Psychic Octopus]

This would be an unbelievably stupid move. Booker could pull it off, but considering that he will be running in an off-year election against a popular and charismatic incumbent, it's too big of a risk. Booker should focus on getting that trying to "persuade" Lautenberg to retire in 2014.

I don't think he runs. Booker is a young and politically-savvy politician. He'll have his turn, but now isn't the time.

[BM]

Rolling my eyes at the Democrats saying they'd have a hard time deciding. Christie is a bully and union busting thug with a serious shot at rising to the presidency. We should be doing everything we can to take him down prematurely, and that includes encouraging the best candidate (Booker) to run.

I agree it'd be an uphill battle, especially after Sandy, but still not impossible in NJ. And who knows how things will look in 2013.