WASHINGTON (CNN)– The heated race for Governor in New Jersey is about to get a whole lot tougher in the final 10 days, according to the campaigns of Gov. Jon Corzine and Republican candidate Chris Christie.
Both campaigns will be doubling down on events to get their message out, but they are also counting on a last-minute boost from top party leaders.
President Barack Obama will head back to New Jersey next Sunday to campaign for Corzine, and former President Bill Clinton will be in the state Tuesday for two events with the governor.
"We have a lot of events and a myriad of guests," Corzine campaign manager Maggie Moran told CNN in a phone interview. Others scheduled to campaign are various Cabinet secretaries, including Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Moran said the campaign will be focused on targeting specific demographic groups that might not normally vote in a non-presidential election year.
"You will see a series of literally hundreds of events going on in different counties in New Jersey," Moran said.
According to Christie's senior campaign adviser Mike DuHaime, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will join Christie in New Jersey sometime next weekend for multiple campaign stops.
In a phone interview, DuHaime said the campaign is going to focus in the final days on Christie's differences with Corzine.
"I think what you're going to see is continued contrast on the biggest issue that's facing this state and that's the taxes," he said.
Both campaigns said they have plans to release a few last-minute ads highlighting the contrast between the candidates.
On Wednesday, Christie is embarking on a 7-day bus tour that will have between 8 and 10 stops per day.
Late October polls show Corzine and Christie polling neck-and-neck, while Independent candidate Chris Daggett continues to make gains, primarily peeling support away from the Republican challenger.
Both campaigns say they will put a big focus on their get-out-the vote efforts on Election Day
"We will be bustling with activity," the Christie campaign’s DuHaime said, adding he expects "hundreds of people if not thousands … will be knocking on doors and making phone calls" on election day.
The Corzine campaign says it will be out in full force, too. Moran said the campaign plans to have "10,000 canvassers knocking on hundreds of thousands of doors predominantly in 8 counties and some additional communities as well."
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Go Chris Daggett!!
I am a registered Dem, but I will tell you that neither Christie nor Corzine will bring the change that New Jersey needs! We are the most corrupt state in the union and this has got to stop. Let's show the nation that we know we need change and that needed change comes with Daggett!
chris christe needs to realised that nobody likes bush tax cut for rich people
also we know the republicans don't care about the middle class they support the rich
I will say though I hope john corzine lowers taxes
this is so funny, here you have governors coming out of there own state's like rat's trying to help christie, when they are in trouble in there own state. very very funny.
Keep it Dem New Jersey!
There is no way the people of NJ would pick Boss Hog over Corzine. He is too much in his attitude like the good old boys. Like Boss Hog and the busher he thinks he is entitled to everything.,
Amazing that this should even be a race...and I say that as a Dem supporting Corzine. Christie has managed to diddle away every advantage and opportunity which had been dumped in his lap and I'm thinking that Corzine will win by a narrow margin. And...let's stop putting so much stock in this nonsense about how this race and the VA Gove race are some sort of "tests" for the President and the Dems. These races have always been run on local issues and this year is no different.
Research New Jersey and than try to explain to me how the current Governor has anyone interested in re-electing him. The only thing the Dem has done in New Jersey is grown his base by growing government and making sure everyone who depends on the average tax payer for there salary recieved a raise. It has been a complete failure in New Jersey, but atleast the Obama plan is working in the same way for the rest of the country. New Jersey even tried to layoff workers and with a debt of under $1.5 trillion, Washington said don't worry about we will pay for them.
Why are people still voting for Republicans?
When the voters of New Jersey elect Christie they're going to send a resounding message to Washington - we want freedom and liberty, not socialism!
So long Corzine, maybe Obama has a Czar job for you.
Oh yeah, I can see Rudy campaigning with Chris Christie. Wasn't Giuliani the guy who brought us Bernard Kerik – the famed REPUBLICAN commissioner of Police now under indictment and being held in jail without bail?
If I remember correctly, it was Giuliani who recommended Bernard Kerik to be the Homeland Security "Czar" under Bush!
My mom used to say: "Show me your friends, and I'll tell you who you are."
The president should keep his nose out of state politics - especially in my state! He should tend to business at the federal level and stay away from state matters. Even the citizens in New York want him to clam up regarding their governor's race!
Jon Corizne is a disaster. Our unemployment rate has jumped 5% since he took office and he keeps raising our taxes, like a good little Democrat. Our property taxes are astronomical (the worst in the nation) and he talks abut increasing taxes if he gets re-elected.
Obama must be delusional to think that Corzine has done nothing but make a complete shambles of New Jersey. He needs to stay in Washington and take care of all of our mounting problems nationwide, which he has handled horribly!
I have news for him and Corzine: Chris Christie is going to be our next governor, which will continue to show that Obama is losing credibility by the day!
The state of NJ is in the same place as national voters were in 2008....between a rock and a hard place. Hmmmm, let me think, do I want to vote for a Bush republican (with McCain overtones) or an Obama democrat. Good luck!
That Corzine needs Clinton and Obama at this late date indicates
panic. Whatever became of the fabled millions Corzine boasts of
having? When times are tough, voters tend to blame it on incumbents.