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You are here: Home / Archives for 2013 Campaign

Christie Campaign Gets a Federal Subpoena

January 8, 2015 at 10:14 am EST By Taegan Goddard 21 Comments

Federal prosecutors in New Jersey have subpoenaed Gov. Chris Christie’s re-election campaign for “documents relating to government meetings that were allegedly canceled with Jersey City’s mayor after he declined to endorse the governor,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The subpoenas, sent by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, are another sign that the yearlong probe into former allies of Mr. Christie has broadened beyond matters directly related to the George Washington Bridge lane closures… Investigators were probing the office’s operations and how staffers separated official business from campaign work, according to a person familiar with the probe.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign, 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Chris Christie

Ex-Aide Contradicts Christie on Efforts to Woo Mayor

May 21, 2014 at 8:46 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A former aide to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) described an aggressive effort “to cultivate Fort Lee’s mayor for at least a year and a half before lanes were closed at the George Washington Bridge in an act of political retribution,” the New York Times reports.

“The description of the efforts to woo the mayor seemed to run contrary to the governor’s statement after the lane closings exploded into a scandal in January that Mayor Mark Sokolich had never been on his ‘radar screen.'”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Paper Regrets Christie Endorsement

February 9, 2014 at 11:18 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Newark Star Ledger walks back its endorsement of Gov. Chris Christie (R) in last year’s gubernatorial election.

“Yes, we knew Christie was a bully. But we didn’t know his crew was crazy enough to put people’s lives at risk in Fort Lee as a means to pressure the mayor. We didn’t know he would use Hurricane Sandy aid as a political slush fund. And we certainly didn’t know that Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer was sitting on a credible charge of extortion by Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

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Why Christie Cared So Much About Fort Lee

January 29, 2014 at 9:42 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New York Times: “His campaign called them ‘the Top 100,’ the swing towns that Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey wanted to win as he prepared for a re-election campaign. Capturing these towns, sometimes referred to as mini-Ohios or mini-Floridas, would validate the governor’s argument that he would be the most broadly appealing Republican choice for president in 2016.”

“Staff members in the governor’s office created tabbed and color-coded dossiers on the mayors of each town — who their friends and enemies were, the policies and projects that were dear to them — that were bound in notebooks for the governor to review in his S.U.V. between events.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Christie Rival Called Him a ‘Bully’ in Unaired Ad

January 20, 2014 at 10:10 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Time has obtained an unaired television ad from Barbara Buono’s (D) gubernatorial campaign last year that accuses Gov. Chris Christie (R) of being a bully.

The tagline: “Some say this bully can’t be beaten. I’m Barbara Buono and I say that’s up to you.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Christie Canceled Meetings After Mayor Didn’t Endorse

January 13, 2014 at 11:01 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New documents released to the Wall Street Journal “indicate that meetings arranged between top commissioners to Gov. Chris Christie and Jersey City mayor Steve Fulop were abruptly canceled without reason last year–providing evidence of Mr. Fulop’s claim that he was cut off after he decided not to endorse the governor.”

“The documents don’t indicate why the meetings were scrapped, but Mr. Fulop has said that he was punished for declining to endorse the governor. Mr. Christie attended the Democrat’s inauguration in Jersey City in July, and Mr. Fulop’s advisers had considered endorsing Mr. Christie, but ultimately didn’t.”

Jeff Zeleny: “It’s another buckle-your-seatbelt kind of week for Gov. Chris Christie. The around-the-clock analysis of his political future shows little sign of easing”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Christie Pressed Hard for Endorsements

January 13, 2014 at 6:46 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Wall Street Journal: “Interviews with mayors and other New Jersey Democratic officials show that Mr. Christie’s allies in conversations that swung from friendly to persistent fostered a perception of better access to the governor’s office and state commissions for those who cooperated, while a few who stayed neutral or endorsed Mr. Christie’s opponent said they felt locked out. Others suffered no harm.”

“One question is whether carrot-and-stick political tactics by Christie aides played a role in a traffic scandal allegedly engineered as a political punishment for a Democratic mayor who didn’t endorse the governor.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Fewer Recalls in 2013

December 31, 2013 at 11:11 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Joshua Spivak notes a steep drop off in elected officials who were recalled by voters this year.

“In 2011, we had 151. In 2012, we had 168, with 509 attempts. In 2013, we have 107, with 478 attempts. Of those 107 recalls, 73 were ousted; 51 officials lost a race, and another 22 resigned — a 68% removal rate. As in the past, these number probably understate the amount of recalls that took place.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

A Year of Crazy

December 27, 2013 at 11:31 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Week: The 13 craziest, most offensive things said by politicians in 2013.

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Best Political Ads of the Year

December 27, 2013 at 9:03 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Roll Call rounds up the top political ads of 2013.

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Weiner Hints at Another Comeback Attempt

December 26, 2013 at 5:00 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Anthony Weiner (D) posted a thank you message to supporters on Facebook “that leaves the door open-ever so slightly-to another comeback run,” Politicker reports.

Said Weiner: “What’s next? I’ll keep you posted on my plans. But I hope we keep the band together.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Obenshain Will Concede in Virginia

December 18, 2013 at 2:49 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Virginia attorney general candidate Mark Obenshain (R) will concede the race to Mark Herring (D) this afternoon, the certified winner of the Nov. 5 election, the Richmond Times Dispatch reports.

“As Herring’s lead in the statewide tally had steadily widened since the recount began Monday, it became increasingly clear that Obenshain would not be able to swing the race in his favor.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Byrne Easily Wins in Alabama

December 18, 2013 at 6:58 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Bradley Byrne (R) coasted to victory in Alabama’s 1st congressional district special election on Tuesday night, easily defeating Burton LeFlore (D) in the final congressional special election of 2013, Roll Call reports.

Mobile Press-Register:
“Returning from the nadir of his political career after a stinging loss
in the 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary, Bradley Byrne on Tuesday
won a landslide victory over Democrat Burton LeFlore in a special
election for Congress.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Virginia Recount Underway

December 17, 2013 at 10:00 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The recount in Virginia’s attorney general race began Monday and will likely conclude toward the end of this week,” Politico reports.

If Mark Herring (D) “prevails after the recount, Democrats will control all three statewide constitutional offices for the first time since 1989.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Bonus Quote of the Day

December 16, 2013 at 10:19 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“I’m very, very annoyed and disappointed that my plan wasn’t God’s plan. I really want to know what the reason is.”

— Christine Quinn (D), quoted by the New York Daily News, on her failed mayoral bid.

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Dismal Turnout in Massachusetts Special Election

December 11, 2013 at 10:03 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Boston Globe notes that very few voters actually took part in the special election yesterday that sends Katherine Clark (D) to Congress.

“Turnout was a dismal 13 percent, which appeared to set a record for
voter apathy in the state’s recent US House races. The previous
low-water mark was the October 2001 special election that Stephen F.
Lynch won with a 17 percent turnout.”

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Clark Wins Special Election in Massachusetts

December 10, 2013 at 8:51 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Katherine Clark (D) handily defeated Frank Addivinola (R) in Massachusetts’ 5th District special election to fill the seat left vacant by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), Roll Call reports.

Smart Politics notes it’s the 92nd consecutive House loss for Republicans in the state.

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

Did Christie Allies Close Bridge for Political Retribution?

December 10, 2013 at 8:10 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“For as long as anyone can remember the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has worked like this: two governors divide up the board and staff appointments, and the contracts that flow from that. No one blows the whistle on anyone else, because that might jeopardize one’s own spoils,” WNYC reports.

That changed abruptly this week when one board member used his subpoena power “to summon officials to explain why three lanes onto the George Washington Bridge had been abruptly closed in September, causing a week’s worth of traffic…”

“Democrats were swift to raise the possibility the lane closures had been made as political retribution against the Mayor of Fort Lee, a Democrat, who, unlike some Democrats, had not endorsed Christie for reelection. There was a lot of whispering during Christie’s re-election campaign that he had a ‘naughty and nice list’ but no one had been able to prove it. Now, there was talk, there might be some evidence.”

Meanwhile, a new Monmouth/Asbury Park Press poll shows Christie with a 65% approval rating.

Filed Under: 2013 Campaign

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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

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