Politics & Government

Lonegan Takes Shots At Democrats On TV Appearance

The fiscal conservative says he's unbothered by the $24 million cost of special election.

The GOP frontrunner for the Republican nomination for a vacant U.S. Senate seat took shots at his Democratic rivals in a national television appearance Thursday.

Steve Lonegan, Tea Party favorite and former head of the right-leaning Americans For Prosperity, said during an appearance on Good Day New York that the four Democratic contenders for the seat of late Sen. Frank Lautenberg were indistinguishable and would “rubber stamp’’ President Barak Obama’s policies.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone (D-6) and Rush Holt (D-12) and state Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver are all vying for the Democratic nomination in the special Aug. 13 primary.

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“Cory Booker, Frank Pallone, Rush Holt, Sheila Oliver -- whoever the Democrats nominate will simply rubber stamp the Obama agenda,’’ Lonegan said. “They’re all exactly the same. They’re liberals.’’

 Lonegan, the former mayor of Bogota and twice failed gubernatorial candidate, called the upcoming elections “a pivotal moment for the country.’’

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“New Jersey has not voted for a solid Republican in over 40 years,’’ Lonegan said. “It’s time for a change in New Jersey.”

The last time the state elected a Republican to U.S. Senate was 1972.  

Lonegan, an avowed fiscal conservative, said he had ‘no problem at all’’ with the estimated $24 million the special primary and special general election will cost state taxpayers, calling Gov. Chris Christie’s move to have the Senate general election three weeks before the regularly scheduled Nov. 5 election “courageous.’’

Lonegan said Christie’s decision allows the senate race to continue without distraction from other races for elected office interfering.

And the money? Lonegan said there was "no price tag on democracy.’’

“It’s nothing compared to the amount of money I’ll save New Jersey taxpayers in the U.S. Senate,’’ he said. “They’ll get that back 10-fold.’’


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