CHRISTIE'S ELECTION IN PERSPECTIVE
Governor Chris Christie was re-elected in a landslide in an election that was never seriously doubted or challenged. The Democratic Party offered up a sacrificial lamb to be slaughtered at his feet. The national pundits are now saying this is how Republicans can win. The voting public is, in general, apathetic and not very smart, but they are not that dumb.
Let's analyze Christie's win. He won by roughly 20 percentage points. If this is an endorsement of Republicans, where are the coat tails? The state remained solidly Democratic. The advantage went to the Democrats when Christie is at the peak of his popularity. Next, take a look at the exit polls. Hillary beat Christie straight up in exit polls. He just enjoyed a 20% advantage and he couldn't beat Clinton then! If he couldn't beat her on that night when they just walked out of the polls voting for him, it can only go down hill from there.
All this has been covered nationally and is nothing new. It doesn't explain why Christie won by so much. Christie did not win because he went to Hispanic town meetings or because he openly mocked teachers when they asked him questions one on one. He also did not win because the Democrats wrote off the election, although that helped his margin. This election was a simple thank you vote. The people of New Jersey said thank you for all your work during the Sandy clean up. If another hurricane decimates the Jersey shore, they want Christie to be in charge. They are far less enthusiastic about him taking on storms from the Oval office. Saying thank you to someone who helped you does not mean you love them or even like them. It does not mean you want them in your living room for the next four years or making international decisions with the tact of a Dodge City sheriff in the late 19 th century. Christie did a great job. The people of New Jersey said thank you. The exit polls and the lack of coat tails tell you they have this guy in perspective. Voters in general in America continue to be apathetic. When we have greater than 90% turn out in a national election and greater than 80% in congressional off year elections, I will take back the charge of apathy. The fact that the people are keeping the Christie election in perspective when the national pundits can't, tells me that maybe, just maybe the voting public are not that dumb.
Gerry Aubrey
Blue Bell, PA
