What Matters Most
Posted March 10, 2009

The race for New Jersey governor became a lot more interesting this week with the release of a new Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll showing Governor Corzine trailing Republican gubernatorial hopeful and former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie by 9 points, with 41 percent of registered voters opting for Christie and 32 percent for Corzine. Of course, before any candidate can take on the opposing party, he must first secure the nomination of his own.

In the Democratic race, when asked to choose between Corzine and Senate Majority Leader Richard Codey, voters chose Corzine 51 percent to 32 percent, and when the potential match-up was between Corzine and Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Corzine won 54 percent to 23 percent. On the Republican side, Christie garnered 43 percent of the vote as compared to 15 percent for former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, 2 percent for Franklin Mayor Brian Levine, and 1 percent for Assemblyman Richard Merkt. 

Although both Corzine and Christie lead in their respective parties today, however, undecided voters still amount to 36 percent on the Democratic side and 39 percent on the Republican side, and while the names on the November ballot have yet to be determined, the critical issues New Jerseyans must weigh when casting their votes remain the same.

Family

The traditional family is the foundational cornerstone of a healthy society, and studies have shown time and again that the best environment for raising healthy children is a stable family anchored by the marriage of one man and one woman. Those who seek radically to redefine the institution of marriage argue societies can remain healthy even when this foundation is destroyed, but as Governor Mike Huckabee noted in his address at the NJFPC's 2008 Defenders of the Family banquet, you cannot change the ingredients of a recipe and expect the same outcome. Protecting the traditional family from radical redefinition must be a firm priority this election season.

Life

Our Declaration of Independence does not grant us the right to life; it simply recognizes this inalienable right that already has been endowed upon us by our Creator. Government did not bestow this right, and government has no authority to take it away. Every day, thousands of unborn children are slaughtered in the womb under the guise of a "constitutional right to choose." And in New Jersey, children themselves can obtain an abortion without the consent or even the knowledge of their parents. Friends, as we enter this election season, we must not ignore the case of the unborn whose only voice for justice we are.

Finances

Financial stress remains one of the primary reasons for divorce in America, and for this reason alone if for no other, we must fight to alleviate the financial burden placed on families by out of control government spending and taxation. Year after year, New Jersey remains the nation's unfortunate leader in property tax rates, and over the years, too many elected officials have been unwilling to stem Trenton's tide of spending and provide individuals and families not simply temporary respite (although most New Jerseyans would be willing to accept even this) but lasting relief from onerous tax burdens. Unless and until we seriously begin to hold all of our elected officials - on both sides of the political aisle - accountable, we will continue to bear the financial burden laid on us by Trenton's fiscal waste, mismanagement, and overspending. 

This year's campaign landscape will undoubtedly be dotted with numerous additional issues vying for voter attention and support. But as the campaign trail leads forward over the next months and you decide who will benefit from your ballot, remember these core issues, and vote your values!

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