Schundler's New Jersey Rematch

Bret Schundler, who lost the governor's race in New Jersey three years ago (entirely because the state Republican machine sat on their collective hands), is going for a rematch in 2005.

I would now like to send an open message to Doug Forrester, his competition: Don't split the vote. Get out of the race. Bret Schundler can run circles around you in the primary race, and you know it--or you should. If you stay in the race, Republicans will split their votes.

Yes, yes, I've heard it already--New Jersey is not Louisiana, with its open primary and runoff system. But it might as well be, with all the damage that contested primaries always do to the eventual nominee.

Bret Schundler, moreover, has the experience that Doug Forrester lacks: actual experience in government. He once served as Mayor of Jersey City--no small achievement even to get elected to that job--and in his term he cleaned up Jersey City in more ways than one. Jim McGreevey got out of the governor's mansion because he knew he couldn't hold it in a rematch with Schundler.

If any Republican can knock off the acting Governor--or Senator Jon Moneybags Corzine--it's Schundler, not Forrester.