N.J. gubernatorial race margin closing in last weeks before election

With under two weeks to go before Election Day, New Jersey's gubernatorial race is entering its final stretch in an uncertain voting environment.

"Honestly, we have no idea what will happen," said Monika McDermott, the associate director of the Eagleton Institute Rutgers/Star-Ledger poll.

The race pits conservative Republican candidate Bret Schundler — the current mayor of Jersey City — against Democratic Woodside mayor Jim McGreevey. Schundler overcame a large early summer gap to defeat former Republican Rep. Bob Franks to gain his party's nomination.

In an election year that was put on hold by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, the campaigns are now refocusing their efforts on mainstay plank platforms such as education reform, gun control, abortion, fiscal policy and New Jersey government reform. In an animated debate last night in Ewing, McGreevey and Schundler differentiated themselves on these big-ticket items.

On Trenton reform, Schundler said that he was "willing to get out of the box" and to pursue creative efforts to stimulate growth in a worsening state and national economy.

"Frequently the problem in Trenton is the special interests," Schundler said in the debate. "It's only tax and spend."

In response to Schundler's allegation that he was a tax-and-spend liberal, McGreevey said he was "willing to stand up to the special interests and work for New Jersey's working families."

McGreevey countered Schundler's proposal for school vouchers and education reform, leveling a claim that Schundler's policies would hurt New Jersey residents.

"I believe in public education," McGreevey said. "Schundler is trying to take $600 million out to a risky system of vouchers. It's the wrong direction."

However, as McDermott explained, the results of these efforts are difficult to predict.

"In an atypical election year, as we see it there are three possibilities," McDermott said. "All of which make perfect sense."

Either an increase in patriotism will "rally people around the flag" and increase voter participation, McDermott said, or people will realize that they are not paying attention to the race and decide not to vote.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

McDermott said there also could be no change in voting habits, but that there are too many external events to predict the outcome.

"It's really hard to focus," McDermott said. "[People are] still concerned with mail coming out of Trenton, we're going to war with Afghanistan and the Yankees are going to the World Series."

Despite the uncertain environment, both campaigns remain optimistic.

"This campaign is going to continue to focus on the issues as it has throughout the entire campaign," said Sean Walsh, a McGreevey campaign spokesman. "Jim McGreevey is the only candidate who is committed to improving education, the only candidate who is fighting for New Jerseyans."

Bill Guhl, a spokesman for the Schundler campaign, said "the race is wide open at this point.

"The fact that the poll numbers are closing shows that people are learning about Bret and learning about Jim McGreevey raising taxes in Woodside."

The most recent Quinnipiac poll shows McGreevey leading Schundler by 10 percentage points. Though Schundler has closed in on McGreevey, Walsh and the poll press statement noted the poll increasingly targets Republicans who are likely to vote and not the whole population.

As Election Day nears, both campaigns are preparing extensive get-out-the-vote efforts and television advertisements.

"There has been a concerted and comprehensive effort and GOTV efforts including Mercer County," Walsh said.

"Republican state and national committees are planning one of the largest GOTV efforts in the state's history," Guhl said.