McGreevey easily defeats Schundler to win New Jersey governor race

Jim McGreevey coasted to victory with a 16-point margin over Bret Schundler in the New Jersey gubernatorial race yesterday, carrying the Democratic party back to the State House in Trenton for the first time in eight years.

McGreevey claimed victory in one of only two gubernatorial races in the country in an off-year election that was largely overshadowed by the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 and the continuing bioterrorism scare in which New Jersey is currently the epicenter.

McGreevey — the mayor of Woodbridge — maintained his wide lead in the polls through Election Day, despite a Republican campaign in the final weeks that received high profile endorsements from New York mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) and New York governor George Pataki (R).

"I made it clear that we were working to take back the government and change the way business is done in Trenton," McGreevey said in his victory speech in East Brunswick last night. "A government for all the people and accountable to you, not distant and remote."

McGreevey said he was committed to building a government committed to "hardworking families of the state" and being a governor "who will rise above partisanship."

Schundler — the conservative former mayor of Jersey City — could not replicate in the general election his improbable comeback victory this summer in the Republican primary over former Republican Rep. Bob Franks. Schundler conceded the race shortly before 10:30 last night with 68 percent of precincts reporting.

From the Forrestal Marriot in Princeton, Schundler encouraged his supporters that they have the opportunity tomorrow to wake up and care about their neighbors and their issues and to build a better country. However, Schundler said that he would closely follow McGreevey's administration and hold it to its campaign promises.

"[McGreevey] has said that he is not committed to raising taxes and we will hold him to that," Schundler said. Schundler began his campaign for governor with a focus on fiscal conservatism and continued his commitment last night.

In a race that featured ideologically split candidates, strategists and pollsters such as Monika McDermott, the associate director of the Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers poll, said that this year's race was about issues important to New Jersey residents instead of leadership and personality traits. McDermott predicted earlier this week that residents had made up their minds weeks, and sometimes months, before Election Day.

"Traditionally people vote on issues, even last year in the presidential race," McDermott said. She predicted Monday that this focus would stand to benefit McGreevey in yesterday's election.

McGreevey — who had previously run against former N.J. governor Christie Whitman (R) four years ago — maintained his commitment to issues important to New Jersey voters such as "open spaces, diversity, seniors and education reform."

The election featured divided positions on education reform, car tolls, abortion, fiscal policy and Trenton government restructuring. Schundler had presented himself as an empowerment Republican while criticizing McGreevey as a tax-and-spend liberal. McGreevey portrayed Schundler's propositions, such as increasing private influence on education, as reckless.