Rising polls boost Lonegan campaign in Senate race against Booker
By Ted Sherman/The Star-Ledger
BOGOTA — Steve Lonegan was 35 points down to Newark Mayor Cory Booker a few weeks ago, but having a good time.
His campaign for the U.S. Senate seemed a desultory sort of affair, not far removed from the kind he ran when he would go house to house, knocking on doors seeking votes to become mayor of Bogota, the blue-collar Bergen County town he still called home, and where he once proposed banning Spanish-language billboards.
Surrounded by a small, young staff of true believers with a devotion toward their candidate bordering on religious zeal (many living at his house, which has become the de facto campaign headquarters), the die-hard conservative was raising money at gun ranges. He does a lot of gun ranges.
He went to Newark to shake hands and tweak Booker, his Democratic opponent in the upcoming Oct. 16 special election to fill the seat of the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). He called for the decriminalization of pot. Banning abortions. Killing Obamacare. And he expressed admiration for tea party darling Ted Cruz, the outspoken senator from Texas reviled these days even by some members of his own party.
He made people mad; made them laugh — both favorite pastimes.
Then he woke up one morning last week to find that he was only 12 points behind.
And although many people think a margin of 12 percentage points is not accurate, nor a turning point, officials in this maverick campaign are suddenly in high gear, calling the race far from over.
A 12 point deficit with a popular Republican sitting Governor is not impressive.
Cory’s record in Newark is not impressive…