Members of Jim Florio's staff, campaign and administration will gather at Drumthwacket tomorrow to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his election as Governor of New Jersey. Gov. Jon Corzine will not be in attendance, and no taxpayer funds are being used for the event.
Florio, then 52, was an eight-term Congressmen when he beat U.S. Rep. Jim Courter 61%-37% in 1989. It was Florio's third try for the governorship; he finished fourth in the 1977 Democratic primary against incumbent Brendan Byrne, and lost the 1981 race for Governor to Republican Thomas Kean by just 1,797 votes.
