Princeton venture capitalist Scott Sipprelle’s campaign today dismissed a polling memo from Republican primary rival Michael Halfacre that showed Halfacre besting Sippelle in a head-to-head against U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-Hopewell).
In the poll, conducted by GOP pollster Adam Geller, Halfacre, the mayor of Fair Haven, is described as someone who “cut spending and lowered property taxes three years in a row.” Sipprelle is described as “a Republican who made millions on Wall Street, and who contributed some of his money to Democrats like Chuck Schumer and five House Democrats as recently as June of 2009.”
“Scott Sipprelle’s positive message of renewing America, creating jobs and bringing prosperity back to New Jersey is earning him endorsements from key party leaders and growing support from grassroots Republicans across the district who have grown tired of old-style politics,” said Sipprelle consultant Chris Russell. “A polling memo dripping with desperate political spin will not deter him from this course. Voters in New Jersey want real change from the old ways of doing business and that is why they are coming out in support of Scott Sipprelle.”
Halfacre has been collecting endorsements from Tea Party groups, attempting to frame the race as grassroots versus establishment.
Tom Fitzsimmons, the strategist for Halfacre, said that the way the questions in the poll were phrased was valid because that’s the way voters will see the two candidates by June.
“By the time the campaign is over, he’s going to be that guy and that’s the guy we’re going to be. I don’t think that’s an unfair characterization of either person,” he said. “That’s the message we’re putting out there, and quite frankly, these Tea Parties are kind of a microcosm if the electorate of the 12th District.”
