TRENTON – It’s here.
The last full week before November’s election is upon us and what it means for chatter under the Golden Dome is next to nothing. It’s a holding pattern.
The week will be a quiet one in Trenton. Don’t expect to hear any footsteps of campaigners around the Statehouse halls. But come on, the fun will be on the road, anyway.
Nearly every lawmaker who is a who’s who in New Jersey politics will be touring the state early this week to mark the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy slamming into the Garden State’s coast.
Gov. Chris Christie – whose popularity soared in the wake of Sandy and never receded – will be darting around the state. His gubernatorial challenger Sen. Barbara Buono can be expected to do the same, as will a few of the state’s legislators.
But again, it’s election season. And it’s not only election season, it’s the home stretch.
Buono is still lagging in the polls and has a lot of ground to make up if she hopes to come close to knocking the popular incumbent governor out of the Statehouse.
Pay attention to last-minute independent expenditures coming into the state attacking Christie.
But gubernatorial contest aside, every seat in the Legislature is up for grabs (well, sort of) this year. It’s means increased attention will be paid over the next week and a half to the state’s battleground races.
Again, pay attention to the independent expenditures that come rolling in during this time.
IEs already hit new highs this election cycle in earlier October and the expectation is that the money will continue to flood in as Republican challengers hope to make inroads on certain legislative seats. Democratic lawmakers being challenged have expressed confidence to this point that they’ll retain their seats, but if the flood of money is any indication everyone is on their toes.
Tis the season.
Monday
Gov. Chris Christie
Not yet scheduled
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno
Not yet scheduled
Legislature
Nothing scheduled
Boards and Commissions
10:30 a.m., Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, 2492 River Road, New Hope, Pa.
Tuesday
Gov. Chris Christie
Not yet scheduled
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno
Not yet scheduled
Legislature
Nothing scheduled
Wednesday
Gov. Chris Christie
Not yet scheduled
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno
Not yet scheduled
Legislature
Nothing scheduled
Boards and Commissions
9:30 a.m., Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners, 25 Arctic Parkway, Ewing
Daily Events
8:30 a.m., N.J. Business and Industry Association, Federal Healthcare Reform: Getting Ready for 2014, Pines Manor, 2085 Route 27, Edison
9 a.m., N.J. League of Municipalities, “Labor Negotiations Primer: Understanding Collective Negotiations,’’ Robert Meyner Reception Center, PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel
Thursday
Gov. Chris Christie
Not yet scheduled
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno
Not yet scheduled
Legislature
Nothing scheduled
Boards and Commissions
10 a.m., State Capitol Joint Management Commission, Rm. L103, Statehouse, Trenton
Friday
Gov. Chris Christie
Not yet scheduled
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno
Not yet scheduled
Legislature
Nothing scheduled
