Jun 1, 2009 7:50 pm US/Eastern
Gubernatorial Candidates Ready For NJ Primaries
TRENTON (CBS) ―
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New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine (file)
CBS
The New Jersey primary is less than 12 hours away, and on Monday, the Republican gubernatorial candidates squeezed in some last-minute campaigning while Gov. Jon Corzine attended an event at the Meadowlands.
Republican Steve Lonegan, the conservative mayor who tried to make English the official language of his town, spent part of his day in a hat factor pushing his economic plan.
"There are the businesses we are driving out of the state everyday," he told CBS 2.
Meanwhile, Chris Christie, the Republican front-runner, known for putting corrupt politicians behind bars as a U.S. attorney, traveled across New Jersey in a campaign bus, making a stop at a diner in Westfield. He's been targeting Corzine in his television ads, and Corzine has been fighting back.
"They want to attack me? Attack me – I have broad shoulders. You know why they're anxious do to it? Because they're not anxious to talk about Jon Corzine's record and if I were him I wouldn't be either," he said.
Corzine, who doesn't face much of a challenge in the Democratic primary, told CBS 2 he wasn't campaigning Monday, though he seemed to have a busy public schedule.
"We've got a few things we've got to do for the state of New Jersey that take precedence over campaign. We've got to get a budget done," he said.
Taxes are the big issue in New Jersey. Lonegan says he wants to replace the income tax system with a flat tax. Christie think that wouldn't be fair, especially for the poor.
"A couple that makes $80,000 a year will pay 40 percent higher taxes under Steve Lonegan's plan," he said.
Lonegan disagrees. "Under my flat tax proposal, a wage earner making $20,000 a year will still pay less taxes than they would pay in New York and Pennsylvania," he said.
Whoever wins the Republican nomination though will have to convince a state that hasn't elected a Republican governor in 12 years.
Rick Merkt is also running for the Republican ticket. His campaign manager said he had to work today, unlike the other candidates.
Polls open up Tuesday morning at 6 and will remain open until 8 p.m.
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