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The 2009 New Jersey Gubernatorial Election, a contest between Incumbent Governor Jon Corzine and Former New Jersey District attorney Chris Christie ended up ousting the unpopular incumbent in favor of the firebrand District attorney.
Before the Campaign began Christie had been a hotshot district attorney, prosecuting multiple cases of corruption in a state that the 2012 Almanac described as "known for it's corrupt politics".
Of these included notable names such as Former Senate President (D) John A. Lynch Jr. (1990-1992) in 2006, Former Newark Mayor (D) Sharpe James (1986-2008) in 2008, Essex County Executive (R) James W. Treffinger (1995-2003) in 2003 and most notably Charles Kushner in 2005
However, some of his prosecutions - or rather lack there of - were also business friendly as companies could avoid prosecution for fraud if they paid for a law firm to moniter them, said lawfirms being chosen by Christie himself.
Fast forwarding to 2009, and Christie saw an opportunity to gain the blue state governorship as despite the then Governor's deep pockets, Corzine was heavilly damaged due to multiple policy failures, such as:
- Failing to lower property taxes, a key fixture of his 2005 campaign
- A proposal to increase tolls on the NJ Turnpike to fund transportation
- Multiple budget shortfalls
- The passage of a Temporary Millionaires tax amidst this
- & the Highest unemployment in the Northeast.
Consequently, Jon Corzine's Job aprooval hovered just under 40%.
Against this Christie campaigned as a normall middle class "Jersey Guy", highlighting his love for Bruce Springsteen, the Mets, and his longstanding ties to the state, allowing him to easily beat back a primary from proto-teapartier Bogota mayor Steve Lonegan
In the fall campaign Christie critizised all of Corzine's policy failures, and promised to cut taxes, state spending, and fight the public sector unions.
Corzine, by contrast, focused in on the shady, monitoring contracts, the failure to disclose a $46,000 loan to one of his aids, among more general charges of unspecificity in spending and tax cuts and claims Christie would curltail abortion rights
Early on in the campaign Christie enjoyed large leads, but by mid-October the polls had tightened to the point that the national democratic party attempted to save him by having President Obama and Vice President Biden campaign for him
National Democrats also tried to bolster the candidacy of Chris Dagget, A republican turned independent who was siphoning off some of the Anti-Corzine vote from Christie.
But in the end, Corzine's unpopularity was too much, and despite outspending christie $27 million to $11 Million Corzine lost to Christie 49%-45%
In his victory, Christie carried 8/13 Congressional districts to Corzine's 5/13, 22/40 LDs to Corzine's 18/40, and 13/21 Counties to Corzine's 8/21.
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