Lonegan wins primary, Dr Eck to join campaign as Health-care Advisor

[Valli6]

Alieta Eck, the political upstart who vowed to fight President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, conceded defeat to Steve Lonegan tonight in the Republican U.S. Senate primary.

But Lonegan said Eck has now agreed to help his campaign as an adviser.

Eck, a 62-year-old doctor from Somerset County who had never before sought elective office, carried only 20 percent of the vote in the race for the GOP nod to run for the Senate seat vacated after Frank Lautenberg's death.

Lonegan, a conservative activist and the former mayor of Bogota, drew 80 percent and will go on to face Newark Mayor Cory Booker, the Democratic primary winner, in the Oct. 16 general election.

"I congratulate Mayor Lonegan on his victory, and I would like to thank him for a spirited primary campaign," Eck said in a statement tonight. "While we sometimes disagreed over the issues, I believe the battle of ideas is a healthy thing for a political party. I wish him the best of luck in the special election."

Eck operates a free health clinic with her husband in Franklin Township and ran in an effort to help repeal the federal Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare.

After his victory speech tonight, Lonegan told The Star-Ledger that he got a gracious phone call from Eck.

"She's as nice on the phone as she is in person. I said, listen, I'd love to have you on the campaign, and she said yes," Lonegan said. "She'll be a health-care adviser."

Lonegan's victory speech:
http://www.loneganforsenate.com/2013...o-cory-booker/

Lonegan's website:
http://www.loneganforsenate.com/

[angelatc]

I wish him luck, but he has a long tough road ahead of him. Booker is more poplar than Obama ever was. I would not be shocked to see him enter the presidential race .

[Kotin]

I wish him luck, but he has a long tough road ahead of him. Booker is more poplar than Obama ever was. I would not be shocked to see him enter the presidential race .

Booker is not an opponent I would ever want... the guy is a great politician.

[angelatc]

Booker is not an opponent I would ever want... the guy is a great politician.

watching on on twitter is scary. the guy is totally likeable. his politics mean I could never vote for him, but the same demo that went Obama over McCain will choose Booker over any cookie cutter republican. In fact, I think that demo will be bigger.

[grit123]

[TaftFan]

Well, perhaps not.

After he won Tuesday, Lonegan said he spoke with Eck and she was joining his campaign as a "health-care adviser."

Eck said that's not completely accurate.

"He made that up," she said. "I think that's on his wish list. He said, 'I hope you will help me.' But I did not promise I'll help."

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf...o_lonegan.html

[GregSarnowski]

I wish him luck, but he has a long tough road ahead of him. Booker is more poplar than Obama ever was. I would not be shocked to see him enter the presidential race .

Doesn't Newark have a less-than-stellar reputation (to say the least)?

[GregSarnowski]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/14/ny...anted=all&_r=0

Hate to quote the New York Times but this is gold for Lonegan's speech writer:

A Stanford- and Yale-educated son of the suburbs, Mr. Booker arrived to suspicion when he moved into the Newark projects and made his unsuccessful first run for mayor. Lately, though, criticism has come even from those he won over: people working on the education projects he supports, council members who ran on his reform slate, business leaders and families who believed in his promise to bring “a renaissance for the rest of us” to a city plagued by self-dealing and mismanagement.

They say Mr. Booker’s frequent Twitter posts to his 1.3 million followers, his appearances on television and at gatherings of moguls and celebrities — he was out of town nearly a quarter of the time between January 2011 and June 2012, according to The Star-Ledger — have distracted him from the local trench work needed to push his agenda. Business leaders say he dazzles at news conferences, but flags on the follow-through. Residents have wearied of the outside fascination for the mayor whom Oprah Winfrey called “a rock star” and Jon Stewart on Wednesday referred to as “the superhero mayor of Newark.”

Taxes have risen more than 20 percent over the past three years, even after the city laid off about 1,100 workers, including more than 160 police officers. Crime has risen, and unemployment is up. Schools remain under state control, and the city’s finances remain so troubled that it cannot borrow to fix its antiquated water system. While new restaurants have risen near the Prudential Center downtown, those in the outer wards were placed under a curfew this year because of shootings and drug dealing.

“There’s a lot of frustration and disappointment,” said Assemblyman Albert Coutinho, a Democrat representing Newark. “People feel that the mayor basically is out of the city too much and doesn’t focus much on the day-to-day.

[specsaregood]

./

[grit123]

Ya know rand just said in an interview yesterday he'd be willing to come to Jersey for a beer summit with Christie, perhaps he could come by and do a little fundraising for Lonegan...

Rand is doing just that on September 13th.

[juvanya]

Didnt know she had joined. Good to hear. Both great candidates.

[CharB416]

Now, Brian Goldberg has the opportunity that Lonegan missed.

Brian D. Goldberg is seeking the Republican nomination to be New Jersey's next United States Senator.
Promoting the concept of Empowerment, not Entitlement, Mr. Goldberg brings a positive message to the race.
As a businessman, Mr. Goldberg has practical experience in the areas that matter most to NJ voters. Although a newcomer as a candidate, Brian has been active in party politics from the local to the federal level for many years. He'll combine that experience with his business experience to seek Win-Win solutions to the nation's biggest challenges, providing NJ with a new voice in Washington.
To learn more about Brian, please visit his website atwww.Goldberg2014.com; his facebook page www.facebook.com/goldberg2014; and his youtube channel www.youtube.com/channel/UCutauhBiQnq8PbU17OHKNNw.