New York Times | David W. Chen

TRENTON — New Jersey lawmakers passed a $29 billion budget largely along partisan lines on Thursday night that will increase taxes by almost $1 billion, eliminate property-tax deductions for the wealthiest residents and pare billions from health care, higher education and other programs.

Real Clear Politics | Mike Memoli

A new Strategic Vision (R) poll finds much the same as other polls: Gov. Jon Corzine is in deep trouble.

General Election Matchup
Christie 51
Corzine 39
Undecided 8

Corzine’s job approval rating also remains the worst among state politicians.

Real Clear Politics | No Author Listed

Rasmussen Reports- Christie +13

Daily Kos/R2000-Christie +7

Quinnipiac-Christie +7

This is our first submittal by a reader named Joel, here at CPR. It is concerning Steve Lonegan, dark-horse candidate in the Garden State’s GOP gubernatorial primary. It might be a little late but if anyone has an article they would like posted on Chris Chrisitie we would be happy to run it. We highly encourage reader’s tips or links to news articles which are pertinent to this website. Feel free to contact us at editorsCPR@gmail.com.

Double Think | Joel Laskin

Steve Lonegan, the firebrand former mayor of Bogota, N.J., and current dark-horse gubernatorial candidate, is waiting in “the vault.” When he first suggested this as the location for our interview, I had assumed he was speaking figuratively. But subtlety is not the rebel Republican politician’s style, and the vault turns out to be exactly that: an empty, fortified vault in the back of what used to be a bank—that is, before it became Lonegan’s makeshift campaign headquarters here in Oradell, N.J.

NJ.com | Brian T. Murray, Cullen Nutt and Carly Rothman

With just hours to go before the polls close, the candidates in New Jersey’s hottest primary — the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination — are making a final push for votes.

Although recent polls have shown him ahead of his competitors, former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie is spending the day trying to rally supporters. After casting his own ballot at the Brookside Community Center in Mendham Township today, he spoke with customers at the Morristown Diner and shook hands with commuters at the local train station this morning.

The Bulletin | Bradley Vasoli

Results of a Quinnipiac University survey released yesterday indicates former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, R, polls ahead of Gov. Jon Corzine, D, with 42 to 40 percent.

Yet much stands in Mr. Lonegan’s way. The New Jersey GOP establishment has rebuffed the conservative ex-Mayor in favor of the moderate former federal prosecutor Chris Christie. Mr. Christie’s campaign has raised $3 million in contrast to Mr. Lonegan’s $500,000.

NewsMax — The race for governor has gotten nasty earlier than usual, with attack ads hitting the airwaves, Internet, and phone lines less nearly a month before New Jersey’s June 2 primary.

Once considered a long shot to win the Republican primary, Steve Lonegan seems to be closing in on former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, the favorite of the state’s GOP establishment. Lonegan is within 10 percentage points of Christie in polls, and only slightly behind Democratic Gov. Jon S. Corzine in general election polls.

CQ Politics-With five weeks left until Primary Election Day, the Republican gubernatorial race in New Jersey just kicked into high gear.