Politics & Government

Christie Bashes Sen. Gordon in Fair Lawn

Gov. Chris Christie visited the Fair Lawn Senior Center Wednesday.

Gov. Chris Christie and state Sen. Bob Gordon just can't seem to agree on whether or not they get along.

During a campaign stop in Fair Lawn Wednesday, Christie criticized Gordon — a borough resident — for his record on finances.

"Senator Bob Gordon...has always been pushing for higher taxes," Christie said.

Gordon, on the other hand, has been highlighting the fact that he voted in support of Christie's budget this year, which did increase spending 4 percent from last year.

In a campaign ad posted online last month, Gordon highlighted his willingness to "work together" and promised to pursue a 10 percent property tax cut.

Christie has previously been critical of Gordon. The Record quoted Christie in August as saying, "I am so tired of Bob Gordon, I can't stand him. In the next 75 days, I’m going to spend so much time trying to unseat Bob Gordon, Kathy Donovan is going to charge me property taxes."

The governor, who was leading challenger Sen. Barbara Buono in polls 64 to 31 percent Tuesday, spent part of his speech Wednesday voicing support for Republican District 38 Senate candidate Fernando Alonso, who is looking to take Gordon's seat, as well as Joan Fragala and Joe Scarpa, the two Republicans looking to take the District 38 Assembly seats away from Democrats incumbent Tim Eustace and newcomer Joe Lagana.

Gordon was first elected to the state Senate in 2007 and previously was a member of the Assembly. Eustace was elected to the Assembly in 2011.

"We shouldn't be doing the same old thing just because it's the same old thing," Christie said.

Gordon and the other District 38 Democrats have also had some big-name support in their campaign. Senator-elect Cory Booker visited Fair Lawn's Land & Sea Diner last week to vouch for Gordon and others, saying the Democrats would work to lower taxes.

"I told Bob that as soon as my campaign was over, it was like a personal mission to make sure that the senator and his Assembly people get elected," PolitickerNJ quoted Booker as saying.

Gordon said he was "pleased that [he's] on [Christie's] radar screen," according to that report.

The election will be held November 5.


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