Jonathan Jones

America’s new political battles begin

It may be less than a fortnight since the 2012 US elections, but it’s never too early to start speculating about what might happen in the next ones. So here’s a quick first look:

2013: New Jersey and Virginia (and Massachusetts?)
It may be an off-year, but there’ll be at least two — and possibly three — exciting high-profile races to look forward to. Republican Chris Christie will likely run for a second term as Governor of New Jersey. He has strong approval ratings and has been praised for his response to Hurricane Sandy, but will likely face tough opposition in a state that Obama carried by 17 points. One potential Democratic challenger is Newark Mayor Cory Booker (who rescued his neighbour from a fire in April). A poll last month found him trailing Christie by just four points, 46-42.

In Virginia, Republican Governor Bob McDonnell will not be running, as the state constitution bars incumbents from seeking reelection straight away, and both parties look set to have competitive primaries.

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in