RINO Runnin

This Thursday, Tom Kean, Jr. began raising money for a 2006 Senate bid. Sen. Jon Corzine is running for Governor and is the odds on favorite this November. Speculation abounds about whether he will seek to name someone who would likely run for a full term in November of '06 or name a caretaker, leaving the seat open.

Kean's father served as Governor of the state two decades ago as a left of center Republican. The value of the family name had depreciated as memories wore thin. Then 9/11 came, and Kean, Sr. served as Chairman of the investigating committee, something that resonates well with a state that was affected more than most by the attacks. Junior's politics are much like his dad's.

Unfortunate, New Jersey is deep blue, making it extremely difficult for a conservative to win. Even so, a few of the state's Congressmen, namely Rep. Smith, Garrett, and Ferguson, suggest that it is possible for conservatives to be competitive in the state. Still, it's highly unlikely that a good conservative will enter the race. That being the case, Kean may be the best the GOP can, or wants to, do.

Look for national Democrats to tell Corzine that his Presidential ambitions hinge upon him naming someone who is likely to hold the seat for some time. If he does so, this will be a steep uphill climb for Kean or anyone else. Put this race on the boarder between likely and leans Democrat unless something big happens to shake up the race.