Blue America Welcomes Barbara Buono

Blue America primarily gets involved with congressional races, but after Digby, John and I met New Jersey state Senator Barbara Buono-- and reflected on the dangers of Chris Christie-- not just in the Garden State, but across America-- we opened this special new ActBlue page for progressive gubernatorial candidates. Earlier today Barbara announced her choice of Milly Silva to run for lieutenant governor, which adds a charismatic young Hispanic woman labor leader (an executive vice president of the SEIU) who shares her working class background to the Democratic ticket. And it potentially brings the nation’s fastest-growing and most politically aggressive union into the New Jersey race for governor. And today we're proud to be hosting a live blog conversation with Barbara that Digby will be hosting at Crooks and Liars and we hope you can come over and meet her. It states at 2 PM (New Jersey time).

Digby penned a letter to Blue America members this morning: Help us stop the most odious politician in America.

My first exposure to Governor Chris Christie was when I saw video footage of him abusively browbeating a school teacher for having the temerity to question his education policies in a town hall meeting. I can hardly begin to explain the depth of by visceral repulsion at his bullying tactics. I can't imagine ever voting for him after seeing that. I don't think I'm the only woman in America to react that way.

But it's not just his vile personality. His record is execrable as well. Tom Moran at the Star-Ledger characterized his time in office this way:

New Jersey’s unemployment rate is the highest in the region, and yet he left $3 billion in federal money on the table when he canceled plans to build a tunnel under the Hudson River. The state’s credit rating has dropped on his watch, thanks to his habit of pushing costs to the future. New Jersey’s foreclosure rate is also among the highest in the nation, and the state’s response among the most inept... Christie opposes abortion rights and closed six Planned Parenthood clinics. He vetoed marriage equality. He vetoed a surtax on millionaires. He has retreated on climate change. And he removed the only black justice from the state Supreme Court.

it's not just small children who should be scared of this

He's also on record denying climate change and just last week declared himself the one true heir of Rudy "9/11" Giuliani with a national security speech that would have sounded better in the original German. Only in America would such a man be widely touted by the chattering classes as a voice of "moderation"-- and despite a clear record for overt corruption.

Luckily for New Jersey there is one feisty politician, State Senator Barbara Buono the Democrat who'd like to save her state from any more of Christie's so-called "success" by denying him another term as Governor. Let's just say her record is as progressive as his is conservative. And there's no mistaking what she really stands for.

No love lost between these 2 rivals

Buono is the daughter of a butcher and a substitute school teacher who put herself through law school. She vividly recalls her own early years of struggle, even having to apply for government assistance at one point. Her compassion for the concerns of average working families led her to politics in the early 90s, working her way up to become the first woman majority leader in the State Senate, where she took on Christie as the Chair of the budget committee. Let's just say this woman isn't one little bit cowed by the thuggish Christie.

We know it's an uphill climb and so does Buono. But we all think that there are a whole lot of New Jersey Democrats, especially women, who will go into that voting booth and decide they just can't stomach the idea of Chris Christie as Governor again or... gulp... president and put a stop to him. If people get a chance to hear a reform-minded, anti-corruption progressive like Barbara Buono they may just realize they have a better choice. We'd like to help her get the word out and we hope you will too.

Please come by BlueAmerica.crooksandliars.com today at 11 am PT (2 pm ET) to chat with Senator Buono. And if you can donate something to her campaign it will go to not only help a true Blue America progressive but also to stop one of the most odious conservative villains in American politics. A two-fer!