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On June 3rd, Vote For “Taxpayer Superhero” Dick Zimmer
By Eric Sedler | May 15, 2008
This was not an easy decision for me to make. Like a lot of New Jersey Republicans, I had been undecided for some time on who to support for US Senate and was debating between former Congressman Dick Zimmer and State Senator Joseph Pennacchio.
In the end it came down to major things: Electability and Issues I care about the most. In both catergories, Zimmer won. After I had the chance to personally speak to him at a Monmouth County Meet & Greet Event about the issues I care about, I was definately leaning towards supporting Zimmer and after taking about a week or so to think about it, I have made my decision.
I am supporting Dick Zimmer for the Republican Nomination for US Senate and I want to encourage all my fellow Republicans to support his candidancy on June 3rd and contribute to his campaign.
It is my firm belief that Zimmer is the strongest of the three Republican candidates running for US Senate and he will give Republicans the best chance at winning in November. I have always said from the start that we would need a Republican who is best fit to go up against Senator Frank Lautenberg. With the recent addition of Congressman Rob Andrews to the Democratic primary field, it is even more important that we select a nominee who can appeal to the independents and soft Democrats that populate this state while not alienating the Republican base.
With a incredibly strong record on being a fiscal conservative and his tough stance on illegal immigration, Zimmer appeals to most of the Republicans throughout this state. As someone who has some moderate positions, I also like Zimmer’s stance on the environment and conservation. Although I tend to personally lean towards being pro-life with exceptions, I often struggle with what the government’s role should be with abortion and certainly respect those, like Zimmer, who take the Barry Goldwater “Government out of the Bedroom” approach to the issue. It always gets me that for some reason abortion comes up as this hot-button issue when it is not a pressing issue to a good majority of voters, especially in New Jersey. In 1998 Zimmer wrote an op-ed admitting he made a mistake with a previous vote of his supporting partial birth abortion. 10 years later, he still maintains the same position against partial birth abortion and is for parental notification and a waiting period.
Zimmer is the best of three candidates with fiscal issues because of his incredible record that has earned him awards from non-partisan groups like Citizens Against Government Waste and the National Taxpayers Union. The Citizens Against Government Waste organization ranked Zimmer a “Taxpayer Hero” every year he served in Congress – except the years he was named a “Taxpayer Superhero”. The National Taxpayers Union named Zimmer the most fiscally conservative member of Congress three times. Zimmer was a pork buster and opposed to earmarks way before the issue of pork-barrel politics gained mainstream attention. Former Congressman Zimmer believes in balancing the budget and cutting government spending instead of raising taxes; ideas that New Jersey residents strongly support. Stopping the pork and controlling and cutting federal spending is my number one federal issue and Zimmer’s record on those issues is unmatched.
On the other issues like health care, energy policy, and national security Zimmer is solid. He supports a McCain-like health care plan that would give choice and decisions to the family rather than the big government approaches of Senator Obama, Senator Lautenberg, and Congressman Andrews. Zimmer also believes health care needs to focus more on prevention. On energy policy, Zimmer advocates increasing energy efficiency and energy conservation. He supports increasing fuel mileage standards on cars and SUVs, and he supports streamlining government regulations to allow more nuclear power facilities to come online consistent with public safety and environmental protection. On national security and the War in Iraq, Zimmer believes we should withdraw our troops in a responsible manner; which means setting no dates for wtihdrawal and ensuring that the Iraqi government and army can contain the insurgents and the country does not return to being a hot spot for terrorist organizations. Like almost every American, Zimmer believes we need secure our border NOW and enforcing the laws on illegal immigration.
On electability, Zimmer has the best chance to win New Jersey of the three candidates running. New Jersey voters will like someone who will watch every penny of their taxpayer dollars as if it were his own. Already well known around the state for his federal authorship of “Megan’s Law”, Zimmer has good name recognition and is exactly the kind of Republican that can win New Jersey. His platform works well with Senator John McCain as our presidential nominee and both men will appeal strongly to voters who are sick and tired of wasteful spending, corruption, and out of control earmarking.
Senator Pennacchio deserves credit for running a generally respectful campaign based on the issues and working hard. Should he win the primary, I will have no problem helping out his campaign and supporting his candidancy. I just have my doubts over whether he can operate a viable statewide campaign for November and disagree with him on some small issues.
I am confident that Dick Zimmer would make a great United States Senator for the state of New Jersey and would watch every penny of our tax dollars like it was his own. That is why I’m supporting Dick Zimmer on June 3rd, and why I encourage all my fellow Republicans to support him and contribute to his campaign to help make him our party’s nominee for US Senate.
Last 5 posts by Eric Sedler
- Taking a long break from blogging... - June 24th, 2008
- Crowley and Spadea Launch "Building the New Majority" - June 21st, 2008
- Unity is Needed in Bergen, Let's All Support Chairman Bob Yudin - June 20th, 2008
- Zimmer's First General Election Ad - June 18th, 2008
- Crucial Vote Tonight in Bergen - June 17th, 2008
Topics: U.S. Senate Races |
10 Responses to “On June 3rd, Vote For “Taxpayer Superhero” Dick Zimmer”
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May 15th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
What issues are the ones that he supports that are important to you, that make you want to vote for him and for the rest of us too? Please advise.
May 15th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
OOPS never mind. Brain fart.
May 16th, 2008 at 12:45 am
I like Pennacchio, but I think he has an electability issue… he isnt that well known, he thus far hasnt run that effective of a campaign, and he’s also had a major fundraising problem. Whoever can figure out a way to win this primary will have my support, either one is better than Senator Cryptkeeper
May 16th, 2008 at 9:43 am
+1
I could see voting for Zimmer.
May 16th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Mike: That was one of the biggest factors for me. Plus I’m pretty big on anti-pork and Zimmer has a record that says he earns the title of being a fiscal conservative. I still expect this primary to be close, but I thought there were moments where Pennacchio could have taken easy command and he didn’t and despite some of his county convention wins, most voters still had no idea who he was when polled. If you can’t take command in a primary it leaves a lot of doubt on what will you do against either of two democrats who know what they are doing in a statewide campaign.
May 18th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Do you see any threat that a Zimmer run will be viewed as a retread? I don’t know Joe P. — website seemed nice enough — but I wonder weather he’ll be viewed as an energetic breath of fresh air. We keep running subdued country club looking types against the Democrats/media’s faux everymen, and keep losing. Just throwing it out there.
May 18th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Well I guess one can see it as that, but it’s been a number of years so Zimmer can be seen as someone with experience, but can try a different strategy and look like a newer face with name recognition. I mean the last time he ran in any race (2000), I was 15, so it’s been long enough away from the game for him that he can come in like a new comer but have a record that people know. I don’t know if Zimmer looks like a “country club” type or that’s just the appearance you get, he didn’t come across as the “country club” type when I met him. Then again, people called Tom Kean Jr. a “country club” type, when the truth couldn’t be further away.
I’ve met Joe P. and he works hard and he seemed to charge people up at the county conventions, but I don’t think he took command of this race when he had multiple oppurtunities to do so and he can’t even rally some far right conservatives behind him (outside of his endorsements), and that should be his natural base, given his voting record. He’s a really nice guy and certainly comes across as a “regular Joe” but the question is how well with that message get out there in November. I just don’t think he can do a viable November campaign with a strong enough infrastructure. But he certainly has a shot in June and like I said I respect him and those who vote for him. I’ll have no problem helping him out after the primary if he wins.
I just think Zimmer is the stronger choice for November and can appeal to more NJ residents with his emphasis on fiscal conservatism.
May 18th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I’m way older than you, but I wasn’t a Jersey resident during Zimmer’s last run. I just keep seeing nice guys like Franks and Forrester getting beaten up by fake Joe Six packs.
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
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