Chris Christie Campaigns For Jon Runyon, Mocks Hecklers

NJ-3 has been a battle field all season long, and finally it looks as if ex-Eagles lineman and Republican Jon Runyon is leading one-term incumbent John Alder. Actually, it looks as if Runyon has picked up a fumble and is rumbling towards the end zone:

The lead has switched in the race for New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District, according to the latest Monmouth University Poll. Republican challenger Jon Runyan now leads Democratic incumbent John Adler by 48% to 43% among likely voters in this district. In a poll released on September 30, Adler held a nominal 42% to 39% edge.

Runyan has a sizable 50% to 37% advantage among independents.

Chris Christie came out to campaign for Runyon in South Jersey the other night, and as usual, his talk is full of notable quotables. Best is how he addressed the 50-odd protesters screaming their heads off outside of the Elks Club last night:

Everyone in the room knew Christie had arrived because the protesters outside were suddenly screaming. The governor is accustomed to this and, in fact, it gives him fodder for his nearly 20-minute-long speech:

[Jon Runyan] is running against a guy who wants to make his entire life about putting forward those interests of the special interests rather than of all of you. You can see it tonight. What are they reduced to? To send a whole bunch of knuckleheads outside. [The crowd roars.] You know, I come in, they're yelling and screaming, "We are not the problem! We are not the problem!" Listen, here's the thing. That is the kind of leadership you get with John Adler.

Christie was just getting started:

The question is clear. You can boil it down to this for your friends, some of whom may still be on the fence.... You say to them, "You vote for John Adler, you vote for that, outside [he points to the parking lot], the special interests first, the me-first crowd that says, 'Pay me my raise first, pay me my free health insurance first, pay me my pension first, and if there's anything left for the people of New Jersey they can have the crumbs that are left.' That's the pay me first crowd standing outside. Or you can vote for someone like Jon Runyan...." That's the difference: The selfish me-first crowd for John Adler or the shared sacrifice team, all-for-one, one-for-all crowd that is being led by Jon Runyan. I know who I'm with. I'm with Jon Runyan....

The crowd erupts. Runyan is smiling. And the tide is turning...