From In The Lobby on Chris Christie’s and Chris Daggett’s support for charter schools and vouchers, and Daggett’s call yesterday to abolish tenure:
That puts the two candidates in the same camp as a group of urban parents, politicians and ministers who are fighting for better education in city schools. It also puts them at odds with the NJEA and Gov. Corzine, who oppose school choice.
In The Lobby argues that Daggett’s and Christie’s consensus on school choice hurts Corzine because Daggett may tempt traditional pro-(school)choice Democrats who wouldn’t vote for Christie anyway. Also, traditionally Democratic-voting leaders in the Latino community are disenchanted by Christie’s choice for L.G., Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno, who supports immigration enforcement. On the other hand, Christie is starting to smell less rosy and Daggett’s education reform creds may attract voters who saw Christie as the only pro-choice candidate, thus hurting Christie.
Is Daggett doomed to play the spoiler? Or can he create a viable candidacy in the next two months?
