Mayor Bonaccorso: 'It's Time for Steve Lonegan'

Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso endorsed Steve Lonegan for U.S. Senate at a campaign rally at Gran Centurions in Clark on Friday that also included an appearance by Sen. Rand Paul. 


Bonaccorso took the podium before Paul and Lonegan and rallied the crowd by blasting "promising" New Jersey Democrats including Jim McGreevey, Jon Corzine, and, of course, Lonegan's rival Cory Booker. Watch the video of Bonaccorso's speech, above.

"We in New Jersey have to look at the facts, and the facts say it's time for Steve Lonegan," said Bonaccorso. "It's time for a man who is going to bring jobs back to the state, who is going to fight for our principals and values, who is not worried about achieving celebrity, not worried about being a party-made candidate. A man who started in Bogota as a mayor and who has been out constantly working for the people of this great state."

"I of course support Steve," Bonaccorso told Patch before the rally. "He’s a Republican with strong values that I believe will represent our state well in Washington. Steve’s been around a long long time and has a very successful record as a mayor. He started from the bottom rung and he knows the problems we as New Jerseyans have on a local level right up through Trenton and Washington."

But can Lonegan win in a blue state like New Jersey that hasn't elected a Republican to the Senate since 1972? Bonaccorso says yes.

"New Jersey is definitely a Democratic leaning state, but you saw in the last election Gov. Christie won the election," said Bonaccorso. "The rank and file voter has to look at their pocket and say, am I in better or am I in worse shape? People have got to do what they did when Gov. Christie ran – are you in good shape today? Are you working? Are things affordable? The answer to that is really no. So who you going put there to get the job done in the U.S. Senate? It's got to be Steve Lonegan. Cory Booker? I think we can look at his track record in Newark. We don’t need that kind of track record in Washington."

The mayor didn't have much to say about Sen. Rand Paul, saying he isn't overly familiar with him and doesn't know enough about his policy to give an opinion, but that he "seems like a nice enough guy."

READ MORE:

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Lonegan Calls Booker 'Hollywood Stand-In for Obama'

Hundreds of Lonegan, Paul Supporters Come to Clark Rally

Protestors Gather Outside Rand Paul, Steve Lonegan Event