The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

(Page 2 of 4)

br> New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez 's campaign manager is said by state Democrat operatives to have hit the roof when disgraced former governor Jim McGreevey , went public on Wednesday with his desire to marry his Australian boyfriend. /p>

McGreevey's comments came on the same day the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that the state legislature must give homosexual couples the same rights as married people. "Marriage would offer the ability to bless our relationship in a committed way," McGreevey, who has been very public about his dalliances with a male former staffer and other male trysts while in the closet and married, told the New York Times.

"'Get someone over to where ever he lives and shut him up,' is basically what was said," a state Democrat Party operative said. "McGreevey's comments and the gay marriage ruling are complicating Menendez's campaign, and giving Kean some juice."

Republican Tom Kean, Jr. has been more than competitive in what is shaping up to be a critical race for Republicans nationally. In polling, he has either been in the lead within the margin of error or just trailing Menendez within the margin or error, making the race too close to call. "But there is a sense that Kean can really win this thing and that he has momentum," says a Republican National Committee staffer. "In New Jersey, we haven't always had that feeling."

Menendez and his team have certainly done everything they could to help Kean pull off the victory. Associates of Menendez, a longtime New Jersey pol, have been implicated in a potential kickback scandal, and some state party insiders are critical of Menendez's lax approach to campaigning.

"But McGreevey and this gay marriage thing just helps crystallize what this race means for Republicans around the country," says a Republican pollster. "It's not an October surprise, but it helps us."

p> NERVOUS ABOUT NANCY br> While it may be accurate that Democrat House candidates Mike Weaver

topics:
Nancy Pelosi, NATO