Lonegan Receives Support from NOM and Sarah Palin in NJ Senate Race

Steve Lonegan, the Republican candidate running in Wednesday's special election for the late US Senator Frank Lautenberg's seat in Congress, is receiving some major eleventh hour support from hard right wing politicians and anti-gay groups in the form of a recent rally organized by the Tea Party. It featured an appearance by former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin and financial support from the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).

Saturday, Palin asserted her opinions into the Garden State's US Senate race, telling the crowd at a rally for Lonegan that the "eyes of America" are on them. The rally, which was organized by the Tea Party Express was held at New Egypt Speedway in Ocean County. According to the Associated Press, Palin told the crowd, estimated at 2,000 by the Tea Party, that Lonegan would fight against the nation's health care law and stand with Republican Tea Party senators including Ted Cruz of Texas. Palin told attendees to go out and vote and defy the "fallacy" that a conservative Tea Party candidate cannot win in Democratic-leaning New Jersey.

Lonegan also received support on Saturday from the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) when the anti-gay group announced via press release that they were launching an independent expenditure campaign in New Jersey to boost Lonegan's candidacy.

"Steve Lonegan is a champion for marriage, life and religious liberty and would be a leader in the US Senate for New Jersey families," said Brian Brown, NOM's president. "He's a tenacious campaigner and an even more effective public official. He will get immediately to work to begin to restore the direction of the country."

"Corey Booker expected a coronation, not a close contest," said Brown. "He's been busy raising money in Hollywood and among the gay lobby, who've lavished money on his campaign because he shares their values. Meanwhile, Steve Lonegan has worked hard to talk about the real issues impacting New Jersey families, and voters are responding. We hope our independent expenditure effort can help propel him over the top."

According to NOM's own press notes, the anti-gay conservative group has in excess of 120,000 supporters in New Jersey and will organize them to turn out to vote for Lonegan next Wednesday.

Lonegan, the conservative former mayor of Bogota, N.J., is challenging popular progressive mayor of Newark Cory Booker in the state's Oct. 16 special election to replace the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.).

According to a Quinnipiac Poll published Oct. 9, Booker leads Lonegan by 12 points in the race.