Christie, Buono Headline NJ Gubernatorial Primary

Sporting a sky-high approval rating that's fluctuated between the high 60s and low 70s percentile during New Jersey's recovery in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Gov. Chris Christie has more than a fair chance at re-election in the upcoming gubernatorial race this fall. 

His opponents, however, are hoping that public opinion proves to be fickle.

In Tuesday's primary election, two Democratic candidates are seeking approval to face off against Christie in the next election under the party banner. On the Republican side of the ballot, Christie is facing a primary challenge from an opponent who believes the governor has failed to adhere to the sense of conservatism and small government demanded by Republican ideals.

For the Democrats, frontrunner Barbara Buono will contend with East Orange mayoral aide Troy Webster in Tuesday's primary.

Buono, a State Senator with the 18th district, was New Jersey's first female Senate Majority Leader and also serves as chairwoman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. Buono announced her candidacy for governor in December and quickly rose to the top of the Democratic wish list after Newark mayor and rising political star Cory Booker said he would pass on the governor's race in favor of a 2014 U.S. Senate bid. 

Despite not yet owning her party's nomination, Buono, 59, has already been the target of negative political ads by the Republican Governors Association. The ads attack her voting record on tax issues and link her with former Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine.

Seemingly unrecognized by the public at large, Webster stated his intention to run for the governor's office in March. 

Webster, a former professional basketball player drafted by the New Jersey Nets, is currently aide to East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser. His stated goals are to make the state a better place for the working poor and middle class families who have been "literally thrown under the bus."

Seeking to supplant Christie and earn the GOP nomination is Somers Point resident Seth Grossman, a conservative with tea party notions.  

A staple in southern New Jersey, Grossman, 64, drew state headlines when he, along with former Bogota mayor and director of the New Jersey chapter of Americans for Prosperity, was arrested in 2008 while protesting Corzine's planned toll hikes for both the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike. Though charges against Grossman and his fellow protesters were dropped, Grossman said on his campaign website he believes the incident helped defeat Corzine's plan and derailed his re-election bid the following year.

Grossman is certainly facing a challenge when it comes to overtaking Christie in a primary election.

Christie has drawn significant support from both Republicans and Democrats for his handling of New Jersey following Sandy, and while smiles and handshakes with President Barack Obama in the wake of the storm might have put some hard-line conservatives off, the bipartisan spirit Christie engendered in the state's recovery granted him many fans throughout New Jersey on both sides of the aisle. 

Though Christie has denied he intends to run as a Republican in the 2016 Presidential race, his stature among the GOP ranks nationally has grown. While his future aspirations are unclear, being elected to a second term as the state's governor is most assuredly a necessary step toward reaching any of his future goals.