Response by Rick Thigpen

While the governor's overall numbers show only marginal improvement, he seems to have made significant progress in strengthening his Democratic base--an important element in his preparation for his re-election campaign. With the national economy beginning to show improvement--boosted by the injection of hundreds of billions of dollars of borrowed money to bolster Bush's re-election effort--it appears that Gov. McGreevey may have weathered the storm. As Bush unintentionally benefits McGreevey, the pressure on the state budget will dwindle and McGreevey's options will expand. Take note viewers, the poll also makes clear that the millionaires' tax is probably the most politically palatable option to raise significant amounts of revenue.

Comment by Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind Academic Associate, Rick Thigpen (J.D., Columbia University Law School). Rick is a former Executive Director of the New Jersey Democratic Party and now a partner in The Strategy Group and is a campaign coordinator for the Essex County Democratic Party. Rick Thigpen, Esq. can be reached at (609) 394-0888.