NJ Governor Jon Corzine ends speculation today when he announces that he has picked Loretta Weinberg to be his Lieutenant Governor.
This is the woman we've called the Godmother of Progressive New Jersey. The uphill-battler of corruption in politics, particularly where she finds it in her own party. the transparency advocate. The fighter - way out front - on marriage equality.
Congratulations, Senator Weinberg!
Sen. Weinberg was a guest last week on Blue Jersey Radio, talking about the speculation she might be picked. Easily the progressives' choice, there were literally shouts of jubilation in the Garden State when rumors leaked late yesterday that she would be the choice.
How important this choice is to progressives in New Jersey, and how important the NJ Governor's race should be to progressives across the country is laid out in this blast from Garden State Equality's Steven Goldstein:
Tens of thousands of Garden State Equality members are jumping for joy right now – our heads are spinning with jubilation – over Governor Corzine’s selection of Senator Loretta Weinberg as his running mate for Lieutenant Governor. Loretta is our godmother and guardian angel. Garden State Equality’s highest award is even named for her: The Loretta Weinberg Prize for Lifetime Achievement.
Loretta is the architect of every LGBT civil rights law enacted in New Jersey since she entered the legislature in 1993, including our state’s domestic partnership and civil union laws, and our anti-discrimination, hate crimes and school bullying laws that encompass sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
She is the prime sponsor of the marriage equality bill now before the state legislature.
Of course, far more than the LGBT community is ecstatic today. Our unbridled happiness is shared by every other constituency whose lives Loretta has touched. She is prime sponsor of more than 50 laws and the co-prime sponsor of another 40 laws – simply astounding.
Governor Corzine didn’t just name a public official to serve by his side today. He named a legend. It’s a selection that says volumes about his exemplary leadership and his progressive vision of our state.
To progressive voters all across New Jersey, Governor Corzine’s selection of Loretta Weinberg is like adding a jolt of a million volts. We are electrified.
In last week's Blue Jersey Radio interview, conducted before she was chosen, the Senator talked about Governor Corzine, his potential selection of a Lieutenant Governor, women in politics, geographic reactions, the Party Democracy Act and more. Get a sense of how big this choice is. Click to listen to the interview:Here.