Christie loan issue may linger or fade

By: Phil Gregory
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Questions of ethics and unethical behavior took center stage in the campaign for Governor of New Jersey last week. Democrats attacked Republican Chris Christie for making a 46-thousand dollar loan to a subordinate federal prosecutor while he was a U.S. Attorney and failing to report it on financial disclosure forms. There is some disagreement on how long that issue will continue to attract the attention of the candidates, or voters.

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Seton Hall University political science professor Joe Marbach says the report about the Christie loan came at a time when many voters are on vacation and not paying much attention to the election.

Marbach: If Christie can weather this storm in the next week or so it should become less of an issue as we move towards the election and other more important or pressing issues start to come to the front in September and October.

But Montclair State political science professor Brigid Harrison is not so sure the ethics question about that loan will fade quickly.

Harrison: Because Democrats will keep it front and center through campaign advertising from now until election day.

While the ethics issue has received the most attention in recent days, political analysts say the major issues for voters continue to be the economy and taxes.