Reply #2: Because right now the Democratic Party in NJ is on the verge of collapse

[LynneSin]

First Toricelli and then McGreevey, the party was about to be lost and potentially back into the hands of the republican party. Corzine has been a great senator - the fact that he has paid for all his own campaigns out of his own pockets means that he's not bought & sold by the corporations. Both Schundler & Forrester (They both ran in the primaries for gov) have run statewide campaigns and have name recognition but unfortunately there wasn't a strong candidate for the democrats. With Corzine running for governor, he has a chance to not only restore the party but to elevate another local candidate into statewide recognition (Corzine will pick his replacement for in the senate).

And it's a smart move in another sense - if Corzine ever wants to run for president, governors seem to have better luck than Senators.

NJ is a strong liberal state but with all the corruption and overprice cost of homes & insurance it's so easy for the voters to get fed up and vote the other party.