Stay tuned for 'Sen. Dobbs'
Stay tuned for 'Sen. Dobbs'
By JENNIFER FERMINO
Last Updated: 1:08 PM, November 14, 2009
Posted: 4:09 AM, November 14, 2009
Now that Lou Dobbs has hung up his microphone on CNN, the populist New Jersey resident could be a viable candidate for the Garden State's US Senate race in 2012, political experts said yesterday.
The veteran anchor -- whose strong views on illegal immigration, health care and job creation propelled him to the top of the ratings at the cable network -- said yesterday he had been approached about getting into politics, but insisted he was still weighing his options.
Should he choose to jump into the famously ferocious world of New Jersey politics, Dobbs -- who surprised his fans on Wednesday with an on-air resignation -- could be a force to be reckoned with, said experts.
For years, Dobbs has dogged rumors that he was eyeing a political career. But with the conservative Gov.-elect Chris Christie poised to take control in Trenton, many Jersey political watchers feel the timing could be right for Dobbs, a self-described "Rockefeller Republican."
"This is something that has been talked about, particularly for 2012 against Senator [Robert] Menendez," said Brigid Harrison, a political science professor with Montclair State in New Jersey.
The ex-CNN anchor has two key advantages that would make him a particularly attractive candidate.
As host of a highly rated national show, Dobbs would start any race with higher-than-average name recognition.
In addition, because of his national prominence, he'd also likely be an effective fund-raiser.
Dobbs switched his party affiliation in 2006 from Republican to independent, but his views on a number of issues -- most notably for tougher border control -- have endeared him to many conservatives.
All of which could make him a favorite with the state's GOP to take on Menendez.
Menendez -- the son of Cuban immigrants -- was appointed a senator in 2006, when Jon Corzine left Washington to begin his term as governor.
He was elected later that year after a particularly nasty campaign against Republican challenger Tom Kean Jr., who portrayed him as a dirty pol with deep roots in Hudson County corruption.
"Lou Dobbs would certainly be an early front-runner" for the nomination if he ran, said Patrick Murray, a polling chief at Monmouth University in New Jersey.
But Dobbs' key issue -- his calls for strict controls on US borders and the tightening of rules for illegal aliens -- could be problematic in a state with a high immigrant population, said Murray.
"One out of five New Jerseyans were born outside of this country. That's a lot of people," said Murray.
Menendez, the Senate's only Hispanic member, has already taken a shot at Dobbs by calling his departure from CNN "addition by subtraction." His office did not return a call for comment yesterday.
Dobbs' spokesman, Robert Dilenschneider, said: "He's in the process of evaluating things. He's been approached [about politics] but he's also been approached by other media. There are a lot of people talking to him right now."
jennifer.fermino@nypost.com
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/s...NlL2lygWOqZ6hL
