Gov. Corzine of New Jersey Endorsing Hillary Clinton for President

Corzine to endorse Clinton on Monday, sources say

Posted by The Star-Ledger March 29, 2007 9:03PM

What may have been one of the worst kept secrets in New Jersey politics is out: Gov. Jon Corzine will throw his support in the 2008 presidential campaign to New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Corzine will formally endorse Clinton at a joint appearance Monday morning in Elizabeth, according to officials in the admin­istration, Democratic party and the Clinton camp. All asked that their names not be used because Cor­zine hasn't yet announced his decision publicly.

The rally at city hall in Eliza­beth will be followed by a Corzine-hosted afternoon fund-raiser for
the Democratic party's front-run­ner, two of the officials said.

A spokesman for Clinton's cam­paign was coy when asked tonight about the endorsement. ''Sen. Clinton is going to be in New Jersey on Monday to make a major campaign announcement," spokesman Mo Elleithee said. "That's all we're going to say tonight."

Corzine Press Secretary An­thony Coley declined comment: "We have no announcement at this
time," he said.

It has been widely expected that Corzine would endorse Clinton, with whom he served in the
U.S. Senate, but the governor has never said so publicly. Hillary and former President Bill
Clinton campaigned with Corzine during his run for governor in 2005.

Several prominent Democrats are expected to attend Monday's event, including Rep. Rob Andrews, Sen. Robert Menendez and Assemblyman Jo­seph Cryan (D-Union), the Demo­cratic state committee chairman, the officials said.

Contributed by Deborah Howlett