Daggett: Republicans urged me to drop out

Former New Jersey Environmental Commissioner Chris Daggett said Wednesday morning he received pressure from national Republicans to drop out of the governor's race.

Republicans worry that Daggett, an independent candidate who is polling in the double-digits, could take enough votes away from former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie (R) to give Gov. Jon Corzine (D) a second term.

In an interview on Sirius-XM Radio early Wednesday, Daggett said businessman Christy Mihos had called him to urge him to quit the race, saying he may be blamed for giving Corzine four more years. Mihos ran for Massachusetts governor as an independent in 2006, and he is now running as a Republican for that post.

"He felt that he did a lousy job when he ran [as] an independent, and now people are blaming him for it, and trying to act as though, or worry that I might be blamed in New Jersey for a Republican losing," Daggett said.

Three years ago, Mihos took 7 percent of the vote as an independent. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) won the race with 56 percent, while former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey (R) took 35 percent. The math does not add up, and Daggett said he is unconvinced by Mihos's plea.

"If the Republicans lose in New Jersey, they've got to look in the mirror," Daggett said. "The Republicans are the party of no. They don't participate meaningfully in the debate about how to fix things."

Daggett, asked if Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele had contacted him, said no. But, he said, Republicans "have sent other missionaries."

A spokesman for the Republican Governors Association said the organization did not urge Mihos to contact Daggett.

Kevin Sowyrda, Mihos's communications director, was not present when Mihos called Daggett, but he said the Massachusetts Republican feels strongly about the race in New Jersey.

"I think there's a difference between running for a purpose and running to be a spoiler," Sowyrda said. "The growing intensity of suspicion that [Daggett] is in the race for a political objective, as opposed to a philosophical objective, is hard to ignore. It's the elephant in the room.

"This is a chance for New Jersey to start down a new road," Sowyrda added. "We support our fellow Republican brother."

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