N.J. Candidate Lonegan's Wife Asks To Meet Oprah Winfrey
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The wife of Republican New Jersey U.S. Senate candidate Steve Lonegan would like Oprah Winfrey – a major supporter of Democratic rival Cory Booker – to get to know her husband and his story.
The Lonegan campaign said Monday that Lorraine Lonegan had sent a letter to Winfrey asking for a meeting.
Lorraine Lonegan said her request is in keeping with Winfrey's demonstrated interest in telling two sides of stories.
She said she hopes Winfrey respects her husband's campaign enough to meet with her. She added that their discussion doesn't have to be in a public forum, but could be.
A spokeswoman for Winfrey's Harpo Studios said the company had not received the request. Her primetime series, "Oprah's Next Chapter," airs on Sundays.
Winfrey held a fundraiser last month for Booker and the Newark mayor also appeared on her talk show in 2010.
In the Senate primaries last week, Booker – the mayor of Newark -- defeated U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, U.S. Rep. Rush Holt, and state Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver among the Democrats, while Lonegan – a former mayor of Bogota, N.J. who now heads a conservative group – won against opponent Alieta Eck.
In accepting his party's nomination this past Tuesday, Booker spoke about trying to bring people together, about working together, and about moving forward rather than moving right or left.
He said he would fight for marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples, equal pay for women, and raising the minimum wage.
Booker said if he wins, he will bring a new kind of politics to Washington. And he had a message for his Republican challenger.
"I will match his negative attacks with positive vision," he said.
Lonegan said if he wins, he will fight for less government.
"We are the small businesses that are the backbone of this nation, that mortgage our homes, that build jobs and a real economy in this country -- not the government," he said.
"You can count on this -- I will fight for what I believe in with conviction, with passion, and with total commitment to your liberty -- every step of the way," he continued.
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