Locals hit campaign trail for presidential hopefuls

by Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
   Two South Brunswick residents are taking their support for U.S. Sen. John McCain or U.S. Sen. Barack Obama to the next level by volunteering for their candidate in anticipation of Election Day.
   Interest in the national election has been high throughout the state, reflected in a surge in voter registration. On Monday and Tuesday, the final two days to register in New Jersey, 129 new voters registered at the Township Clerk’s office, according to Township Clerk Barbara Nyitrai. Ms. Nyitrai said that when the totals are tabulated, she thinks there will be more than 25,000 registered voters in South Brunswick, up from about 21,000 in the 2004 presidential election.
   South Brunswick supporters have been active in the campaigns. Roger Craig, the vice-chairman of the South Brunswick Republican Organization, has volunteered on behalf of Sen. McCain. Laura Regalado, 27, of Monmouth Junction, has volunteered for Sen. Obama.
   Mr. Craig, who was recommended to the South Brunswick Post by Sen. McCain’s campaign, said he began volunteering through the Middlesex County Republican Organization, and by keeping in touch with Sen. McCain’s New Jersey campaign headquarters in Woodbridge. Mr. Craig said he has made phone calls for Sen. McCain, and he and his wife put out signs for the candidate around town.
   ”I’ve been doing some of the grunt work, and talking to people,” he said. “We hope that when people show up to the polls they will have a good view of John McCain, and that they will give him their vote.”
   Mr. Craig said he supports Sen. McCain because he has the right experience on foreign and domestic issues.
   ”McCain was right about the surge in Iraq, and Obama was woefully wrong about that,” he said. “McCain has a vision for the economy of cutting some of these taxes that will help the economy grow. Obama says he wants to cut taxes for 95 percent of the people, but half of them aren’t paying taxes anyway. That seems wrong headed to me.”
   Mr. Craig said Sen. McCain warned of problems with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac four years ago, and that the Democrats rebuked him. He also said that some of Sen. Obama’s past associations bother him.
   ”I don’t agree with the criticism that talking about Obama’s associations is nasty, because there is nothing nastier than what his associates are accused of doing,” he said. “Domestic terrorism, anti-Americanism and just plain old graft.”
   Ms. Regalado got involved with Sen. Obama’s campaign through www.my.barackobama.com, which is where the Post reached her. She said she put her phone number on the site, and received a call from another volunteer asking her to help. She met with other supporters in Ewing, then went out with a group of volunteers to knock on doors and drum up support.
   ”The meeting before you go out is very brief. They give you a packet of things we should talk about and Barack’s positions. They tell you how to approach people without seeming preachy or like you are trying to attack them,” she said. “This is only the third time I have voted for president, but every time I have become more involved. I really wanted to do whatever I could to help him win. If Barack Obama loses, I didn’t want to feel like I didn’t do what I could to help his campaign.”
   Ms. Regalado said she supports Sen. Obama because she believes he will take the country in a better direction. She said that she thinks that Sen. McCain is trying to separate himself from President George W. Bush, but will likely continue his policies. She said that abortion is an important issue for her, and that she is pro-choice, which makes Sen. Obama’s position important to her.
   She also said that she was very troubled by Sen. McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential nominee. She described Gov. Palin as “another Dick Cheney.”
   ”This country needs to go in a different direction,” Ms. Regaldo said. “I think Barack Obama can get it on the right track.”