The Flap Over 'Race to the Top'

News broke on Tuesday that New Jersey did not win the Race to the Top Federal Education funds as a result of an error in the application process. Education Commissioner Bret Schundler and Governor Chris Christie responded, claiming a bureaucratic error on the Federal Government's end. Then, the US Department of Education released a video that pinned it on Schundler and the NJ Department of Education. As a result of that video and his refusal to resign, Christie fired him.

Many Republicans have commended Christie for holding his administration accountable, some said he nipped the problem in the bud, others have said this was Schundler's third strike. While I take those into account, I am very concerned Christie erred in his dismissal of Schundler.

First, the politics of Race to the Top. The 9 states that won (New York, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Hawaii) all have elections in the US Senate, as well as gubernatorial elections, and many of these elections are close. Obama needs Democrats in these states to win so they can lead redistricting and set the Democrat agenda. New Jersey has a popular Republican governor who is not up for re-election for another three years and no US Senate elections until 2012. Regardless of the rubric, New Jersey was not going to win.

Second, let's look at the rubric. According to the Star-Ledger's Bob Braun, New Jersey lost enough points that the clerical error would not have mattered.

Third, the NJEA's feigned outrage of Christie's leadership leading to the failure is transparent to those who have been following this issue. It was the NJEA who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to support the application, and still refused to go along with certain aspects of the rubric.

Fourth, Christie's firing of Schundler has the potential to create problems for himself. In firing Schundler, opponents of Christie now have an "a-ha" moment on their criticisms of his education agenda. Their wish to hold hearings on the application process will overlook at the crux of the failure, as noted by Braun, keeping the cycle going. By Christie firing Schundler, he accepted the premise of the Democrats that they lost because of his administration's imcompetence, which may cause him to lose momentum when it comes to making decisions about education.

Let's also remember that Schundler ran for Governor in 2001 and still holds loyalty among more conservative members of New Jersey's Republican Party. I would make the argument that his endorsement of Christie helped the Governor win the June 2009 Primary against Steve Lonegan and Richard Merkt. Looking back on his concession speech in 2001, which I witnessed live at the then Forrestal Village Marriott, there was a lack of graciousness, a bit of sore loser and the possibility of having axe to grind. Despite that speech, the unsuccessful run and the many outside forces in that campaign, I have always respected Bret Schunder's positions on the issues and the way he articulates them. I hope both Bret and Christie take the high road as the unity of New Jersey's Republican Party that Christie so successfully built has the potential to be shattered over this issue. These folks will be watching very carefully to see who Christie chooses as Schundler's successor and how he treats Schundler through public comments in light of the recent news. I hope for all the best involved.