President Obama to Visit New Jersey Next Week

President Obama will head to the Garden State next week to discuss the economy.

It will be the president's first trip to New Jersey since he campaigned there for former Governor Jon Corzine, who suffered a blistering loss to Republican challenger Chris Christie in November.

That loss, paired with a defeat in Virginia, was compounded by the democratic party's failure to keep the Massachusetts seat left vacant by the late Ted Kennedy in the state's special election earlier this year.

The White House insisted the losses were not a referendum on the president's health care reform policy, though shortly after voters in Massachusetts elected Scott Brown -- a republican -- to the Senate, Mr. Obama's focus seemed to shift to the economy and jobs, though eventually health care legislation passed through Congress.

With a 9.8% unemployment rate, New Jersey ranks near the national average as far as jobless claims. Governor Christie has proposed a series of budget cuts in an attempt to close the $10.7 billion deficit that he inherited. The cuts have angered state educators and union workers, as well as residents who are concerned that their property taxes -- already the highest in the country -- will skyrocket.

The White House has yet to release details on the venue for Mr. Obama's visit, only that he will appear in Central Jersey to talk about the economy.

Despite his failed attempt to get Corzine reelected there, the president has enjoyed support from the traditionally blue state. He won there by over 15 percentage points in 2008.