The Save Jersey Blog
A conservative political blog focused on New Jersey politics and national political affairs.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The Save Jersey Blog is a conservative political publication centered on New Jersey government, elections, candidates, public policy, and political controversies, while also addressing national issues with implications for the state. It was founded in May 2008 by Matt Rooney, a New Jersey political activist, attorney, and radio host. The site developed as an independent voice within New Jersey’s conservative and Republican media ecosystem, combining commentary with original political reporting. The blog gained its initial prominence during the 2009 New Jersey Republican gubernatorial primary. It followed the contest between Chris Christie and Steve Lonegan and, under Rooney’s direction, became an early and vocal supporter of Christie. In April 2009, The Washington Post’s political coverage identified Save Jersey as one of the leading state political blogs in the United States. During the summer of that year, the site reported traffic levels that exceeded those of its New Jersey-based political-blog competitors, giving it influence beyond its relatively narrow geographic focus. During the 2009 general election, Save Jersey strongly opposed Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine. Its coverage criticized Corzine’s political associations, New Jersey’s high property taxes, public-sector unions, and issues connected with the state’s political culture, including the controversy known as Operation Bid Rig and Corzine’s relationship with Carla Katz, then president of Communications Workers of America Local 1034. The blog’s editorial approach was openly partisan rather than institutionally neutral, and its reporting frequently blended investigative-style material with conservative political argument. Save Jersey’s work sometimes attracted attention because it publicized information that quickly became part of broader political debate. In October 2009, it reported that the New Jersey Democratic State Committee was financing automated telephone calls supporting independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett in Somerset County. The report appeared at a moment when Daggett was viewed as a potential spoiler in the Christie–Corzine contest and was subsequently associated with scrutiny of the state Democratic Party’s campaign tactics. The site later became critical of Chris Christie from the governor’s political right. Its criticism addressed Christie’s handling of legal expenses related to the Bridgegate controversy, travel outside New Jersey, and his public support for the Dallas Cowboys despite the governor’s New Jersey and Philadelphia-area political base. A social-media dispute involving Rooney and Christie’s brother, Todd, also drew press attention during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, when Christie was seeking the Republican nomination and Rooney was aligned with Senator Ted Cruz. In 2018, Save Jersey received national and state-level attention for political reporting connected with the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearings. The blog highlighted a 1992 student newspaper column written by Cory Booker while Booker was a student at Stanford University. The material became part of the highly contentious public debate surrounding Booker’s criticism of Kavanaugh. The blog also reported on the conduct of Noemi Velazquez, an aide to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. After Save Jersey published screenshots of offensive social-media comments directed at Republican political figures, Velazquez received a reported 10-day unpaid suspension. The incident illustrated the site’s role in monitoring political staffers and using social-media material as campaign and accountability news. Save Jersey returned to intensive election coverage during the 2021 New Jersey gubernatorial campaign. It covered the Republican primary and the general-election contest between incumbent Governor Phil Murphy and Republican businessman Jack Ciattarelli. During the primary, it reported comments by Republican candidate and evangelical pastor Phil Rizzo that were described as offensive toward the Catholic Church. The site also covered Seaside Heights Mayor Anthony Vaz’s decision to support Murphy, and Rooney publicly suggested that he would support a Republican challenger to Vaz in a future primary. Later in 2021, Save Jersey published photographs that it said showed Murphy violating his own COVID-19 mask policies. The issue was raised with Murphy during the second gubernatorial debate. The blog’s identity is therefore defined by a combination of conservative editorial advocacy, New Jersey political reporting, campaign coverage, opposition research, and commentary on national political controversies. Available reference material does not establish a formal corporate parent, public listing, ownership structure, current staff roster, or definitive operating status.
History
The Save Jersey Blog was established in May 2008 by Matt Rooney, a New Jersey political activist, attorney, and radio host. From its beginning, the publication focused on New Jersey politics while also connecting state developments to national conservative debates. Its format combined original reporting, political analysis, commentary, and criticism of public officials and campaigns. Its first major period of visibility came during the 2009 New Jersey Republican gubernatorial primary. The blog followed the contest between Chris Christie and Steve Lonegan and became an early supporter of Christie. Its growing influence was recognized in April 2009, when The Washington Post’s political coverage listed Save Jersey among the country’s leading state political blogs. By the summer of 2009, the site was reported to be drawing more traffic than competing New Jersey political blogs. During the 2009 general election, Save Jersey campaigned editorially against Democratic Governor Jon Corzine. Its coverage focused on Corzine’s connections to the Operation Bid Rig controversy, New Jersey’s high property taxes, public-sector unions, and his relationship with Carla Katz, the president of Communications Workers of America Local 1034. In October, the blog reported that the New Jersey Democratic State Committee was funding robocalls supporting independent candidate Chris Daggett in Somerset County. The story became one of the site’s most notable examples of campaign-focused reporting. The publication did not remain uniformly aligned with Republican officeholders. During Chris Christie’s second term, it criticized the governor from the right over the use of state Republican Party funds for legal fees associated with Bridgegate, out-of-state travel, and Christie’s support for the Dallas Cowboys. A social-media exchange involving Rooney and Christie’s brother, Todd, attracted attention during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, particularly because Christie was then campaigning for president and Rooney was associated with Ted Cruz’s candidacy. In October 2018, the blog became involved in coverage of the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearings. It drew attention to a 1992 column Cory Booker had written for the Stanford Daily as a student. The report was part of the wider partisan dispute surrounding Booker’s criticism of Kavanaugh. Also in October 2018, Save Jersey published screenshots of social-media comments attributed to Noemi Velazquez, an aide to Governor Phil Murphy. The comments insulted Republican political figures and prompted a reported 10-day unpaid suspension. The episode demonstrated the blog’s willingness to use social-media activity by political staff as a basis for accountability reporting and political controversy. During the 2021 New Jersey gubernatorial election, Save Jersey resumed extensive reporting on both the Republican primary and the general election between incumbent Phil Murphy and Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli. It was credited in the reference material with first reporting controversial comments by Republican candidate and evangelical pastor Phil Rizzo concerning the Catholic Church. The blog also covered Seaside Heights Mayor Anthony Vaz’s support for Murphy and reported photographs that appeared to show Murphy violating his own COVID-19 mask policies. The latter issue was raised with Murphy during the second gubernatorial debate. The available record presents Save Jersey as a politically partisan but periodically influential New Jersey publication. It has operated at the intersection of conservative opinion, campaign reporting, political controversy, and opposition research. Information about its current ownership, staff beyond Rooney, corporate organization, revenue, and present operational status is not established by the supplied sources.
- 2021
Renewed gubernatorial election coverage
[1]The site covers the Republican primary and the Murphy–Ciattarelli general-election contest, along with related political controversies.
- 2018
Reporting during the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings
[1]Save Jersey highlights a Cory Booker student newspaper column during the contentious Supreme Court confirmation process.
- 2018
Velazquez controversy
[1]Publication of screenshots concerning Noemi Velazquez is followed by a reported unpaid suspension for the governor’s aide.
- 2009
Coverage of the New Jersey Republican gubernatorial primary
[1]Save Jersey covers the Christie–Lonegan primary and becomes an early supporter of Chris Christie.
- 2009
National recognition as a state political blog
[1]The Washington Post identifies Save Jersey among the leading state political blogs in the United States.
- 2009
Robocall reporting during the gubernatorial election
[1]The blog reports alleged Democratic State Committee financing of robocalls supporting Chris Daggett.
- 2008
The blog is founded
[1]Matt Rooney establishes The Save Jersey Blog as a conservative political publication focused on New Jersey and national politics.
Products and positioning
A partisan conservative political blog positioned as an independent New Jersey-focused source for campaign reporting, political commentary, opposition research, and criticism of Democratic and establishment Republican figures.
Digital media · 2008
Political news and commentary
The blog’s core offering is written political coverage combining reporting, opinion, analysis, and criticism. Its subject matter includes New Jersey officials, parties, elections, public policy, campaign tactics, and nationally significant political controversies involving New Jersey figures.
Political media · 2009
Election coverage
Save Jersey provides campaign and candidate coverage, particularly for New Jersey statewide elections. Its documented work includes the 2009 gubernatorial race and the 2021 contest, with attention to primaries, general-election strategy, candidate statements, endorsements, and campaign controversies.
Controversies
2021
Phil Murphy mask-policy controversy
Save Jersey published photographs it said showed Governor Phil Murphy violating his own COVID-19 mask policies; the issue was raised during the second gubernatorial debate.
2018
Noemi Velazquez social-media controversy
The blog published screenshots of offensive comments attributed to Governor Phil Murphy’s aide Noemi Velazquez. The reported consequence was a 10-day unpaid suspension.
2009
Alleged NJDSC robocall campaign
Save Jersey reported that the New Jersey Democratic State Committee was funding automated calls supporting Chris Daggett during the gubernatorial campaign.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021New Jersey gubernatorial election coverage
New Jersey
Save Jersey covered the Republican primary and the general-election contest between Phil Murphy and Jack Ciattarelli, including candidate controversies and campaign developments.
Outcome. Phil Murphy won the general election.
- 2009New Jersey gubernatorial election coverage
New Jersey
The blog covered the Republican primary between Chris Christie and Steve Lonegan, supported Christie, and opposed Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine in the general election.
Outcome. Chris Christie won the Republican nomination and later won the general election.
Brand decisions
2016
Criticism of Chris Christie from the political rightStrategyBackground
Christie’s second term and presidential campaign generated criticism from conservatives over Bridgegate-related matters, travel, and other political choices.
Action taken
Save Jersey shifted from its earlier supportive posture to sustained criticism of Christie on selected issues.
Aftermath
A social-media dispute involving Rooney and Todd Christie attracted attention during the Republican presidential primary.
2009
Early support for Chris ChristieStrategyBackground
The Republican gubernatorial primary placed Chris Christie and Steve Lonegan in competition for the party nomination.
Action taken
The blog and Matt Rooney adopted an early, vocal pro-Christie position in coverage and commentary.
Aftermath
The publication gained visibility during the campaign and became associated with Christie’s early conservative support.
Sources2 sources
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