Why Isn't Doug Forrester Doing Better?

Quick, take this test: A candidate who opposes renewing a nuclear power plant's license, opposes development on prime riverfront land, balks at lowering income taxes and is pro-choice is from which party?

In most states he'd be a Democrat, but not in New Jersey, where he's the Republican candidate for New Jersey governor, Doug Forrester. You'd think a liberal-leaning Republican would do well in the Garden State, given the corruption scandals that have weighed down the dominant Democrats. But five days before Election Day, polls show Democrat Jon Corzine gaining strength. A Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday has Mr. Corzine ahead 50% to 38% with 9% undecided.

Until last month, Mr. Forrester owned the two hot-button issues of the campaign -- property tax relief and battling corruption. A majority of voters now say Mr. Corzine is better suited to tame these monsters. Mr. Corzine's gains on the tax issue are perhaps understandable: New Jerseyans just received their annual property tax rebate checks, and Mr. Corzine is offering bigger payouts in the future.

His ethics gains, however, are more puzzling. In the late days of the race, new legs have been given to the story of Sen. Corzine's affair with state union boss Carla Katz and the disclosure that he forgave a $470,000 loan to her just as he entered the governor's race. This week, Joanne Corzine, the senator's ex, broke her silence and said it was this affair with Ms. Katz that broke up their marriage, though Mr. Corzine had previously said the affair began only after the marriage ended. Ms. Corzine also cut to the heart of her former husband's "Mr. Clean" campaign proposition, saying his dealings with corrupt New Jersey politicians had corrupted him too.

Newspaper endorsements are about evenly split. The surprises came from The Newark Star-Ledger and the Bergen Record, which both endorsed Mr. Forrester. These papers circulate in heavily Democratic North Jersey. Mr. Forrester has a chance to make a last stand tomorrow night at the final debate.