The NFL’s work stoppage, which has lasted since March, has afforded Johnson more time for politics
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Just back from a trip to Israel in January with Mitt Romney, Jets owner Woody Johnson walks on the field before his team beat the New England Patriots in a playoff game in Foxboro, Mass.In January, months before Mitt Romney declared his presidential candidacy for 2012, the former Massachusetts governor arranged a visit to longtime U.S. ally Israel. Woody Johnson, the Jets owner, was invited to join his traveling entourage.
Seven time zones away, their party dined with some of Israel’s prominent venture capitalists, among them the head of Google Israel. They met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat. They visited a kibbutz near the Gaza Strip, where the threat of homemade rocket attacks looms daily. They celebrated Shabbat dinner with an American family that, for the past two decades, has called Israel home.
Romney continued on to Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. And Johnson boarded his private plane back to the States — just in time to see his National Football League team defeat its rival Patriots in an exultant playoff win.
"Beating New England and flying to Israel?" Johnson recalled in a recent interview. "I may never have had a better week."
Nor one that better encapsulates the rare balancing act Johnson has taken on between a pair of larger-than-life endeavors: heading one of the NFL’s boldest and most headline-making franchises, and leading fundraising efforts in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for Romney’s current presidential campaign.
The NFL’s work stoppage, which has lasted since March, has afforded Johnson more time for politics — but his involvement is much more than a lockout pastime. The Johnson & Johnson heir raised millions for the GOP during the 2008 presidential race, is well-regarded by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and said he would not rule out running for public office.
Johnson’s commitment to Romney’s campaign is equal parts "an honor" and an "intense" amount of work. But just as Johnson believes the coach of his team, Rex Ryan, will lead the Jets to the Super Bowl, he holds a similar conviction and trust in Romney’s ability to elevate America in tough economic times.
"Ultimately in football and politics," Johnson said, "it’s all about the person who is leading the charge."
On Romney’s team, Johnson is "an invaluable member," the campaign’s national finance chair, Spencer Zwick, said in a statement. Romney, a fellow businessman, has "a deep respect" for Johnson, Zwick added.
When potential Republican presidential candidates began to emerge last summer, Romney asked to meet with Johnson — and so did a handful of other top prospects. Johnson’s success as a fundraiser was well-known: He led the efforts in New York for Republican nominee John McCain in the last election, once raising $7 million in a single night, and in crunch time mustered more than $10 million to save the 2008 Republican National Convention.
Joined by Matt Higgins, the Jets’ executive vice president of business operations and press secretary to former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, Johnson met with several would-be candidates coveting his support — and Rolodex — this go-round.
CHOOSING ROMNEY
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Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. in this 2010 file photo.Johnson was familiar with Romney from the 2008 primaries and regarded him as a problem-solver in his political and business careers. After a summer trip to Romney’s lake house in New Hampshire and dinner at Del Frisco’s steakhouse in New York, Johnson was on board.
As a fundraiser, Johnson brings deep pockets and a powerful circle of friends — and, perhaps just as important, a relentless capacity to solicit donations that colleagues equate to a "force of nature."
Two weeks after their Israel trip, Romney made use of another of Johnson’s assets: cachet in his home state of New Jersey, bringing the Jets owner with him to dinner with Christie at Drumthwacket in January.
It was the first of a series of dinners Christie had with possible Republican candidates for 2012, to get to know them as he mulls whom to support.
"It was very smart on Gov. Romney’s part," said Bill Palatucci, a member of the Republican National Committee and a top Christie adviser, who was at the dinner. "He brought somebody very popular in New Jersey, someone the governor’s team has a lot of respect for. New Jersey is neutral, and it meant a lot to us to hear how strongly Woody supported (Romney)."
SHARED BELIEFS
In his Rockefeller Center office last month, Johnson was earnest and assured as he championed his candidate and explained their shared political beliefs, conversation not always expected from a professional sports team owner.
Johnson spoke for several minutes about the 10th Amendment and the importance of protecting states’ rights; he emphasized Romney’s qualifications for creating jobs in a U.S. economy that is still reeling; and pleaded to "lift all boats," i.e., help all Americans return to work.
Johnson considers his role to be an "ombudsman" or a "facilitator," bridging Romney and the voting public. Also in his job description: inspiring, motivating and cajoling.
Most weeks, Johnson speaks with Romney at least five times. The fundraising representatives, a list of heavy-hitters that also includes former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, hold periodic conference calls to share ideas.
The web of a campaign is vast, and Johnson’s preference is to be involved in "virtually everything." This is why he squeezed in the trip to Israel during the NFL postseason. When Romney officially announced his candidacy in June, Johnson was present at the farm in New Hampshire, then took his plane to St. Louis for one of the lockout-related court hearings.
Last week, Johnson co-chaired a swank fundraising reception for Romney in London. Over the past few months, he has hosted elite fundraising events, drawing thousands of dollars per plate, at prestigious Manhattan restaurants like the "21" Club and Cipriani.
Johnson is not certain how many hours he logs for the campaign, and perhaps he is wise not to keep track, but he knows some weeks it occupies more than half the time he is awake and working. According to fundraising numbers released last week, Romney’s campaign raised $18.25 million in the second quarter this year, more than quadrupling rivals’ efforts.
Johnson says "it doesn’t require really massive amounts of skill to do what I’m doing." Yet he has made a mark. Palatucci recalls a dinner Johnson hosted at his Manhattan home during the 2009 gubernatorial races, when Christie was running, to benefit the Republican Governors Association.
In addition to candidates like Christie, the exclusive group of invitees included high-dollar donors to whom Johnson personally appealed. After dinner, Palatucci remembers Johnson standing up and making a "forceful" plea for funds in the critical closing weeks of the campaign.
"I’ve seen it firsthand," Palatucci said. "He can be a very effective fundraiser for whomever he wants to support."
A RUN OF HIS OWN?
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Jets owner Woody Johnson (left) and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on the Jets sideline during pregame warmups as the Pittsburgh Steelers host the New York Jets in AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on Jan. 23.Johnson’s political activity begs one inevitable question: Would he consider running for public office himself?
"That kind of depends," Johnson said. "I’m open to looking at it, but I haven’t set my sights on any specific avenue yet."
Involvement in a presidential campaign, particularly if it were successful, could provide a boost. Johnson, whose family has ties to New Jersey dating to the 19th century, also has two attributes proven to go far in this state: His own funds, and name recognition.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg and former New Jersey governor Jon Corzine each moved from successful business careers to public office, while former Knicks star Bill Bradley served three terms in the U.S. Senate.
"People openly wonder if he’ll run someday and would support him if he did," said Mike DuHaime, the chief strategist for the Christie campaign, who has also been a marketing consultant to the Jets. "Because of his high profile and because he’s so well-known, some think he could immediately run for U.S. Senate."
Johnson said he’d need to determine if he could add value to the office, the way he believes Romney would as president. Could he still own the Jets? It would be possible, he said, though another member of the family might have to step become more involved.
Back in the present, however, the Jets have a Super Bowl guarantee to make good on, and the Romney campaign could have many long months ahead.
"Cross that bridge …," Johnson said with a grin. "I’ve got a lot to do at the moment."