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Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band Drummer Max Weinberg Supports Republican Senate Candidate

Bruce Springsteen Drummer Max Weinberg Supports Republican
US musician Bruce Springsteen performs at the Olympic stadium in Helsinki, Finland on Tuesday July 31, 2012. In the background drummer Max Weinberg. (AP Photo/Lehtikuva, Viena Kytojoki ) FINLAND OUT
AP
US musician Bruce Springsteen performs at the Olympic stadium in Helsinki, Finland on Tuesday July 31, 2012. In the background drummer Max Weinberg. (AP Photo/Lehtikuva, Viena Kytojoki ) FINLAND OUT

While Bruce Springsteen performed at several campaign stops recently for President Barack Obama including a trio of stops yesterday, E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg was tossing his support behind a New Jersey Republican senate candidate on Monday evening.

According to NJ.com, Weinberg visited candidate Joseph Kyrillos who is vying for the seat currently held by Democratic senator Robert Menendez. The appearance was at a campaign event which also morphed into a fundraising and donation drive to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

"I know that [Gov. Chris Christie] was supposed to be here tonight, and he's New Jersey's number one Springsteen fan," Weinberg said. "I'm glad to be the second biggest Springsteen fan to be here to say thank you. New Jersey, and Monmouth and Ocean County, have shown solidarity, incredible hard work and resilience. The devastation is overwhelming. It’s jaw dropping. But I must say that I was very proud of everything that occurred in New Jersey this week, particularly in Monmouth and Ocean.”

Weinberg and Kyrillos met initially when the candidate purchased the Middletown home Weinberg lived at years ago. Kyrillos said Springsteen and the E Street Band "through their music are trying to make things better, as they always have."

The drummer also said Springsteen's recent performances of "My City Of Ruins" has taken on a new meaning in light of the damage to New Jersey and the New York area while describing the group onstage as a "glorified Jersey bar band."

Story continues after slideshow

In an odd twist, the storm has brought Christie and Springsteen together, something the musician was averse to after Christie's constant praise of Springsteen and references to his music during speeches, including at this year's Republican National Convention. Weinberg said the meeting between the two took place during Friday's nationally televised telethon.

“When we got done playing 'City of Ruins' on TV, and the cameras go dark when we come off the stage, there walking towards the stage was [Gov. Christie] and Mary Pat [Christie, the governor’s wife],” Weinberg said. “To see Bruce and Chris embrace, and walk off together talking arm-in-arm about what has gone on here over the past week, was a beautiful tableau. That’s what I believe the people of the world, apart from the destruction and all of the horrific images from the hurricane, that’s what they remember about New Jersey."

Gov. Christie, who has attended hundreds of Springsteen concerts, said that he went home and wept afterward.

Regardless of the Nov. 6 outcome, Springsteen and The E Street Band will be back on the road as part of its Wrecking Ball world tour Nov. 11 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The trek is slated to conclude in Mexico City on Dec. 10.

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