July 22, 2008 - 2:05pm
Officially, Obama taps Mueller as state campaign chief
By EditorThe Obama campaign announced today that Tricia Mueller, the political director for the New Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters, will serve as state Director of Obama’s New Jersey campaign. Bob Decheine, the Chief of Staff to Rep. Steve Rothman, will serve as a senior advisor to the campaign.
"Our team in New Jersey knows that strong organizations are built from the bottom up, not the top down, and we look forward to working with area supporters as we grow our grassroots campaign to end the failed policies of the past and bring change we can believe in,” said Obama campaign manager David Plouffe.
Richard McGrath, spokesman for the Democratic State Committee, immediately issued a release containing bios for Mueller and Decheine.
Political director of the state council of carpenters since 2000, Mueller is the only woman ever to have been a political director among New Jersey's building trades unions, and is the first female regional political director among the 50-plus regional political directors of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters.
Since October 2000 Mueller has been director of the New Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters Non-Partisan Political Education Committee (PEC), where she oversees the political and legislative agenda, fundraising, and considerable human resources of 18,000 union households representing 55,000 family members across the state.
Mueller is a graduate of The College of New Jersey.
According to McGrath, Decheine has worked on 16 campaigns including managing 9 competitive elections for U.S. House, U.S. Senate and President. He served as Communications Director for Senator Russ Feingold and has been a Chief of Staff in the House for over a decade. For the past five years he has been Chief of Staff to U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-9), the Northeast Regional Co-Chair of the Obama campaign. Decheine is originally from Wisconsin where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education and a Master's degree in History from the University of Wisconsin.
Contributors
Wally Edge
Joe Ferriero's recent legal woes -- allegations that he assaulted a woman at a Labor Day barbecue at his home, and a federal probe of a grants ... >
Bob Torricelli
There's something missing from the Republican Convention. There is a need for a camera behind the curtain where speakers greet ... >
Michael Patrick Carroll
Barack Obama offers a hard-left vision for America. He would take NJ's disastrous economic policies national, and the resulting economic ... >
Debbie Holtz
Selecting the next NJN anchor will certainly be a different process than what happens at the major networks, local affiliates and other public ... >
Steve Lonegan
Tibet – the broad, high plateau between India and China – is bigger than Western Europe and the source of the great rivers of Asia: the Indus, ... >
Dr. Joseph Marbach
For the past few weeks, I've watched with fascination as politician after politician have appeared on a beach or a boardwalk and declared their ... >
Rob Tornoe
To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here. >
Michael P. Riccards
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on Meet the Press, made a statement that incurred the wrath of members of the Catholic bishops club. She dared to say that ... >
Joey Novick
And now we go back in time, to Mr. Dembo's eighth grade science class and JHS 278, and a sixteen millimeter film about the seasonal migration of ... >
Juan Melli
Poll
is Chris Christie running for Governor?
Yes
54%
No
2%
I don't know
6%
I don't care
38%
PolitickerNJ Partners
SPONSORED BY:
| Politicker INTERACTIVE | |
 |
The Pindell Report Keep up with the races in your state |
 |
Lawmaker Profile Follow the funding of your representatives |
 |
270 to Win Predict the road to the White House |
Top Tags
Most Active Stories
- Ferriero will take leave as Bergen Dem Chairman
- Andrews will seek re-election to House
- The Ballad of Governor Sarah Palin
- Federal court effectively kills NJ clean elections
- Pallone wants Christie to release personal schedules for last two years
- Merkt mulling bid for Governor
- Star-Ledger report: Ferreiro investigated for assault
- Torricelli on the Republican National Convention
- Editorial boards beat the crap out of Andrews
- Christie met with Beck to discuss '09 campaign, Lt. Governor
- Dr. Bones goes to Washington
- PoliticsNJ.com Power List 2007
- DOHERTY: NEW SCIENTIFIC DATA JUSTIFIES REPEALING GLOBAL WARMING RESPONSE ACT
- Eleven arrested in bribery scandal
- Lyndhurst GOP, nearly all of them, switching parties
- Lobbyist arrested
- Governor Paralysis
- Who is the best State Party Chairman in New Jersey
- KYRILLOS, BECK, KEAN & HANDLIN VOW WORK TO KEEP SEASTREAK FERRY UP AND RUNNING
- Torricelli on COAH
Quote of the Day
September 5, 2008
"A bare-faced liar. Rob Andrews lied. Plain and simple." -- A Philadelphia Inquirer editorial on Andrews' decision to seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
-Philadelphia Inquirer, 09/05/08
Recent Press Releases
In the News
Read the expanded Wake Up Call, our summary of today’s news media coverage.
Today’s Must Reads:
Politicker Poaches From Politico― News from Politicker.com
Xanadu bill footnote may weigh on Corzine― CHARLES STILE
Zoffinger not one to deny beliefs, avoid controversy― 'Codey's an idiot, and you can print that'
Welcome to New Jersey, Media Wasteland― NEW YORK OBSERVER
Divorce McGreevey style ― ALFRED DOBLIN
The judge got it right ― JAMES AHEARN
Capital Games― HERB JACKSON
Teen will get chance to sue a top N.J. judge ― ROBERTO RIVERA-SOTO
Mayor refusing to apologize for anti-Semitic slur ― WOODCLIFF LAKE
Court decision likely to have far-reaching implications in N.J. ― EMINENT DOMAIN
PolitickerNJ.com Jobs
Syndicate
There is a limit to a change for Obama.
Obama's campaign said "to end the failed policies of the past and bring change we can believe in.” Apparently, the change that they believe in in NJ is different than anywhere else. Having Clintonites associated with the bosses running Obama's campaign in NJ is a disappointment to say the least. By the way, the New Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters Non-Partisan Political Education Committee (PEC) is a non-partisan education committee. Is this a joke or what? How can it be non-partisan, if it is pro-Democrat Party?
Carpenters Union...
...endorses Republicans all the time. You an look it up.
Its the Candidate Stupid!
And that would make me the stupid. I'm glad the Obama campaign made a pick and now we have to move the ball forward. Momentum has no loyalty! Congratulations Ms. Tricia Mueller, I for one, am 100% percent behind you. Lead on.
This will surely make for some interseting discussion with my Union buddies. I have to leave them alone for now though because they are simply beside themselves with McCain, Savage and the lot. They've even taken to calling themselves Libertarians, whatever that means (yes, I know what it means). It's not easy to have your world view assaulted. I should know.
P.S. Please, please, please do not think that in order to help or assist the campaign in any substantive way you have to have a J.D. behind your name.