March 29, 2008 - 8:09pm
Lautenberg allies project solidarity in face of challengers
By Max PizarroMORRISTOWN - Democratic Party leaders will stage a rally in Trenton on Monday in support of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg as two potential primary challengers - Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello and former party Chairman Tom Byrne of Princeton - continued to lay the groundwork to run against the veteran lawmaker.
"We’re going to have the Democratic congressional delegation, Gov. Corzine, Sen. Menendez - all in support of Sen. Lautenberg," said Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan.
The event is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Marriott.
When Lautenberg first ran for U.S. Senate he was one in a Democratic Primary field of 11 that included Cresitello. Twenty-six years later, Cresitello still believes he’s the man who can ensure that this is Lautenberg’s last election, and this time the field is substantially smaller.
"If I can get Lautenberg to debate me, I can win," said the mayor in his Morristown office today, hours after he dispatched about a dozen volunteers from Town Hall to collect signatures for him to get on the ballot in time for the April 7 filing deadline.
The one obstacle to Cresitello’s efforts could prove to be Bryne, son of former Gov. Brendan Byrne, who is probing his own primary run against Lautenberg.
"If Byrne gets in, obviously that makes it harder for one of us to beat Lautenberg," Cresitello said. "I have not talked to him, but I imagine I will if we get closer to the filing deadline and he appears to be moving forward with a run."
Today Byrne said he had not come to a determination about whether or not he would run.
"I’m not prepared to make a decision," he told PolitckerNJ.com. "It will come down to conversations I have over the next couple of days."
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Worry, who me?
Frank is pissing in his pants by now (is this the age though?). So are Democrat establishment. They were able to deal with Obama threat before, now comes Lautenberg's primary challenge. This GOP disease is spreadings all over NJ. Poor Democrats.
The senator has no clothes
Landslide Frank, the fossil from Passaic is on the ropes.
He'll be embarassed in the primary by the most token of challenges!
Tom Byrne will get more than 40% of the vote based on the fact he's Brendan Byrne's son! Lautenberg is just too selfish and self absorbed to step aside.
Byrne will give him a run for his money and who cares what the congresisonal delegation thinks?
Vote Column "A" - All the way!
If I were DeMicco...
I'd be sh_tting a brick right now!
FL
Is not shaking. He is standing very strong and will be the eventual winner even if petitions are filed for a primary. Both of his potential opponents are weak. Byrne has light name recognition, and the Mayor is the Murray Sabrin of the Dems.
Then why this gathering on Monday?
Let's not pretend that everything is fine with Frank. I like the comment about Dr. Sabrin. He is probably the best candidate to beat Frank in the Fall.
The gathering
is simply about solidarity. Campaign events in the wake of several county conventions (whre surprisingly Frank won the nomination) is nothing new. Of course Byrne is an issue that needs to be handled, he has some money and was the state party chair and his dad was gov. You cant just ignore him, this is a message sent to him by not only Frank L, but Jon C. Bob M., and the Dem in the House telling him there is no way you jump the line of people who have put in their dues and want to run. When it comes to Murray a pro-life, pro-assault weapon, pro-Bush tax cut Republican that is pittifully unaware of how politics (and the Senate and Govt in general) works is by far the least likely candidate to make it through the primary let alone win the general. Havent Murray supporters seen how the party has reacted to unknowns that have simply flirted with running? Murray has been in forever but still his party rejects him. Its time to realize what Murray is and that is a fringe candidate.
I think the Dem powers that be are trying to kill an ant
with an assault weapon instead of a soft shoe. Crisitello is a joke and Tom may be serious but its too late to mount a real challenge. Tom may have had a chance 4-6 mmonths ago. Lautenberg's in.
"Put in their dues"?? "Jump the line?" REALLY? REALLY?!!!!
SJBLUE, YOUR WORDS......
"Of course Byrne is an issue that needs to be handled, he has some money and was the state party chair and his dad was gov. You cant just ignore him, this is a message sent to him by not only Frank L, but Jon C. Bob M., and the Dem in the House telling him there is no way you jump the line of people who have put in their dues and want to run."
I can't believe what I just read. I could see this coming from a Republican, but never a Democrat.
When you poo-poo those that jump the line, do you mean like, oh, jeez I dunno, like Corzine jumping in front of Dick Codey? I mean, really, SJ!
I know you mean well, but really, this "MY-TURN" politics (on both sides of the aisle) is EXACTLY what is killing the political arena in this country.
If Lautenberg (who I voted for once) can't handle his opponents, then he shouldn't be there. That's what makes our political system work, that ANYONE, ANY TIME with something to say, can run for elected office......
Am I wrong?
Oh I thought we were talking about REALITY
The reality is that its too late for any of these guys to mount a real campaign with real dollars. i don't think they shouldn't run (thouth I do think Crisitello is a racist pig and why anyone in their right mind would vote for him...)but I digress...
Corzine
Did not jump the line. Codey backed off. And Corzine has been either a major contributor or an elected official since the early 90s. Byrne is a here today gone tomorrow type that has not supported the Dems consistantly since the late 80s. That is what I meant. Furthermore, there are several Congressmen in NJ that are far better suited to our next Senator, when FL decides to retire. They have supported the party, and have enough respect for FL not to run. And yes I do believe that Rothman, Pallone, Holt, and even Andrews deserve the Dem nomination before Byrne does. Of course Byrne has a right to run, but he will do so at his own embarresment. Why? Because of the reason that I stated, I appreciate that you have an alltrusistc approach to looking at this and while I think we all would agree that it would be a better system if it were to operate in such a way. HOwever, I would rather look at politics for what it is.
Codey "backed off"?
C'mon.....the guy was staring down the barrel of a $900 million dollar gun that is Corzine. Sure, the NJ Democratic Party made him an "offer he couldn't refuse." That's politics for what it is, no?
Would Rothman, Pallone, Holt, and even Andrews do a better job than Byrne or even that other guy? I don't know for certain, but let's say the answer is YES, they could. Fine, Pallone's not my cup of tea, but I know he's very hard-working and cares deeply for his constitutents, same with Andrews.
Here's where I take issue with you....statements like this.....
"They have supported the party, and have enough respect for FL not to run."
THAT'S NOT LEADERSHIP. THAT MAKES YOU A FOLLOWER; if there's a problem in the state and someone has the passion and the ideas to fix it, it shouldn't matter if they gave the party $100k in soft dollars or if they attended every party convention.
Quite frankly, respect shouldn't enter the conversation when we have families suffering and fearing for their livelihoods and even their lives every day in Camden & Newark and parts of Jersey City.
If Byrne thinks he's the best person for the job, let 'em go for it. My uncle used to always say, you could tell when the pie comes straight from the oven and when it's store-bought. If Frank's that good, then it shouldn't be problem, right?
Give the voters some credit....they get it right more often than not...... :)
Well
Perhaps I should have have noted Respect for what Frank does in the Senate, not to run. Frank is a good Senator. He has been a great voice for NJ.
and
It will not be a problem for Frank to win this out.