2007

Democrats and Republicans statewide spent nearly $70 million on state legislative races in 2007, combining to oust three State Senators and one Assemblyman. Spending much less money, Christopher J. Christie, the United States Attorney, was responsible for unseating three Senators and two Assemblymen – making him more effective at tossing incumbents from office than any party leader in New Jersey, even our Winner of the Year.

And Christie’s ability to deliver no-bid contracts worth huge amounts of money to his friends and former colleges – like a deal worth up to $50 million for John Aschcroft, and mega million dollar contracts for Herbert Stern and John Inglesino at UMDNJ, GO P ex-N.J. Attorney General David Samson and David Kelley, a former U.S. Attorney in New York – might make party leaders like George Norcross, Glenn Paulsen, Charlotte DeFilippo and Joseph Ferriero envious. It’s possible that Christie gives out more contracts than several of the party bosses.

Like an effective boss, Christie has been able to avert public criticism – maybe because his name doesn’t actually appear on a ballot (although that may change in 2009.) Neither party has been willing to publicly criticize him – perhaps because of Paul Byrne’s old rule about not ticking off the U.S. Attorney – but suddenly Rep. Frank Pallone took the lead just before Thanksgiving, becoming the first Democrat in seven years to take Christie on.

At age 75, Stephen Adubato Sr. continues to accumulate political allies by working both sides of the aisle and carefully engaging in battles that he can win. His organization captured Sharpe James’ State Senate seat (with Teresa Ruiz, a key lieutenant), he took out Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo (as he promised to do in 2006), picked up an Assembly seat (the one held by Bill Payne), and he continues to secure enormous funding for his power base, Newark’s North Ward Cultural Center. Adubato’s electoral success in 2007 was extraordinary, even as Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s candidate lost a race to Ron Rice.

Adubato is well-liked by New Jersey’s Governor and two U.S. Senators, has influence over Booker, and exercises substantial clout over the Essex County Hall of Records and the Newark City Council. He talks to just about every powerbroker in New Jersey. And this year, when he announced his support of Hillary Clinton for President, his endorsement was viewed as important enough to make Hotline, one of the nation’s most important political publications.

And while he’s a Democrat, Adubato has cultivated close relationships with key Republicans, like U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, GOP State Chairman Tom Wilson, and State Senators-elect Bill Baroni and Kevin O’Toole.

Declan O'Scanlon, who came within 73 votes of winning a State Assembly seat in 2005, could have an early problem in his '07 campaign: he filed with 104 signatures on his nominating petition -- just four more than the law requires. Democrats are mulling a challenge, and if he were to get tossed off the ballot, he would have to win the Republican nomination as a write-in candidate in a race that is among the most competitive statewide. His running mate, Caroline Casagrande, filed with 225 signatures.

Editor's note: While the State Division of Elections lists O'Scanlon as having filed with 104 signatures, the Monmouth County Republican says his actual number was 168.  "Now my friends at PNJ - you know not to underestimate me - and that I'd never cut things so close! I actually filed with 168 signautres but 64 of them were held awaiting our bracketing letter," O'Scanlon wrote.  "And yes - I did verify the validity of my signatures! The bracketing letter is in the hands of the DOE now and my signature total will be updated shortly. Sorry to disappoint my Democrat opponents who I'm sure would prefer we focus on petition signatures rather than their records."

The minority parties in two of the Clean Election districts have some petition exposure: in District 24, Democratic Assembly candidates Toni Zimmer and Pat Walsh filed with 111 signatures; and in the 37th, GOP Assembly candidtaes Frank Cifarelli and Wojciech Siemaszkiewicz had 119 signatures on their petitions. Clara Nibot, the Republican Senate candidate, filed with 111.

In Hudson County, Brian Stack and Sal Vega, both Assemblymen and Mayors, will face off for the Democratic State Senate nomination in the 33rd district. Veteran State Sen. Nicholas Sacco, the Mayor of North Bergen, is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Jersey City policeman Sean Connors. In the 31st district, where incumbent Joseph Doria is retiring, three candidates are running in the Democratic primary: Sandra Bolden Cunningham, Assemblyman Louis Manzo, and Sean Cotter.

In the race for Bob Littell's Senate seat, Assemblyman Guy Gregg faces Sussex Freeholder Steve Oroho in the Republican primary. The winner will run against frequent candidate Edwin Selby in the general election.

It’s not the clock on the wall.

It’s the timer in the data stamper.

That’s what determines who gets in here to file in Trenton before the primary deadline, and who doesn’t.

The ones present in the room at this late hour on Monday have already made it.

Among them, Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo of district 29 sits at a table facing the elections workers, flanked by retainers: his son Nico and his campaign manager Charles Williams.

He is grim at first sight. Pensive. An arm goes round the back of Williams, and Caraballo leans in, apparently accepting counsel.

At another table, Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein and her running mate Wayne D’Angelo of district 14 are going through the last stages of filing.

Behind Caraballo, others sit against a wall. There are mothers with kids in tow, the kids slumped in chairs with faces of agony. There is a hospital worker still in uniform. There are college-aged youth. Veterans and newcomers. They all sit there equally with orange tags marked "visitor" on their shirt or jacket fronts, and numbers in their hands. They are all running; all attempting to fulfill a civic duty, nudged into the fray by whatever hurt or angst or noble impulse he or she carries privately and ultimately packages publicly in the slogan: "I’m running to serve the people of New Jersey."

The deadline to file nominating petitions to run in the Democratic and Republican primaries on June 5, 2007 is at 4PM today. 

Petitions for State Senate and State Assembly must be filed with the state Division of Elections in Trenton.  Petitions for countywide office should be submitted to the County Clerk, and petitions to run for municipal office go to the office of the Municipal Clerk.  Deadlines are alll 4PM. 

                                          

Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel will again serve as Campaign Manager for the county Democratic candidates seeking re-election this year. His appointment was announced by Sheriff Joe Spicuzzo, who is seeking re-election to that office and who also serves as the county’s Democratic chairman.

State Ratepayer Advocate Seema Singh, with Senate President Richard Codey and BPU Commissioner Jeanne Fox
Seema Singh, the state Rate Counsel in the Public Advocate's office, has emerged as the leading Democratic candidate for State Senate in the 14th district against GOP incumbent Peter Inverso.

Inverso, 68, has not yet announced if he will seek re-election to a sixth term. He was elected in 1991, ousting veteran Francis McManimon, and has survived serious challenges in the politically competitive Mercer-Middlesex district.