Jim Whelan

Rob Andrews finally got an answer from Frank Lautenberg about participating in debates, but it wasn’t the one he wanted to hear.

The Lautenberg campaign yesterday turned down a debate offered jointly by Richard Stockton College and the Press of Atlantic City, saying that the dates offered- May 5th and 6th – conflicted with Lautenberg’s Senate schedule.

“When I got into this race I challenged the incumbent Senator to a minimum of seven debates. He has danced, bobbed, weaved hidden and we really had no answer until yesterday,” said Andrews in a conference call with reporters. “Yesterday, for the first time, we have a definitive answer, and it’s the wrong one.”

State Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic) tonight called for U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews to challenge U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg in a Democratic primary.

"In light of today's news stories regarding Congressman Rob Andrews' interest in running for the U.S. Senate this year, I strongly encourage Rob to run," Whelan said in a statement.

"Rob has been an outstanding congressman and a part of our extended family here in Atlantic County," the senator added. "He has always been there for us throughout his tenure in the House and there's no doubt that his being at the top of our state's ballot this year would be a huge benefit to our local ticket. As Atlantic County's highest ranking Democratic official I urge Rob to consider getting in the race."

Chris Christie and Jon Corzine as The HoneymoonersRead PolitickerNJ.com's The Year in Review 2007, our annual lists of Winners & Losers of the Year, Politician of the Year, Best & Worst Campaigns, People to Watch, Rising Stars, and much more.

The list of Best Operatives of 2007 is headed by Raiyan Sayed, who managed Jim Whelan's Senate race, and Tom Fitzsimmons, who ran the campaigns of Jennifer Beck for State Senate and Caroline Casagrande and Declan O'Scanlon for Assembly.

Find out why Rodney Frelinghuysen is tougher than he looks, why Don DiFrancesco doesn't shock us, how Joe Roberts made the worst prediction of 2007, and what Jim Devine, Gerald Lange, Malik Cupid, Chris Daul and Chris Thieme have in common.

To view this must-read feature, click here to subscribe to the PolitickerNJ.com Wake-Up Call, a daily e-mail of the best and most important news stories of the day.

If you are already a Wake-Up Call subscriber, click here and simply enter your e-mail address.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM POLITICKERNJ.COM

Sen.-elect/Assembyman Jim Whelan supports the presidential candidacy of Sen. Hillary Clinton, a determination he made shortly after his Nov. 6th victory in district 2, he told PolitickerNJ.com.

"I think she's our strongest candidate," said the former mayor of Atlantic City and one-term Democratic assemblyman who challenged and defeated Sen. Sonny McCullough.

Whelan said the last eight years under the stewardship of President George W. Bush by comparison make the Clinton years in the 1990s look very good.

Atlantic County Republican Chairman Keith Davis today attacked Assemblyman/state Senator Elect Jim Whelan’s idea to get the state more involved with running Atlantic City’s troubled government. 

The Press of Atlantic City reported today that Whelan, a former Atlantic City mayor, discussed the prospect of increased state involvement with Gov. Corzine last month – an idea already likely to meet with resistance from the city’s Democratic mayor and council. 

State Sen. Ray Lesniak was the kingmaker in the race for Senate Majority LeaderThe surging south got a seat at the table today, with third district state Sen. Stephen Sweeney chosen as majority leader after a hard fought, emotional battle with state Sen. Paul Sarlo.

Although the decision-making process was closed and the official decision was unanimous, sources say that Sweeney had the support of 14 of the 23 member caucus. Backing Sweeney were the expected south Jersey contingent -- Jeff Van Drew, Jim Whelan, Fred Madden, Dana Redd and John Adler. But he also had support from Senators from the rest of the state -- Brian Stack, Sandra Bolden Cunningham, Barbara Buono, Nicholas Scutari, Bob Smith, Ray Lesniak, Joe Vitale and Loretta Weinberg.

A Zogby poll conducted for the Press of Atlantic City and Richard Stockton State College shows Democrat James Whelan leading GOP State Sen. Sonny McCullough by a 50%-37% margin, and the race between Republican State Sen. Nicholas Asselta and Democrat Jeff Van Drew to be a statistical dead heat.

Van Drew, a three-term Assemblyman, leads Asselta by a 45%-42% margin. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 5%.

Gov. Jon Corzine campaigns in Atlantic City for Team Whelan on Sunday.

The Absecon Channel separates Brigantine from Atlantic City in this world of salt water and low-slung housing broken up by tragicomic human silos with names like Taj and Showboat.

But it’s all the same battlefield here in the 2nd district, where forces are mobilizing for Sen. (and Egg Harbor Township Mayor) James "Sonny" McCullough or Assemblyman James Whelan.

In Atlantic City, a second tall and bearded politician joins Team Whelan today in a senior citizens complex on Atlantic Avenue. It’s Gov. Jon Corzine, who knows seniors are a critical voting block, particularly in an off-election year like this, and he’s working the older crowd overtime with his best up-close-and-personal demeanor.

Amidst the chaos of the Atlantic City power struggle for who will become the next mayor, Assemblyman/state Senate candidate Jim Whelan is calling for the state to look into ways of helping the city while it suffers through “governmental paralysis.”

Whelan wants the Office of Legislative Services to draw up plans to stabilize the government, especially in its casino-related functions. 

On information supplied by a mole in the District 8 office of former Republican Assemblyman Francis Bodine, Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce today filed Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroceethics complaints against Democrats running in the 1st, 2nd and 8th districts, charging them with failing to keep their political campaigns from spilling over into their district offices.

According to DeCroce, the legislative campaigns of senate candidates Assemblyman Jim Whelan, Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew and Bodine "used state resources to further their campaign activities or the campaign activities of their running mates," a misuse of public resources that violates conflicts of interest law and the legislative code of ethics and rules, DeCroce said.

The minority leader filed the complaint with Judge Herbert S. Friend, vice chair/acting chair of the state Joint Committee on Ethics, after a Bodine 8th District office staffer told Republicans that he collected tax rebate mail pieces at Bodine’s district office, which he then gave to Bodine’s campaign spokesman Peter Clerkin for use in the candidate’s state Senate race.