John Paolella

As State Senator Joseph Coniglio's problems continue to mount, consider the Curse of the 38th:  each of Coniglio's predecessors ultimately ended their political careers by losing campaigns for re-election to the State Senate. The district was created for the 1973 election, when Democrat John Skevin unseated Republican Senator Fred Wendel. Skevin was defeated eight years later by Republican John Paolella ). Paolella lost his seat after one term to Democrat Paul Contillo . Contillo beat Louis Kosco in 1987, but lost his seat to Kosco in the 1991 Republican landslide. Kosco held the seat for ten years before falling to Coniglio in 2001, after redistricting added two heavily Democratic towns -- Fair Lawn and Fort Lee -- to the 38th.

Since the Bergen County-based 38th legislative district was created, every State Senator has eventually lost re-election. Republican Frederick Wendel, elected in 1971, lost to Democrat John Skevin in 1973. Skevin was defeated by Republican John Paolella in 1981, and Paolella was ousted by Democrat Paul Contillo in 1983. Contillo was unseated by Republican Louis Kosco in 1991, and Kosco lost in 2001 to Democrat Joseph Coniglio. The district was viewed as politically competitive until '01 redistricting, when heavily Democratic Fair Lawn and Fort Lee were added to the 38th. Coniglio, who had been viewed as a possible candidate for the state Board of Public Utilities earlier this year, seems to be in strong shape to break the curse, but then again, so did Contillo (when he beat Kosco in 1987), and Kosco, who held the job for ten years. Possible Republican Senate candidates in 2007 include Hasbrouck Heights Mayor Ronald Jones , the Director of Security for Hackensack Medical Center, and Paramus Councilman Keith Zakheim, who must first win re-election next year.