Joseph Tricarico

Mike Premo, named to the PoliticsNJ.com Best Operatives List in 2005, will serve as Campaign Manager for Linda Stender's campaign for Congress against Republican Michael Ferguson. Premo ran the challenger campaigns of Democrats Matt Doherty and Jim Reilly for State Assembly in the 11th district last year. Stender, a three-term Assemblywoman and former Union County Freeholder and Mayor of Fanwood, is expected to be unopposed for the Democratic congressional nomination; her rival, former Hillsborough Mayor Joseph Tricarico, dropped his campaign for Congress on Sunday.

Assemblywoman Linda Stender filed with the Federal Election Commission yesterday as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Congress in the seventh district. Stender and former Hillsborough Mayor Joseph Tricarico are vying for the chance to take on three-term Republican Congressman Michael Ferguson.

Democratic leaders say the expect Assemblywoman Linda Stender to pass on a run for Congress next year, leaving former Hillsborough Mayor Joseph Tricarico as the most likely challenger to three-term Congressman Michael Ferguson. Moveon.org continues to target Ferguson, despite the Republican-leaning tenancies of the 7th district: members are being urged to join in a rally outside Ferguson's congressional office tomorrow morning to show opposition to the federal budget.

Entering the race for the Democratic nomination for Congress in the seventh district is former Hillsborough Mayor Joseph Tricarico, who serves in the Codey administration as the Assistant Commissioner of Health and Senior Services. Assemblywoman Linda Stender is also considering a challenge to the three-term incumbent, Republican Michael Ferguson. Democrats continue to be anxious to mount a tough race against Ferguson, who easily defeated quality challengers in 2002 (former state Human Services Commissioner Timothy Carden) and 2004 (Steve Brozak, a Wall Streeter and Marine Lt. Colonel who served in Iraq). Two popular blogs advocating Ferguson's defeat are dumpmike.com and blue7th.com.