U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, Assemblyman John Wisniewski, and John Rutkowski
PERTH AMBOY - A city of wrought iron fire escapes hugs the waterfront to east of the highways, where in a banquet hall behind the ZPA Cocktail Lounge on Saturday night, U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews goes from table to table with Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex).

The 100 people here representing the United Poles in America ZPA embrace Wisniewski as one of their own, the powerful chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, who grew up among them in Sayreville, and who’s represented them for over 12 years.

Bluewave volunteer Ana Maria Cardenas collects ballots in the Unitarian Church Tuesday night in Montclair.Barack Obama won a big victory at the BlueWaveNJ straw poll tonight, receiving 170 votes (41%) against 99 for Hillary Clinton (24%) and 94 for John Edwards (23%).  Dennis Kucinich received 30 votes (7%).  Seventeen voters were undecided.

Speaking to a Unitarian Church crammed with members of the progressive Montclair Democratic organization, Newark Mayor Cory Booker represented Obama, while State Sen. Nia Gill spoke for Clinton, State Sen. Joseph Vitale for Edwards, and North Jersey activist Stuart Hutchison for Kucinich.

During the question and answer session, which was moderated by veteran Newsweek journalist Jonathan Alter, Booker and Gill traded shots as representatives of the two presidential frontrunners. 

Gill sought to amplify Clinton's basic argument that she is more experienced than Obama.

"If you do not control the apparatus of government, your ideas are over here and government is over here," said the Montclair-based senator and trial attorney. 

Middlesex County Democrat Barbara Buono takes over one of the state's most powerful posts: Senate Appropriations ChairAs expected, Senate President Richard Codey has named Barbara Buono as Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, with Paul Sarlo as Vice Chair. Sarlo, who sought the post after losing a race for Majority Leader to Stephen Sweeney, will be the Labor Committee Chairman.

Freshman Senator Jim Whelan, the former Mayor of Atlantic City, will be the Chairman of the Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee.

Democrats gave President George W. Bush a drubbing in the last election, and they can’t believe he’s again providing them with an opening as he threatens to veto the expansion and re-authorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

"I just don’t know what he’s thinking about," said state Sen. Joseph Vitale in a telephone interview as he returned from a press conference with Gov. Jon Corzine, who today announced his decision to join a lawsuit with seven other states against the Bush administration.

Two New Jersey legislators are among the New Jerseyans who are mourning the death of New York Yankees Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto, who passed away today at age 89. Rizzuto was a longtime resident of Hillside.

Imagine this: it’s 2010, and Chris Christie has just been inaugurated as New Jersey’s new Republican Governor after defeating Jon Corzine in his reelection bid. Meanwhile in Washington, the United States Senate remains in Democrats’ tenuous grasp, with a one-seat majority.

Suddenly, one of New Jersey’s two Democratic Senators falls ill and steps down -- control of the Senate hangs in the balance. Should Governor Christie be required to appoint a Democrat as the Senator’s interim replacement, or should he be able to appoint anyone he wants, regardless of party affiliation?

Currently, state law would allow the Governor to appoint a Senator of his or her choice.

While few people want to speculate on a Senator’s illness or death, it’s a question that New Jersey Democrats may want to look into if they’re going to re-elect 83 1/2-year-old Frank Lautenberg -- who, according to an actuarial timetable from the Social Security Administration, can be expected to live just 5.29 years after he turns 85 during the first month of his next term.