Mark Warner

U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, the winner of the February 5 New Jersey Democratic presidential primary, will speak tonight: Getty Images Photo
The second day of the Democratic National Convention will be called to order at 5:00 PM EST today, with a theme of "Renewing America's Promise." Featured speakers include Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-Kan.), U.S. Sen. Robert Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.), Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Mass.), and Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-Mont.). The keynote speaker will be Gov. Mark Warner (D-Va.), followed by the headline prime-time speaker, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.).

The full schedule is below.

Mark Warner's decision not to seek the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination puts a fundraising superstar back on the market: John F.X. Graham. The Co-Chairman of John Kerry's New Jersey campaign is extremely popular among Democratic insiders and his decision to sign on for Warner was viewed as a major coup for the former Virginia Governor's fledgling campaign. Graham, Alfred DeCotiis, the head of a politically active North Jersey law firm and a Democratic National Committeeman, and Michael Kempner, who opened a powerful lobbying firm after working as Bob Torricelli's top fundraiser) had brought the virtually unknown Warner instant credibility in New Jersey political circles.

Among the Democrats attending Mark Warner's North Jersey fundraiser last night: State Senator Paul Sarlo, Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, Democratic State Chairman/Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, former Democratic State Committee Counsel Angelo Genova, Kerry '04 spokesman Tom Barrett, Cumberland County Democratic Chairman and Freeholder Louis Magazzu, Essex County Freeholder Linda Lordi Cavanaugh, Parsippany Mayor Michael Luther, Highland Park Mayor Meryl Frank, West Orange Councilman Robert Parisi, and lobbyists Robert Sommer and Adam Kaufman. The former Governor of Virginia has already signed up three key New Jersey fundraisers: New Jersey Kerry '04 Co-Chairman John Graham, Democratic National Committeeman Alfred DeCotiis, and lobbyist (and ex-Bob Torricelli fundraiser/staffer) Michael Kempner. Kempner has been friends with Warner since 1980, when the two worked together as fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee.

Warner also headlined a fundraiser for the Assembly Democrats in Trenton that brought him kind words from Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts and Assembly Majority Leader (and former Democratic State Chairwoman) Bonnie Watson Coleman.

Four top New Jersey Democratic fundraisers are sponsoring two fundraising events this month for Mark Warner, the former Governor of Virginia who is mulling a bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. Kerry '04 N.J. Co-Chairman John Graham, Democratic National Committeeman Alfred DeCotiis, lobbyist Michael Kempner and Kerry '05 fundraiser Zenon Christodoulou are heading a high dollar event at the MWW offices and a $25/head reception in Bergen County on June 20.

A key fundraiser for possible presidential candidate/ex-Virginia Governor Mark Warner was in New Jersey -- now an early primary state -- last week to raise money for Forward Together, Warner's PAC. Among the attendees at the event -- organized by Kerry '04 New Jersey Co-Chairman John Graham, lobbyist Michael Kempner and Democratic National Committeeman Alfred DeCotiis and featuring former Virginia Lt. Governor Donald Beyer), were Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, former Congressman Herbert Klein, and Kerry '05 fundraiser Zenon Christodolou. Warner will be in New Jersey on June 20 to raise money for Speaker Joe Roberts and the Assembly Democrats, and for his own PAC at Kempner's firm, MWW.

Just 2% of New Jerseyans picked former Virginia Governor Mark Warner as their first choice for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination in a recent Strategic Vision poll, but Warner has suddenly joined the top tier of contenders for New Jersey's dollars -- and thanks to the new early (February 26) primary -- for delegates as well. He did that by securing the services of three key Democratic fundraisers, including John F.X. Graham, the popular and respected insurance company owner who served as Co-Chairman of John Kerry's 2004 New Jersey campaign organization. Graham (along with Alfred DeCotiis, the head of a politically active North Jersey law firm and a Democratic National Committeeman, and Michael Kempner, who opened a powerful lobbying firm after working as Bob Torricelli's top fundraiser) brings the virtually unknown Warner instant credibility in New Jersey political circles. Graham's decision to raise funds for Warner's political action committee is also a potentially serious blow to Kerry's '08 prospects. Graham signed on with Kerry in early 2002 and played a key role in Kerry's ability to raise $5 million in New Jersey -- his fourth highest revenue producing state. This is also a signal that New Jersey's major Democratic fundraisers won't necessarily sit on the sidelines and wait for Governor Jon Corzine to pick a horse in the '08 race. Democratic insiders specualte that Corzine will back New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton if she runs.