Paul D'Amato

South Jersey Democrats are actively courting two former Republican legislators to challenge freshmen GOP Assemblyman John Amodeo and Vincent Polistina in the Atlantic County-based second district next year: Paul D'Amato, a former Linwood Mayor who served in the Assembly from 2002 to 2003, and Frank Blee, who retired last year after seven terms in the Assembly. D'Amato left the Legislature after feuding with then-State Sen. Bill Gormley, and switched parties in 2006.  Blee broke with local Republicans in 2007 after losing a special election convention for State Senate to Sonny McCullough and backed Democrat James Whelan in the general election.

The list of potential challengers to Republican State Senator Bill Gormley continues to grow with the announcement this week that Paul D'Amato, a former GOP Assemblyman and Linwood Mayor -- and once a staunch Gormley ally -- has switched to the Democratic Party. Booeyed by victories in '05 races for State Assembly, Surrogate and Freeholder, Atlantic County Democrats are anxious to mount strong challenges to Gormley and GOP County Executive Dennis Levinson in 2007. D'Amato and newly-elected Assemblyman James Whelan, the former Mayor of Atlantic City who ousted Kirk Conover last year, are at the top of the Senate Democratic recruitment list. Other possible candidates against Gormley and Levinson are Sheriff James McGettigan, County Clerk Michael Garvin, and Alisa Beth Cooper, another former Republican (her mother was longtime GOP Assemblywoman -- and Gormley foe -- Delores Cooper) who unseated a GOP Freeholder last November.

Today local attorney Paul R. D'Amato, former Mayor of Linwood and former State Assemblyman announced that he is changing his political affiliation to the Democratic Party. He stated that the Republican leadership in Atlantic County is a closed shop that discourages individuality, discussion and openness. New people are not welcomed and new ideas are not seriously considered. D'Amato further stated "my tenure as a Republican Assemblyman and Mayor led me to meet many decent, hardworking and talented republicans. In no way is changing my party affiliation a repudiation of those good people. This has not been an easy decision for me.