NJ Democrat Operative Advocates Hunting Republicans

James Devine, a well known New Jersey Democrat operative and local newspaper publisher from Union County, responded to the shooting of Congressman Steve Scalise and three others yesterday by creating the hashtag #HuntRepublicans and #HuntRepublicanCongressmen on his social media accounts.  Devine declared that Democrats are “in a war” with Republicans.

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And So It Goes: Lobbyists Feed Politicans at DNC

A Bloody Mary in the morning, champagne flutes in the afternoon and paté at night. Funded by special interests, enjoyed by politicians and hidden from public view. At hotel lobbies and dive bars and shiny museums far from the floor of the Democratic National Convention in South Philadelphia, democracy is getting fat – and wasted -… Read the rest of this entry »

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The Politics Of Disaster Relief

By Art Gallagher, artvg@aol.com

When disaster hits, natural or man made, Americans put aside their differences and come together to handle the emergency.

We saw it with 9-11. Most recently in New Jersey we saw it with Superstorm Sandy.

Once the emergency is over and the federal money is flowing, the politics…partisanship and patronage starts.  We saw it with 9-11. We’re living it with Sandy.

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Double Dose of Bad News For Buono

Yet, good news for Trenton Democrats—the NJ Republicans are trying to lose

By Art Gallagher

State Senator Barbara Buono, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor, received two doses of bad news today (so far) for her fledgling campaign to unseat Governor Chris Christie in November.

1) A Quinnipiac poll released today indicates that Buono has made no progress over the last month in increasing her dismal name recognition.  78% of those polled don’t know enough about Buono to form an opinion. That compares to 79% last month.  Of the few who recognize her name, 43% have an unfavorable opinion.

Christie’s numbers remain amazingly strong. 67% approve of the job he is doing as governor.  66% says he deserves to be reelected. In a head to head match up with Buono, Christie wins 58%-26%, with 13% out to lunch.

2) Even worse for Buono, PolitickerNJ reports that she is likely to be the only major party gubernatorial candidate in the history of New Jersey’s matching funds campaign program not to qualify for the maximum amount. PolitickerNJ said that Buono has raised only $29,000 per week since she declared her candidacy in December.  In order to earn the maximum $2 million in state matching funds for the primary, she would have to raise $216,000 per week over the next six weeks of the primary campaign.

Christie has opted out of the state matching funds program and has raised upwards of $5 million to date for the primary.

Trenton Republicans Trying to Lose

With Chrisite’s polling and financial numbers so strong, one would think that the Trenton Democrats that control the legislature would be concerned about Christie coattails.  Trenton Republicans seem enthused about the prospect of taking control of the legislature, but so far their campaign is deploying the stupidest strategy imaginable.

I’m not a professional political strategist, I just play one of the Internet.  In my not so humble opinion the NJ GOP‘s campaign against Corzine Democrats is the dumbest political strategy since Christine O’Donnell declared she is not a witch.

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Democratic Mayors Endorse Gopal For Chair

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Monmouth Democratic Nominating Convention Preview

The Monmouth County Democrats are holding their nominating convention on Thursday, March 22 at the Bayshore Senior Center, 6:30 PM.

Michael Steinhorn of Rumson is the only candidate who has filed to run for County Clerk.  He is expected to be nominated to run against Republican incumbent M.Claire French. Steinhorn was the nominee for County Surrogate last year.

Former State Trooper Bill Shea, a candidate last year, and former Hazlet Mayor Kevin Lavan, a candidate for Assembly last year from the 13th district , will be freeholder candidates. 

There are two freeholder seats up this year;  a full term that is being defended by incumbent Republican Freeholder Director John Curley and an unexpired term that will be defended by Freeholder Serena DiMaso.  DiMaso was elected by the Monmouth Republican Committee to fill the vacancy created by Rob Clifton’s election to the State Assembly.

The Democrats have yet to determine which seats Shea and Lavan will challenge.

Former Freeholder Amy Mallet has not ruled out re-seeking the office that she lost last November.  Asked repeatedly by MMM if she was going to make an run for freeholder either at the convention or in the primary, Mallet said, “no, not at this time,” and “I am not running as of now.”   Asked to give a definitive answer, she declined.

Two candidates have thrown their hats into the ring for the nomination to take on Congressman Chris Smith in the 4th congressional district. Former Monmouth County Surrogate Patricia Bennett, now an elder law attorney in Red Bank and Spring Lake businessman Brian Froelich will compete for the Democratic endorsement on Thrusday night.  

Froelich has a website and says he’s filed with the FEC to be a candidate. He would not rule out a primary challenge should he lose to Bennett on Thursday, saying, “I intend to win at the convention and have not thought beyond that.”

Bennett could not be reach for comment.

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Patrick Kennedy Marries New Jersey School Teacher

Kennedy Family Photo

This afternoon, former Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy, 44, married Amy Pettigout, a 6th grade teacher at the Northfield Communtiy School in Atlantic County.  The couple lives in Absecon and is rebuilding a home in Brigantine, according to The Press of Atlantic City.

The opposite sex nuptials took place at the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer officiated.

Kennedy is the youngest son of the late U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy and the nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy.  He retired from congress after nine terms in January of this year. 

During his political career, Kennedy publicly struggled with addiction.  Since his retirement from congress he has been an advocate of One Mind For Research, a non-profit dedicated to brain research.

At only 44 years of age, Kennedy could easily decide to re-enter politics.  If he did, he would shake up the career plans of several New Jersey politicians on both sides of the aisle.   His name should be mentioned along with Frank Pallone, Robert Andrews (who introduced him to Pettigout) and Steven Rothman as possible Democratic candidates for U.S. Senator in 2014 should Frank Lautenberg retire again.

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