WINNERS

Donald Payne

The 10^th Congressional District candidate snagged the Democratic Primary endorsement of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ). Payne also landed more Hudson County support from under the HCDO’s formal backing of opponent state Sen. Nia Gill (D-34) as downtown Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop and Jersey City Councilman-at-large Rolando Lavarro announced their endorsements of the Newark City Council president.

Steve Fulop

The fact that the 2013 mayoral candidate secured the backing of Newark Council Prez. Donald Payne just days before U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) formally backed Payne suggests that after years in the wilderness Fulop has finally won the attentions of the Democratic Party establishment.

Bill Pascrell

The 9th Congressional District candidate landed the backing of former President Bill Clinton. You could argue that the endorsement merely reinforces the fact that Steve Rothman backed Barack Obama in the 2008 Prez Primary against Clinton's wife and gives Rothman an opportunity to talk about Obama, but chances are voters won't drill that far. Moreover, Obama's not endorsing anyone in this contest. For Democrats, Clinton is Clinton, and he officially stands with Pascrell. 

Bob Yudin

On the one hand, the presence of a second challenger to the Bergen County Republican Organization’s (BCRO) reign indicates even farther reaching disaffection with his leadership than was presupposed. But two challengers might muddy things enough for Yudin, the incumbent, who faces re-election in June.

Jon Runyan

The incumbent Republican Congressman in the 3rd District received an endorsement from Operating Engineers Local 825.  

Anna Little

The Bayshore Tea Party this week announced its support of the former Highlands Mayor, who is running for Congress in the 6^th District. Granted, this is the same group that backed Herman Cain for president a few weeks before his implosion, but support from the group gels well with the formal organizational backing Little has from the Middlesex County Republican Committee in her contest with Ernesto Cullari.

Richard Bagger

Gov. Chris Christie nominated his former Chief of Staff to serve on the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Bagger would replace Virginia Bauer, who was appointed by Gov. Jon Corzine, whose term expires on July 1. 

LOSERS

Mark Smith

The Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) stands on the opposing side of a Democratic Primary as home grown Hudson County Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ). That doesn’t bode well for Smith’s future as chairman of the party.

Jerry Healy

Donald Payne’s support of Healy’s chief foe Steve Fulop in the 2013 mayoral sweepstakes and U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-NJ) subsequent backing of Payne legitimizes Fulop in a way that has to be a headache for Healy.

Birdsall

The state Attorney General’s Office investigators executed search warrants this week at the offices of the engineering and consulting company possessing numerous government contracts.

Nick Sacco

Following a Star-Ledger expose on unused sick time, the powerful 32^nd District state senator agreed this week to relinquish his mistaken claim to more than $180,000 in unused sick time from his job as a school administrator.

Trenton Lawmakers

Stories in the Star-Ledger and PolitickerNJ.com this week detailed how politicians in both parties wrote legislation to benefit Meadowlands Hospital while possessing past professional ties to the head of the hospital; took advantage of unused sick time; and provoked at least one Watchdog Group to call for a state Attorney General’s Office investigation into a right wing think tank’s influence on bill writing. It’s not a great week to be a servant of the people.