ROB ANDREWS

Lautenberg Campaign Calls on Andrews to Explain Why His Rhetoric on Iraq is 180 Degree Turn From His Record

Republicans in New Jersey’s first congressional district haven’t run a strong campaign since the days of John Hunt, who held the seat from 1966 until Jim Florio beat him in 1974, and their chances of winning the strongly Democratic seat in 2008 – against whomever the Democrats ultimately decide to nominate – is indeed slim.  But their candidate, conservative Dale Glading, is already mounting an impressive effort.  A minister who runs the largest athletic prison ministry in the country, is aggressive and hardworking, and local Republicans actually seem enthused about his candidacy.  

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1), center, and Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone (D-Hudson) greet Bayonne shopper Phil Ebersole. 

BAYONNE - As part of his continuing foray onto U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s north country turf, U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) today shook the hands of food shoppers in this blue collar maritime stronghold.

At his side was renegade councilman turned Hudson County Democratic Organization ally Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone (D-Hudson), who backed Andrews in the congressman’s 1997 run for governor and backs him again in his primary run for U.S. Senate.

A Superior Court judge today upheld the Democratic Party's ballot process, dealing a blow to the Senate campaign of U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1).

Andrews, who is challenging U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, wants an open primary, requiring clerks to bracket candidates in column one on the ballots in all of New Jersey’s 21 counties.

Rep. Rob Andrews named former rival Michael Murphy as his campaign’s general chairman.

Murphy, a former Morris County Prosecutor who operates a public relations firm and is the stepson of former Gov. Richard Hughes, ran against Andrews for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1997. They both lost to Jim McGreevey, who went on to lose to Christie Whitman.

Andrews called Murphy’s 1997 campaign “tough but very fair.”

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzoMidway through his second term, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo is gearing up for whatever fight comes his way as he plans for a third term in office.

"Joe is looking ahead to running, and serving, to complete the execution of his vision for Essex County," said chief-of-staff Phil Alagia.

To that end, DiVincenzo today is holding a $300-a head celebration in West Orange.

An ally of North Ward Democratic leader Steve Adubato, Sr., who supports U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) for U.S. Senate over incumbent U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, DiVincenzo to date has remained neutral in the U.S. Senate primary.

New Jersey’s main gay-rights organization today endorsed incumbent Frank Lautenberg over Rep. Rob Andrews in the Democratic Senate primary.

The group’s chairman, Steven Goldstein, said that both were “outstanding” candidates, but that they would stick with the tried-and-true Lautenberg, who has been “our greatest champion of equality.”

Goldstein cited Lautenberg’s coauthoring of the Ryan White AIDS Care Act in 1990, and his fight for increased federal funding for HIV and AIDS treatment since then.

The Sierra Club today backed Sen. Frank Lautenberg in his reelection bid for the U.S. Senate in both the Democratic primary and the general election.

"It is entirely fitting that today on Earth Day the Sierra Club is endorsing Sen. Lautenberg," Jeff Tittel, director of the Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter, said in a statement, "because there is no stronger advocate for the environment in the United States Senate than Frank Lautenberg."

Lautenberg said he was honored to receive the group's endorsement.

Another Day, Another Lie From Rob Andrews on Iraq

Rep. Rob Andrews today said that he’s releasing his tax returns from the last eight years and challenged his Senate primary opponent, incumbent Frank Lautenberg, to do the same.

Meanwhile, Lautenberg issued a press release saying that Andrews’s talk of an Iraq withdrawal plan was empty rhetoric.

Andrews pointed to Lautenberg’s 2002 general election campaign, in which he challenged his Republican opponent, Doug Forrester, to release his own tax returns.

"The voters have every right to believe that an elected official is making decisions that are in the best interests of the public - not in his or her own personal financial interest or to benefit a friend or political
associate," said Andrews. "There is no excuse for a candidate to deny the voters this basic but critical information."