Assemblyman Jim Whelan is getting big money from the Democratic Party for his State Senate campaign, but the former Mayor of Atlantic City says he's never been bought, and won't be now.

Political reformers don't make many friends among their fellow elected officials in this state. The moment someone tries to stand above the fracas is when that person becomes a target of both parties - and the bosses behind both parties.

Sen. Ellen Karcher ousted Republican Co-Senate President John O. Bennett II, after beating George E. Norcross’ candidate in the Democratic primary, Oceanport Mayor Gordon Gemma.  Norcross tried to bring Karcher into his fold and she wouldn't budge. Instead she forged an alliance with Senate President Richard Codey.

This week, Karcher is in trouble in her re-election bid, with some polls showing her six to nine points behind Republican Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck. Despite the Karcher campaign's efforts to drag Beck's numbers down with New York market attack ads the campaign has run since October 15th, Beck's campaign isn't crumbling, or showing any signs of fissure.

The roots run deep in Atlantic County, and the so-called softies on the golf courses in the suburban towns still bear traces of the barrier city, where gamblers learn to live another day even when they don't have money.

Republican Sen. James "Sonny" McCullough had his "Students for Sonny" in T-shirts in the lobby of Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Thursday night, scene of his Chamber of Commerce debate in the 2nd district with Democratic Assemblyman Jim Whelan.

McCullough wasn't supposed to be in the race at this point. Democrats figured family strife within his own party would deep-six him by now. After all, the man McCullough replaced, state Sen. Bill Gormley, was all but actively campaigning against him, and Assemblyman Frank Blee was likewise still steamed at McCullough for wresting party control away from Camp Gormley.