District 8 Senate candidate Phil Haines, a Republican, continues to assail his opponent over his professional record, while the Democratic Party undercard is fighting back by making Haines’ running mate, Dawn Marie Addiego, the issue.

Haines wants to know what Democratic Assemblyman Francis Bodine did as an employee with the South Jersey Port Corporation between 1989 and 1992, and why he collected $250,000 from the public entity and had a personal car.

"Fran needs to tell voters what he did there, since in response to our repeated requests the South Jersey Port claims they can produce very little proof that he did anything," said Haines.

Tom Kean, Jr., who lost a U.S. Senate bid in 2006, is up for re-election to his State Senate seat next month.: Getty Images Photo
The battle with Bob Menendez may have ended in a loss for District 21 State Sen. Tom Kean, Jr., but, "I never left the ring," he says as he faces the immediate challenge of Gina Genovese, a former Long Hill Township mayor.

Fight metaphors aside, insiders in both parties say they anticipate Kean winning comfortably in this Republican district. The strategy for Democrats is to keep him occupied here on his home turf, tied up and busy for the next month - and maybe leave him bruised and with sore hands as he heads back to Trenton.

That’s Genovese’s job.

There was an awkward moment at the Dumont Street Festival today.

Democratic Assembly candidate Carl Manna was walking along Madison Avenue with a couple supporters when he ran into his opponents, State Sen. Gerald Cardinale and Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk, surrounded by an entourage of four youth wearing red campaign shirts.

“Sen. Cardinale! Welcome to Dumont,” said Manna, reaching out to shake the incumbents’ hands.

“Glad to see you’re out working,” responded Cardinale.