Despite his public flirtation with Republican Christopher Christie, State Sen. Brian Stack appears to have delivered for the gubernatorial candidate of his party, Democrat Jon Corzine.  In Union City, where Stack is mayor and heads the local Democratic organization, Corzine beat Christie 8,300 to 2,191 (77%-20%).  Four years ago, Corzine beat Republican Douglas Forrester 9,385 to 2,459 (79%-20%).  While turnout was down, Christie actually got less votes in Union City than Forrester did.  Some of the credit for this goes to U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, who leaned on Stack to stay entirely within the Democratic fold.

Election results in three South Jersey districts offer some hope to Republicans as they look to regain control of the State Senate in 2011, even as local powerhouse Stephen Sweeney moves closer to becoming the next Senate President. 

In the Atlantic County-based District 2, freshmen GOP Assemblymen John Amodeo and Vincent Polistina won re-election by more than 10,000 votes, setting up a potentially competitive State Senate race for one of them against Democrat James Whelan in two years.  Whelan ousted short-term incumbent James "Sonny" McCullough in 2007.  Christopher Christie carried Atlantic County by 2,423 votes, 49%-45%; four years ago, Jon Corzine won it by 6,535, 53%-43%.

In District 4, which includes parts of Camden and Gloucester counties, Republican Domenick DiCicco won an open State Assembly seat.  DiCicco immediately becomes the GOP's best hope to unseat Democrat Frederick Madden in the next election.  There has been considerable speculation that Madden won't seek a third term in 2011, and that Assemblyman Paul Moriarty will run for the Senate.  Christie carried the fourth district.

State jobs for Democrats are suddenly at a premium, and that potentially threatens one gubernatorial nomination to one of New Jersey's most sought after posts: Commissioner of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.  Democrats were unable to Middlesex County Democratic Chairman Joseph Spicuzzo's nomination through the Senate Judiciary Committee before they recessed on June 25.  Gov. Jon Corzine's loss of Middlesex County might make some Democrats question whether the governor should pull the Spicuzzo nomination and put someone else in the post, especially as some Senate Republicans have indicated that they intend to close question the Middlesex party leader when he does appear at his confirmation hearing during the lame duck session.

Expect increased speculation over the next few weeks that Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany) will seek a cabinet post in Gov-elect Christopher Christie's administration.   That would trigger a contest for his Assembly leadership post, and a special election convention for his District 26 Assembly seat.  Through the campaign, DeCroce has maintained that he was not interested.  That could change now. 

The Star-Ledger's editorial page becomes a little less intimidating to politicians after their candidate for governor, independent Christopher Daggett, won just 6% of the vote statewide.  The state's largest newspaper gave Daggett an early endorsement - so early that they unwittingly cost themselves the sponsorship of the gubernatorial debate.  This may be the single worst performance of any candidate to win the Star-Ledger endorsement during the newspaper's 177-year history.  This puts a burden on editorial page editor-elect Tom Moran as he prepares to take over.

Watch for New Jersey Democrats to consider legislation that will change the way the state fills vacancies in the United States Senate.  Now that Democrats have lost the governorship, some party leaders are concerned that Republican Gov.-elect Christopher Christie would appoint a U.S. Senator if Democrat Frank Lautenberg, who turns 86 in January, leaves office without finishing the final four years of his term.  Some Democratic leaders have already discussed a plan to take the appointment away from the governor and forcing a quick special election.  Jon Corzine could sign that bill before he leaves office in January.

Five years ago, when there was a good chance that Democrat John Kerry might get elected president, the Democratic-controlled Massachusetts Legislature changed the law so that Republican Gov. Mitt Romney could not appoint Kerry's successor.

Republicans won all three hotly contested races for County Clerk.  The biggest upset came in Passaic County, where Kristin Corrado, a former assistant counsel to the governor, defeated Woodland Park Councilman Keith Kazmark by a 52%-48% margin.  Cumberland County Clerk Gloria Noto and Salem County Clerk Gilda Gill were also re-elected despite facing aggressive Democratic challenges.

The Passaic County Clerk's office returns to Republican hands after five years of Democratic control.  In 2004, Karen Brown ousted popular GOP Clerk Ronni Nochimson.  Brown quickly fell out of favor with county Democratic leaders and she did not seek re-election.  Democrats picked Kazmark over Nochimson, who switched parties two years ago.  Corrado is allied with a faction of the Passaic County GOP headed by former GOP County Chairmen Peter Murphy and Michael Mecca; she had won a contested primary over the candidate backed by the Passaic County GOP organization.  Her victory, to some extent, marks a political comeback for Murphy, who served time in a federal prison earlier in the decade and was prosecuted by the newly-elected Governor, Christopher Christie.

Republicans picked up a total of eight Freeholder seats yesterday.  The GOP regained control of the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, where former Red Bank Councilman John Curley defeated Middletown Township Committeeman Sean Byrnes by a massive 58%-38% margin.  Republicans lost control in 2008 for the first time in more than twenty years; the GOP will now have a 3-2 majority.

In a stunning upset, Republicans picked up three seats on the Passaic County Board of Freeholders - the first GOP Freeholders wins since 2001.  Republican Michael Marotta, Edward O'Connell, and Deborah Ciambrone defeated incumbent Tahesha Way, Haledon Mayor Domenick Stampone, and Evangaline Gomez.  Way, the wife of former NFL player Charles Way, had been considered a rising star in New Jersey politics and was considered this summer as a potential candidate for Lt. Governor.  Democrats still have their majority, but it went from 7-0 to 4-3 in one day.

In Bergen County, Republicans scored their first Freeholder seats since 2003. John Driscoll and Robert Hermansen ousted two incumbents, Julie O'Brien and Vernon Walton.  Democrats went from a 7-0 majority to 5-2. The two Republicans won comfortably, even as the Democratic Governor was narrowly carrying Bergen County.

In Salem County, Republican Ben Laury unseated Democratic incumbent Jeffrey Hogan by 2,461 votes - a massive win by Salem standards.  Democrat Beth Timberman was re-elected and Democrats held control of the Freeholder Board, going from 5-2 to 4-3.

In Cumberland County, Democrats Nelson Thompson and Louis Magazzu held their Freeholder seats, but Republican Tom Sheppard, the Lawrence Township Mayor, won an open seat.  Democrats will go from a 7-0 majority to 6-1.

Politico has an interactive map of gubernatorial election results that includes data from 2001 and 2005.

Kim Guadagno must resign her post as Monmouth County Sheriff in January to become New Jersey's first Lt. Governor.  At that point, the Governor will nominate an Acting Sheriff and the State Senate must confirm the appointment.  There should be relatively few complications, since all three State Senators from Monmouth County are Republicans.   Several months ago, there was speculation that Assemblyman David Rible (R-Wall), who was easily re-elected to a second term yesterday, might be interested in the job.