WEST ORANGE - Even though Governor Jon Corzine and the Democrats don’t want primaries sapping their general election year strength, Essex County Democratic Chairman Phil Thigpen says former Assemblyman Craig Stanley’s off-the-line challenge of Democratic incumbents won’t boomerang organizationally on his more famous congressman uncle, U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark).

“Don’t mess with Congressman Payne,” said Thigpen. “There is no end to the lengths to which I will go to protect him.”

Everybody has an opportunity to run for office if they have an interest, said Thigpen, and there’s no way he could stop Stanley from running – even if he can’t give him the party line.  

This afternoon, with his uncle, former Assemblyman Bill Payne, and his cousin, Freeholder/Councilman Donald Payne Jr. in attendance, Stanley officially announced his candidacy for the Assembly in the 28th District.

He lost an off-the-line reelection bid two years ago, and now he’s running off-the-line again against his 2007 conquerors, Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Belleville) and Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark). 

Generally regarded as a future Congressional candidate, West Ward Councilman Ronald C. Rice said he would not challenge U.S. Rep. Donald Payne this year and laughed at the prospect of ever challenging the congressman. 

Indeed, sources say Rice would be interested in the House seat when Payne retires, but would never challenge him, and is right now focused on his 2010 reelection campaign, which he intends to launch formally on April 30.  

Presiding over the Essex County Democratic Convention last night at West Orange High School, Thigpen said of the incumbent governor, who Thigpen’s organization backed last night, “The negative stuff I hear is not significant enough to affect the outcome in Essex. Obama will come here. He’ll have to be present here. Two trips.”

As for his oft-fractured delegation, the chairman said, “The one thing in common is they all want to see Jon Corzine reelected, without exception. All I asked is for the governor is to be here physically at our convention and he’ll do well. It was a marathon before he got to talk last night, but he did well. He received enthusiastic support, and the point is if they didn’t like him, they wouldn’t be up there talking about him.”

The Paynes did not appear to be in attendance.