Sweeney would consider LG, believes Lonegan can defeat Christie in GOP primary

With South Jersey’s rolling ten-year headline to finally take over the state diminished somewhat by U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews’s (D-Haddon Heights) doomed run for the Senate, then redeemed when U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) won later the same year, a lot of establishment eyes turned to state Sen. Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-Bridgeton) as the most likely South Jersey Democrat to make a statement this year, and in the process, further embolden the South Jersey Democratic Organization. 

Amid ongoing cloakroom chatter about Sweeney – who also serves as Gloucester County freeholder director - and his South Jersey colleagues teaming across the aisle with state Sen. Kevin O’Toole (R-Cedar Grove) to banish Senate President Richard Codey (D-West Orange), Sweeney today said he wouldn’t rule out running for lieutenant governor, if Gov. Jon Corzine offered him the job.     

“I would never say never,” Sweeney told PolitickerNJ.com. “I would have to consider it if it was offered. I’m not pursuing it.” 

He likes the names he hears most often for that role. 

Of state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen), his colleague on the Budget and Appropriations Committee, he said, “She’s a bright, talented, and not afraid to mix it up. She would be a great choice.” 

Flattered when he heard Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer mention himself as good choice, Sweeney reciprocated, saying he believes the veteran Palmer would serve Corzine well. 

His foes brand Sweeney as a George Norcross Doppelganger who ultimately lacks a team player temperament outside the auspices of South Jersey, but the Senate Majority Leader, an ironworker union leader who says he entered government to help his disabled daughter, noted his work on key Statehouse successes, including the Paid Family Leave Act and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. 

Today, he defended the record of the incumbent governor.

“He listens,” Sweeney said of Corzine. “He does some things that are very dangerous politically. A case in point was his turnpike plan. His intentions were very strong. But his strength is his willingness to recognize that his position is not right all the time. Look at the pension reforms last year. He wasn’t excited doing them, but he did them. A leader has to be flexible, and Jon Corzine has been an honest and straight-forward communicator, an honest broker.” 

Based on his record and in this case his receptivity to mayors, Sweeney said he is convinced the governor will make substantial revisions to the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) rules. As for the demand made yesterday by public employees leadership to the governor to negotiate, Sweeny said, “If there can be a positive outcome, I don’t see a problem with talking. But things have to change. There has to be the realization from the public employees’ leadership that people are losing their jobs around the country. These are tough times.”  

Confronted with the potential deflating effect of two white males on the same ticket, Sweeney said, “I don’t think it’s fair to rule someone out based on race or gender. It should be the best candidate. If the governor thought that was me, I’d have to really look at it. You could argue he’s weakest in South Jersey.” 

Of course, he’s also studying the possibility of an opening in the Senate President’s position, but wouldn’t comment on the degree to which he and O’Toole are personally trying to create an opening. 

Sources close to Codey say the veteran lawmaker is alert to the implications of the corruption trial of former state Sen. Joseph Coniglio (D-Paramus) and mindful of political connections to South Jersey aligned to dethrone him, but Codey also believes he still commands the political clout necessary to put down an insurrection. 

Of the strong relations between former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie – the Republican frontrunner for governor – and South Jersey Democratic Party boss George Norcross III, which have led to rumors of Norcross playing his gubernatorial support down the middle this year, Sweeney said there’s no doubt Norcross and the machine will be with the governor.

“George’s support is going to be solidly behind Corzine,” said Sweeney. “Look, I grew up with this guy (Norcross). He is the American Dream. He grew up in a blue collar, working class home. He’s the hardest working guy I’ve ever known, who started his insurance business off of a card table.  He’s going to support Jon Corzine.” 

As he watches his rivals battle on the other side, Sweeney does not think Christie is a lock to win the Republican nomination, and believes movement conservative Steve Lonegan, the former mayor of Bogota, could spring an upset. 

“The  GOP base is very conservative,” said Sweeney. “Steve Lonegan has fielded candidates in every contest. He submitted 11,220 petition signatures. Anybody counting him out right now has got to be nuts. I wouldn’t be surprised if (Steve beats Chris).”