Deputy Speaker John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville)

Assembly Deputy Speaker John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) today lauded retiring Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden), and acknowledged that he's interested in the leadership post Roberts will vacate at the end of his term this year.  

"We're going to miss a great leader," said Wisniewski. "His leadership will be noticably absent at the start of the next session.    

"I am interested in making the case to my colleagues, however there's a little detail called a general election we have to get though first," Wisniewski added. "It's all interesting and noteworthy, but let's win the election then talk about leadership. Is the question, 'Am I interested?' Yes, of course, I am interested."   

Of even more immediate concern to Wisniewski than the general election is this evening's special Democratic Party convention at the Forge, where 19th District county committee members will select a running mate for Wisniewski, who's already been through two of them: Assemblyman Joe Vas (D-Perth Amboy) (downed by state and federal corruption charges) and South Amboy Mayor John T. O'Leary, who's trying to ward off the blow back caused by a state Attorney General's Office subpoena dropped in his direction amid the Vas investigation.