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Former independent gubernatorial candidate Christopher Daggett wants state to investigate robocalls that he says “severely damaged” his candidacy, The Star-Ledger reports.  

The call, in which a woman’s voice attacks Republican Chris Christie for being “wrong where it matters most,” urges listeners to “remember Chris Daggett's words: 'It's never wrong to vote for the right person.’”  

The  call ends with a disclaimer that says it was paid for by the NJDSC and gives The Democratic State Committee’s Trenton address.  The day before the election, a spokesperson for the DSC confirmed that the group paid for the robocalls, but the group did not comment further on it. 

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Top Row: Jon Runyan, Brian Propp and Althea Gibson; Bottom Row: Bill Bradley, Al Leiter, and Phil McConkey

News of ex-Eagles tackle Jon Runyan's interest in running for Congress in the 3rd District brought about some excitement in Republican circles, but it was not universal. 

One South Jersey Republican, skeptical about celebrity candidates, kept his response to two words: Brian Propp.

Propp, who played fifteen seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, was recruited by state Sen. Diane Allen (R-Edgewater Park) to run for State Assembly in her district as a Republican in 2007.  Propp was a promising pick, but buzz about competing down-ticket in the heavily Democratic district fizzled out, and ultimately he and his running mate, Nancy Griffin, did not come close to unseating incumbents Herb Conaway (D-Delanco) and Jack Conners (D-Pennsauken). 

But Propp is only the latest example of professional athletes from the Garden State who ran for office.  While pro athletes who choose to run start out with name recognition that candidates from more traditional backgrounds typically have to spend years building up, their fame is by no means a ticket to a high office. 

In 1977, the late tennis great Althea Gibson - the first black woman to win a Grand Slam tournament - lost a state senate bid in a three-way primary against Frank Dodd  -- who was running on a slate with then-Assemblyman and now Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) -- and then-Assemblyman Eldridge Hawkins. 

In 1990, former New York Giant Phil McConkey came in second in a three-way Republican primary for Congress, losing to Dick Zimmer but beating Rodney Frelinghuysen. 

There have also been flirtations, like when Republicans attempted to recruit Ronald "Jaws" Jaworski - who played with the Eagles in the 1970's and 80's - to run against Rob Andrews in the early 1990s.  And former Major League all-star pitcher Al Leiter's name repeatedly pop up as a potential candidate, even though the Toms River native currently lives in Florida.      

But there is one obvious success story: Bill Bradley, the New York Knick and Rhodes Scholar who became a three-term Democratic senator.

Camden Mayor-elect Dana Redd has named Wendell E. Pritchett, chancellor of Rutgers University–Camden, and Susan Bass Levin, former commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, as transition process co-chairs.

According to a release, the transition team will work to develop a number of initiatives, including public safety; health and family services; and a “Clean Camden” campaign that will seek to improve neighborhoods.

“I am pleased to announce the co-chairs of my transition team along with members of the working group,” said Redd. “Susan Bass Levin and Wendell Pritchett are two of the region's most respected leaders with proven track records in government, higher education, urban affairs, and public policy.  As Camden's next mayor, I look forward to implementing meaningful governmental reforms, improving service delivery for the residents and the small business community, and improving Camden’s standing in the region.”     

Ready to formally announce at noon in Veteran's Park on Dec. 11, Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo says he has one campaign left in him: a third go at county executive next year before retiring to the private sector.

"My option is to run one more time here and then look at other options outside government, it's not to run for governor in 2013," said DiVincenzo. "I want people to look at my legacy in Essex County and remember that the two guys prior to me both did jail time. What I've done here is I've rebuilt parks and infrastructure.

"Nobody should be talking about that right now," added DiVincenzo, when asked about the 2013 gubernatorial election and prospective Democratic challengers to GOP Gov.-elect Chris Christie. 

"Chris will be re-elected if he does a good job," said the county executive, a Democrat and longtime friend of Christie's. "There is no question, if anybody can straighten out the state, it's him. He's a very tough guy and the people he brings around him will be critical. Look at everything he's done so far. As someone who runs a governent here, I'm very impressed. I talk to him regularly. He's handling transition very well. He's trying to bring in everyone and reaching out to both sides, Democrat and Republican. I pray that he's successful because we can't go on for another four years like this. People out here are hurting."

Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, left, and Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford)

Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo plans to formally kick-off his bid for a third term on Dec. 11th.

Over the past few days in particular, sources say the county executive has made the rounds and confirmed considerable support toward his re-election.

Although no one has emerged as a serious challenger to the popular county exec, there are hold-outs, notably Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland), East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser, and state Sen. Ronald L. Rice (D-Newark), who all believed DiVincenzo helped engineer Codey's collapse from his power projection platform as head of the state senate.

In his defense, DiVincenzo maintained that Codey was clearly wounded following the caucus reorganization vote after the 2007 elections.

When Sen. Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) defeated the Codey-backed Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) for senate majority leader, DiVincenzo said he read that as a sign that the Essex County -based Codey couldn't summon the votes to suppress Sweeney's upward mobility.

Ex-Eagles tackle John Runyan is meeting with Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore at Gilmore's law office this morning to talk about a prospective run for office.

Runyan, a 35-year-old Mount Laurel resident who played with the Eagles from 2000 until 2008, is, in his own words, “seriously considering” challenging freshman U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) next November.  

Getting the go-ahead from Gilmore is crucial, since he presides over the dominant party in the county that produced the most Republican votes in the state in the gubernatorial race two weeks ago.  Gilmore and his fellow Republican county chairs from Burlington and Camden Counties – which make up Adler’s congressional district – have expressed a desire to avoid a costly primary like the one last year between then-Medford Mayor Chris Myers, Ocean County Freeholder Jack Kelly and former Tabernacle Committeeman Justin Murphy.

Reached by phone this morning, Gilmore said he would hold off on comment until after he has met with Runyan.

Former Hoboken chief financial officer Michael Lenz by a 4-3-1 vote last night assumed the oath of office to succeed Mayor Dawn Zimmer as the 4th Ward councilmember, according to Hoboken Now.

Lenz served as Zimmer's main political strategist and adviser during the several cycles in which Zimmer pursued public office, including her successful 2007 4th Ward council race and her 2009 mayoral runs.

Zimmer held onto her council seat while serving as acting mayor after the meltdown of Peter Cammarano and until the Nov. 3rd special election for mayor, which she won decisively.

Her allies, Councilman Ravi Bhalla, Councilwoman Carol Marsh, Councilman David Mello and Councilman Peter Cunningham voted in favor of Lenz last night. Councilman Nino Giacchi, Councilwoman Terry Castellano, and Councilman Michael Russo voted against him.

More New Jerseyans get their state news on political and public affairs from television than from any other source, though they think their in-state newspapers do a good job covering the state. 

A Monmouth University/Gannett poll released this morning shows that 41% of state residents get most of their information from television.  Another 28% get most of their information from newspapers, while 19% mainly use internet news sources and 6% most often listen to the radio.

But New Jerseyans read newspapers about as much as they watch television news broadcasts out of New York and Philadelphia.  While 43% watch television news nearly every day, 42% read a newspaper regularly, 32% visit Web sites about every day and 22% listen to talk radio.

Of New Jersey residents who read the paper, 42% open it mainly for local community news, while 30% read it for national news and just 15% for state news.

"Like most Americans, New Jerseyans have become accustomed to turning on the television for news updates.  However, the focus of TV coverage tends to be national or the city where those media outlets are located, while newspapers are favored for their local news coverage.  Since we lack a home-grown broadcast media market, this leaves a gap for state-level news exposure in New Jersey," said Monmouth pollster Patrick Murray.

State Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Linden)

One of the last senators to announce publicly that he would support Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) for leadership over Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland), state Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Linden) today said he intends to stick with Sweeney.

"That's not the first time I have heard that, but I don't think it changes my thinking," Scutari said to an argument made by East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser that Democrats should remain with the veteran Codey as senate president to ensure the toughest top legislative negotiator in the coming era of Republican Gov. Chris Christie.

"I certainly don't think Steve Sweeney is a poor negotiator and I believe he would do a fine job," Scutari explained. "Senator Codey would do a great job - and has. But with the new governor coming in I think there are real opportunities for change. Senator Sweeney has been a strong advocate for stabilizing our pension system and he will lend credence to our efforts."

East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser (over Gov. Jon Corzine's left shoulder), and Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, far right.

East Orange Mayor Robert Boswer today said he believes Chris Christie's victory over Jon Corzine in the governor's race earlier this month should spark Democratic Party senators to reconsider their abandonment of support for Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland).

"I don't know what to expect at all from Chris Christie, and probably won't get any kind of clues until the transition team changes the guard, but I do believe Christie's win changes the dynamic for the senate presidency and the same thing for the speaker of the assembly," said Bowser.

At last public count, Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) has 15 caucus votes to Codey's eight heading into their Nov. 23rd Statehouse confab and presumptive legislative leadership change.