Strong GOP Senate candidate hasn't heard from Lance
By Wally EdgeRepublican strategists view Nutley Mayor Joanne Cocchiola as a potentially strong candidate for State Senate next year against Democrat Paul Sarlo in the 36th district, but sources close to Cocchiola say that the GOP Mayor has not yet heard from Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance about plans for the 2007.
The first choice for the GOP, insiders say, is former Assembly Majority Leader Paul DiGaetano. But Republicans close to DiGaetano, who gave up his seat two years ago to run for Governor, are not optimistic about DiGaetano's willingness to run.
The 2001 Senate race pitted two former Nutley Mayors, incumbent Democratic Senator Garry Furnari and incumbent GOP Assemblyman John Kelly. Furnari won that race with 51% of the vote, while Kelly carried Nutley with 63%. Two years later, Sarlo won the seat with 55% against Kelly -- with the Republican carrying Nutley again with 63%. In the 2005 Assembly race, Democratic Assembly candidates carried Nutley by a wide margin.
Cocchiola was elected Nutley Town Commissioner in 2000 (following the retirement of her father, who had held the post for 28 years) and became Mayor in 2004 when she was the top-votegetter in the local election -- running far ahead of Carmen Orechio, a former State Senate President who has served as a Commissioner and Mayor since 1968. Kelly ran in that same election and finished a distant sixth.
For Republicans to be at all serious about winning control of the Senate, they will need to play heavily against Sarlo, Frederick Madden in the fourth district and Ellen Karcher in the twelfth.
Contributors
Wally Edge
If Paul Sarlo becomes the new Senate Judiciary Chairman when John Adler leaves for Washington in January, Senate President Richard Codey will ... >
Bob Torricelli
There's nothing more difficult to see than the history before your eyes. It sometimes takes generations to understand the significance of ... >
Michael Patrick Carroll
OK, he didn't say precisely that, but when the Chairman of the Budget Committee informs us that governmental spending is the key to prosperity, ... >
Debbie Holtz
The Star Ledger got it right last April when it gave a thumb's-up to the NJN management plan to wean “the state's only public ... >
Steve Lonegan
The sub prime mortgage melt down and its ensuing financial “crisis” has tested the mettle of all of us who believe in and support the free ... >
Dr. Joseph Marbach
I am pleased to report the results from the first national poll conducted by Environmental Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences at ... >
Rob Tornoe
To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here. >
Michael P. Riccards
The media, which loves headlines and knows little history, is trying to sell President Elect Obama as another Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But that ... >
Joey Novick
Whenever I get the chance to visit my parents in Florida when working a comedy gig down there, it’s like living in a “Seinfeld” episode. They ... >
Juan Melli
In an election year driven by a hemorrhaging economy and an electorate hungry for an end to divisive politics, 7th Congressional District candidate ... >
Carla Katz
A couple of weeks ago, my mother, Angelina Katz, did her second debate on behalf of Barack Obama. A debate? My mother? If you knew her, you’d be ... >
Patricia Quattrocchi
Former State Senator Wayne Bryant got a smack on the back of the head from a jury of his peers today when they found him guilty of all eleven charges ... >
Hot Topics
| Politicker INTERACTIVE | |
 |
Lawmaker Profile Follow the funding of your representatives |
 |
270 to Win See how Obama got to the magic number |
Most Active Stories
- Bryant guilty on all counts
- Merkt calls for Wilson's resignation
- After running as a local Obama, Hawkins runs early into the hard edge of Orange
- If it's Corzine v. Christie, both sides get ready for the worst
- Obama bundler says he lost $25 billion of N.J. pension funds
- Quinnipiac: Corzine 42%, Christie 36%
- Mallet defeats Curley, Monmouth Freeholder Board becomes Democratic-controlled
- Karrow announces state senate bid
- Dredden would serve as RSC chairman if asked
- Potential Rumana challenger says Assembly might not be his vehicle for change
- Correction: Weiner departure was not his own idea
- Torricelli on COAH
- Two N.J. super delegates go to Obama; Norcross backs Obama; key Clinton supporters endorse Obama
- At energy policy meeting, Rose fights with cabinet and walks away
- Sixteen Democrats are on Norcross' short list for Andrews House seat
- Jackson will be Corzine's new Chief of Staff
- Roughneen in court today on signature challenge
- New Jersey's Most Powerful Law Firms
- Jersey City councilman makes it rain in Washington
- Torricelli on deer hunting
Recent Posts From Inside Edge
Quote of the Day
"What's been happening in the markets has brought out so many emotions. ... We are feeling it too. Our job is to be level-headed and cool and to run the portfolio. I think we are going to turn this around." -- An optimistic William Clark, the director of the state division of investment, after losing $25 billion in pension funds since July.
Recent Press Releases
In the News
Read the expanded Wake Up Call, our summary of today’s news media coverage.
Today’s Must Reads:
Christie's legcy― THE BERGEN RECORD
Corzine for Treasury? Don't Bet on It.― WASHINGTON POST
Immigrants still in New Jersey― THE BERGEN RECORD
Now it's the Dems' chance to be dumb― PAUL MULSHINE
Corzine likely to go nowhere― THE DAILY RECORD
SILENT ON CHARGE; LIPSKI TELLS OF ALCOHOL BATTLE― STEVEN LIPSKI
Reclaiming the narrative of an enlightened nation ― CORY BOOKER
Syndicate
It would be inappropriate for Lance to turn around and try to ba
It would be inappropriate for Lance to turn around and try to bang Cocchiola, but it wouldn't be appropriate for Lance to bang DiGaetano either.
Lance has to let the Bergen GOP sort out their own mess. This isn't the usual case of Lance being inept, I think he just doesn't want any part of that debacle.
Didn't DiGaetano sell his house in Nutley recently? I heard he w
Didn't DiGaetano sell his house in Nutley recently? I heard he was headed for the 40th to try to push out McNamara.
Wally, who are your "sources close to Cocchiola?" I mean, for re
Wally, who are your "sources close to Cocchiola?" I mean, for real, this entire post is simply not accurate. Mayor Cocchiola is not going to run for Senate for several reasons. 1) She is close to Fred Scalera, 2) She just had a baby, 3) Her husband grew up in Passaic and is friendly with Gary Schaer 4)She has no name recognition or organization in Bergen which is over 50% of the district, 5)The Bergen GOP is a mess and wouldn't be able to offer her any support there, 6) Joe D is a Nutley resident and would put pressure on her not to run 7) If anything, Mayor Cocchiola will be wooed by Joe Ferriero to run as a Democrat for Assembly if Fred Scalera ever decided to move on (but why would he give up his $160K a year life for anything?)
Editor's Note: PoliticsNJ.com stands behind our report. Mayor Cocchiola is a Republican and Republicans think she would make a strong Senate candidate. She is not actively seeking the nomination. The pointof our report is that the leader of the Senate GOP caucus has not yet attempted to recruit her.
Leonard Lance fits in well with that white flag mentality of the
Leonard Lance fits in well with that white flag mentality of the NJGOP. I know he also basically promised another NE NJ Dem they could run free of threat. He might try to play nice guy but when your dealing with the pack of political wolves known as NJ Democrats you can't give up for a minute. You think Joe Ferriero isn't out there recruiting now for 39/40 as well as making sure Sarlo and Coniglio are safe? Dream on! Until the GOP grows a pair and builds a machine in NJ it might as well be a third-party!
McGovernDem - Paul didn't sell his house in Nutley, but he proba
McGovernDem - Paul didn't sell his house in Nutley, but he probably still won't run for State Senate against Sarlo. He should have run in 2003 when he had the chance, Sarlo probably would not have ran for Senate and stayed in the Assembly, but that ship has sailed.
Inside Dem - you're right for the most part, but there are a few errors. She is close with Scalera, but that's more from an around the town type relationship over the years; her always being involved in civic activities with her father, and so was Scalera, as fire chief. Also, her husband grew up in Paterson, not Passaic. Still, she is a Republican, despite the fact that she gets along with Democrats. That's plays more to the type of person she is - she gets along with everyone, and tries to get stuff done as opposed to playing partisan politics, which is why she would make a great legislator. There is no way she would run for Assembly or any office as a Democrat. Unfortunately, there is also no way she would run for higher office, period. She loves what she's doing in Nutley, and is very focused with her family. I agree with Wally's followup to your post, however. It is a good point that she would make a strong candidate, but the interest seems to not be there, both on her part, and based on what Wally wrote, on the part of the GOP Senate leadership.
Where Oh where is NJ Dem ? I have been waiting patiently for his
Where Oh where is NJ Dem ?
I have been waiting patiently for his comments ?