Albio Sires

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) basks in victory on Election Night in Newark.

The trouncing Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) gave U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) last week sends the South Jersey congressman to the back of the line among those Democratic members of the congressional delegation intent on succeeding the 84-year old senator.

It depends on the region where the question is asked, of course, but among those eyeballing Lautenberg’s seat, the names of U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6), U.S. Rush Holt (D-12), and U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-9) surface more frequently than U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-8), U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-10), and U.S. Rep. Albio Sires (D- 13).

Sources familiar with Jersey City politics say that an interesting alliance is in the works: if Sandra Cunningham runs for Mayor in 2009, then Louis Manzo  will drop his plan to run for Mayor and support her – with the implied promise that she would support him for her State Senate seat.  And if City Councilman Steven Fulop joins the Cunningham camp – instead of running for Mayor – he would be rewarded with Cunningham’s endorsement for the Democratic nomination for Congress against Albio Sires in the 2010 primary.   Manzo, sources say, has not ruled out a bid for Councilman-At-Large on the Cunningham ticket, although he could not serve as Councilman and Senator at the same time.

Sen. Robert Menendez and Rep. Albio Sires will again endorse Frank Lautenberg for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination at an announcement at the Liberty House in Jersey City at 4PM tomorrow.  Parking will be validated, according to the Lautenberg campaign, which also noted that the four-term Senator will also receive the endorsement of other Latino elected officials.  Menendez and Sires first endorsed Lautenberg several weeks ago.

DISTRICT 1

Ten-term incumbent Rob Andrews is seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

Democrat: Camille Andrews, the wife of Rep. Rob Andrews, is seeking the seat her husband for eighteen years until deciding to challenge incumbent Frank Lautenberg in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary. She faces two primary opponents: Mahdi Ibn-Ziyardm, a social studies teacher and Camden Democratic Committeeman; and John Caramanna, who ran for the State Assembly in 2007 but withdrew from the Democratic primary. Bishop David G. Evans, a major religious and civic leader in Camden and a member of the Democratic National Convention Credentials Committee, dropped out of the race last week. Safe Andrews

Republicans: Rev. Dale Glading, who runs a prison ministry, is the GOP organization candidate. He races a primary challenge from Gulf War veteran Fernando Powers, a supporter of Ron Paul and Murray Sabrin. Safe Glading

New Jersey’s Democratic Congressional delegation issued a scathing statement on Rob Andrew’s Senate candidacy today, saying that he broke his pledge to fully support incumbent Sen. Frank Lautenberg for reelection and that his conduct has been “both outrageous and unacceptable."

Six of the state’s seven Democratic Congressmen -- Frank Pallone, Bill Pascrell, Steve Rothman, Rush Holt, Albio Sires and Donald Payne -- co-signed the statement, in which they called on their Democratic colleague to drop his candidacy.

"It is now clear that Congressman Rob Andrews has failed to gain thenecessary support to realistically compete in this race, and therefore, we urge Congressman Andrews to end his campaign,” they said.

The congressmen, four of whom are interested in succeeding Lautenberg some day, also argued that Andrews’s primary challenge will weaken the eventual Democratic nominee against his Republican challenger.

TRENTON - As Democrats gear up for a bruising senate primary season, unofficial congressional filing results with the state Division of Elections show no same-party challengers to incumbent Democratic congressmen.      

Only in the 1st District, where Democratic U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews is vacating his seat to challenge U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg in the primary, are there several hopefuls battling for what Andrews leaves behind.

The private agony of Brian Stack goes on, according to sources close to the Union City Mayor and State Senator. Stack received sizeable campaign contributions from George Norcross and Raymond Lesniak, and looked close to backing Rob Andrews for Senate. But Stack ally Albio Sires' decision to put his own career at risk by standing with Stack against the HCDO last year now has Stack hesitant about going with Andrews. Sires pledged to run on the HCDO line with incumbent Frank Lautenberg. Today, Stack's freeholder candidates filed with the HCDO -- but Stack continues to meet with allies. "We elected him because he is a strong leader," said a source. "But all it's been since he was elected is indecision."

Six Democratic Congressmen have endorsed Frank Lautenberg for re-election to the U.S. Senate: Getty Images Photo
All six of Rob Andrews' New Jersey House colleagues have endorsed Frank Lautenberg for U.S. enate, and have pledged to run on his line in the June 3 Democratic primary.

"Frank Lautenberg is New Jersey's senator and we stand with him. He delivers for New Jersey in the U.S. Senate and is invaluable to our state. That is why we will run in our home counties on the same line with Senator Lautenberg in the Democratic primary," said Frank Pallone, Donald Payne, Bill Pascrell, Steve Rothman, Rush Holt and Albio Sires in a joint statement. "Senator Lautenberg's leadership is critical to New Jersey's future. We urge our colleague, Rep. Rob Andrews, not to run for U.S. Senate."

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg addresses the crowd as Gov. Jon Corzine looks on.

TRENTON -- Burnishing his blue collar roots and seniority in Washington, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg today launched his re-election bid at the Trenton Marriott, promising to lead the fight for New Jersey's working families.

"I will build on my work of the last few years, to stand strong against those who attack our values that short change our state and to deliver the results that improve people's lives," said Lautenberg, who was first elected to the Senate in 1982.