Amy Handlin

HANDLIN SENDS LETTER TO CORZINE EXPRESSING DISMAY OVER VACANT UMDNJ RESEARCH CENTER

QUESTIONS THE NEED TO SPEND MILLIONS ON NEW STEM CELL CENTERS WITH $110 MILLION BUILDING REMAINING VACANT

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin today sent a letter to Governor Jon Corzine expressing her concern with newspaper reports this weekend that the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) spent $110 million on a cancer research center that is now vacant, and asking that the state explore using that facility for biomedical research instead of spending millions on a new facility.

Monmouth County Freeholder Robert Clifton has decided not to challenge Assemblyman Samuel Thompson in the 2007 Republican primary, and Republicans say that the 71-year-old legislator appears to be in good shape to win re-nomination for a sixth term. Thompson is from Old Bridge in Middlesex County and there has been speculation that the Monmouth GOP might push him toward retirement.

In 2005, Thompson was the top vote-getter in a three way primary for the two 13th district Assemby seats. Amy Handlin, then a Monmouth County Freeholder, defeated longtime incumbent Joseph Azzolina by a 624 vote margin.

Democrats have still not decided if they will make a serious bid to unseat Thompson and Handlin next year. Former Assemblyman William Flynn is still mullling a run for the Legislature.

"Walter Kavanaugh is the senator, and I support him as senator. Kip Bateman is the assemblyman, and I support him in that job." -- Somerset County GOP Chairman Dale Florio, saying that he is too focused on Tuesday's General Election to take sides in a possible 2007 State Senate primary (Courier-News, 11/01/06)

Chaser: "Running on the line with Amy in Monmouth County, it would be inappropriate for me to turn around and try to bang her. And in Middlesex I'm running on the line with Joe, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to bang him either." -- Assemblyman Samuel Thompson, after Joe Azzolina said he would challenge Amy Handlin in the '05 GOP Assembly primary. (PoliticsNJ.com, 04/27/05)

ASSEMBLY REPUBLICANS UNVEIL BLUEPRINT FOR A CORRUPT-FREE NEW JERSEY

OUTLINE ELEVEN-POINT ETHICS AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM AGENDA

REPUBLICANS ASK FOR RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUBPOENA OF BPU CLEAN ENERGY AUDIT

REITERATE CALL FOR U.S. ATTORNEY TO INVESTIGATE PROGRAM

REPUBLICANS ASK ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS TO APPROVE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUBPOENA OF BPU AUDIT
ALSO CALL ON U.S. ATTORNEY TO INVESTIGATE PROGRAM

BECK AND HANDLIN: OUTCOME OF SCHOOL BUDGET VOTES SHOWS VOTER ANGER OVER PROPERTY TAXES
SCHOOL DISTRICTS BEARING BRUNT OF VOTER ANGER OVER TRENTON'S FAILURE TO ACT ON PROPERTY TAXES

BECK, HANDLIN, KARROW DEEPLY TROUBLED BY CORZINE TAX HIKE PLAN EXPRESS CONCERN THAT BUDGET FAILS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

The results of a Special Election Convention last Saturday further threaten the re-election prospects of Monmouth County Republican Chairman Frederick Niemann, who backed the losing candidate to replace Amy Handlin on the Board of Freeholders. Anna Little, a Highlands Borough Councilwoman, won a second ballot victory over Howell Mayor Joseph DiBella, who had Niemann's tacit support and considerable help from his key supporters. Some party leaders say that Little's victory as very much an anti-Niemann vote. Niemann was elected Chairman in 2004, ousting the outspoken and often controversial William Dowd, who had held the post for seventeen years. This was the second time in two years that a Niemann-backed Freeholder candidate lost a party convention. Monmouth has become increasingly competitive at the county level, and in 2005 the Democratic Freeholder candidate lost by just 1,792; many pundits believe the Democrats would have won if a Green Party candidate endorsed by the Asbury Park Press had not won 18,698 votes.

Republicans expect two longtime officeholders to announce their retirements within the next few weeks: Freeholder Theodore Narozanick and Surrogate Marie Muhler. That will trigger another heated convention for the two posts. Several of the candidates who ran unsuccessfully on Saturday would likely compete for Narozanick's seat (and technically, the newly-elected Little could receive opposition for party support to run in a November Special Election for Handlin's unexpired term), but additional candidates could emerge as a result of the recent contest. Longtime Middletown Committeewoman (and former Mayor) Rosemarie Peters and Little Silver Councilman Richard DeNoia both want to run for Surrogate.

The 84-year-old Narozanick was an Englishtown Councilman from 1946 to 1954, Mayor from 1954 to 1962, Monmouth County Administrator from 1958 to 1985, and Freeholder since 1986. Muhler served as a Marlboro Councilwoman before winning a State Assembly seat in 1975 (she defeated Democratic incumbent Morton Salkind, still politicall active as a North Jersey developer). She nearly won election to Congress in 1980, winning 49% of the vote against eight-term incumbent James Howard, and became Surrogate in 1991.

Trivia: Who was the last Republican to lose a race for county office in Monmouth? That would be Fred Niemann, who lost his bid for Surrogate in 1986. Niemann also lost an '04 bid for Republican County Committee in his own district in Wall.

Eleven new members of the New Jersey General Assembly will take their seats today:

Democrat Nelson Albano, an advocate for tougher drunk driving laws, who defeated Republican Assemblyman Jack Gibson in the first district.

Republican Jennifer Beck, a Red Bank Councilwoman, who unseated Democratic Assemblyman Robert Morgan in the 12th district.

Democrat Charles Epps, the Jersey City Superintendent of Schools, who defeated Anthony Chiappone in the 31st district Democratic primary.

Democrat Thomas Giblin, a former Democratic State Chairman, succeeds Peter Eagler, who did not run for re-election in District 34.

Republican Amy Handlin, a Monmouth County Freeholder, who defeated Joseph Azzolina in the Republican primary in District 13.

Democrat Valerie Vainieri Huttle, a Bergen County Freeholder, replaces Democrat Loretta Weinberg, now a State Senator, in the 37th district.

Republican Marcia Karrow, a Hunterdon County Freeholder, takes the seat of Connie Myers, a Republican Assemblywoman who did not seek re-election in the 23rd district.

Democrat Pamela Rosen Lampitt, a Cherry Hill Councilwoman, succeeds sixth district Assemblywoman Mary Previte, a Democrat who did not run again.

Democrat Paul Moriarty, the Mayor of Washington Township and a former Philadelphia TV consumer affairs reporter, takes the fourth district seat of Democrat Robert Smith, who did not seek re-election.

Democrat Gary Schaer, the Passaic City Council President, replaces 36th district Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano, who sought the Republican nomination for Governor.

Democrat James Whelan, a former Mayor of Atlantic City, who defeated Republican Assemblyman Kirk Conover in the second district.

A twelfth freshman, Democrat Oadline Truitt, will take the oath of office after the results of her Special Election Convention are certified. Truitt, a longtime Democratic leader in Newark's South Ward, will take the 28th district seat of Democrat Evelyn Wiliams, who resigned after just a month in office after a series of scandals. Williams had won a November 2005 special election convention to replace the late Donald Tucker.