Bonnie Watson Coleman

Corzine enters IBEW Local 269 tonight in Lawrenceville.

LAWRENCEVILLE - Gov. Jon Corzine embraced labor here at IBEW Local 269 just before completing his day of campaigning on the night before Election Day.

"Get out there and vote," Corzine roared to a room packed with men who claim membership in this electrical workers union numbering 1,200 strong from around Central Jersey.

"Everything is what happens, not what people speculate," he told PolitickerNJ.com moments later when asked about his trust in the strength of the Democratic Party machine. "We think we have the better operation, and it's up to people to execute."

Asked why the voters of New Jersey should give him another four years, Corzine said, "I'm the best guy to get us out of this recession on the issues that matter: education, healthcare, partnership with the president; I'm in a much better position on every front, not for giving tax cuts to people making over $400,000 a year."

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch), Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton), Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-South Brunswick), and Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) were in the room.

Trenton, NJ – In response to a gross misrepresentation of the incumbents’ records on taxes that appeared in Gusciora and Watson Coleman’s final pre-election ad, 15th district assembly candidates Kim Taylor (R-Lawrence) and Werner Graf (R-Hopewell) issued the following statement:

“In their final campaign ad, our opponents, assembly majority leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) and deputy majority leader Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton), claim to be ‘sticking up for us’ by reducing the property tax burden, but in reality their dismal records on taxes and fees show it’s more like they are “sticking us up” rather than “sticking up for us.”

The Trenton Times has endorsed Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) and Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee Chairman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton) for re-election.  Watson Coleman, a former Democratic State Chairman, remains a candidate for Assembly Speaker, even though a majority of the Democratic Caucus has endorsed Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) for the post. 

Mayor Doug Palmer addresses guests at his fundraiser with, from left, Mercer County Executive Brian J. Hughes, Gov. Jon Corzine, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, former President Bill Clinton, and Palmer's wife.

TRENTON - A wounded county came out here tonight to get a glimpse of former President Bill Clinton before the Secret Service propelled him away - again - to some more voter-concentrated region of the state for what Democrats hope will be a pay dirt rally at Rutgers University.

"I knew you weren't here to see me," Mayor Doug Palmer told a crowd at his $150 fundraiser for his nonprofit Trenton First, over one of his shoulders stood Gov. Jon Corzine with two weeks to go in a dead-heat gubernatorial contest.

Over Palmer's other shoulder stood Clinton.

"God, he looks great, Clinton - so slim," said Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing).

"You're here to see the president," supplied Palmer with a smile and deafening war whoops filled the banquet hall here at the Marriott, a building Palmer helped bring to Trenton.

The mayor acknowledged Corzine at last, and threw in a "first and foremost" when introducing him. Corzine, it should be said, received raucous applause. 

 WATSON COLEMAN PRAISES END TO HORIZON-CAPITAL HEALTH DISPUTE

Had asked state to get involved to resolve crisis

(TRENTON) – Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) today released the following statement after Gov. Jon S. Corzine announced that Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Capital Health System reached a settlement that will allow Horizon customers to continue to utilize the Fuld and Mercer Campus hospitals in Trenton:

The good news is that members of the New Jersey General Assembly are apparently not beholden to their campaign contributors.

Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), who appears to be the loser in the race for Speaker, has contributed $107,000 from her campaign account to Democratic Assembly candidates.  Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange), the apparent winner in the Speaker sweepstakes, gave a total of $70 to Democratic Assembly candidates. 

Watson Coleman sent five contributions of $16,400 each to: Matthew Milam (D-Vineland) and Nelson Albano (D-Vineland) in District 1; Paul Moriarty (D-Washington Twp.) and Bill Collins in District 4; Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) and Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) in District 14; Frederick Scalera (D-Nutley) and Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) in District 36; and Joan Voss (D-Fort Lee) and Connie Wagner (D-Paramus) in District 38.

Oliver sent $70 to Elease Evans (D-Paterson) in District 35.

Noteworthy in the race for State Assembly in District 36, State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) has not contributed to the re-election campaign of his two running mates, Assemblymen Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) and Frederick Scalera (D-Nutley).  The incumbents, who had a poll this summer showing Republicans ahead in this potentially competitive district, have spent over $425,000 on their campaign.  The GOP challengers, Donald Diorio and Carmen Pio Costa, have spent less than $7,500.

While Sarlo has apparently taken a walk on Schaer and Scalera, other Democrats have come through.  They have received $16,400 each from Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden), Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), Budget Committee Chairman Louis Greenwald (D-Voorhees), and from Gloucester County Freeholder Stephen Sweeney's campaign fund.  Gov. Jon Corzine gave them a personal check for $5,200, and State Sen. Nia Gill (D-Montclair) gave Schaer $500.  The Democratic State Committee has spent $67,976 in the 36th, while the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee has spent $43,381.

Two State Senators who have remained loyal to Richard Codey (D-Roseland) are likely nearing the end of the legislative careers, according to several Democratic insiders.  As a white man representing a district where Latinos and African Americans outnumber whites, John Girgenti (D-Hawthorne) has been at risk of losing party support for the last few years.  Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Paterson) asked Passaic County Democrats to consider her for the Senate in 2007, but party leaders backed the re-election of the 62-year-old Hawthorne Democrat who has been in the Legislature since 1977.  Latino leaders have been eyeing the 35th district Senate seat as their best opportunity to double their representation in the upper house – from one to two.

Girgenti could either lose party support for another term in the Senate, or mapmakers – if Democrats were to dominate legislative redistricting – could offer him the chance run in a new district, perhaps against Senate Minority Whip Kevin O’Toole (R-Cedar Grove).

Some Democrats say the retirement of Senate President Pro-Tempore Shirley Turner (D-Lawrence) could come sooner rather than later.  If Gov. Jon Corzine wins a second term, Turner – no favorite of the front office – could be offered another post in an effort to clear a path for Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) to go to the Senate.  Watson Coleman, popular with Democrats, appears to have gotten the short end of the stick in a legislative leadership deal that will make Sheila Oliver (D-Ewing) the next Assembly Speaker and Joseph Cryan (D-Union) the new Majority Leader.  Watson Coleman is also a contender for a cabinet post in a second Corzine administration. 

If Turner completes her turn and Watson Coleman remains in the Assembly, there is a good chance that Turner will get nudged into retirement in two years so that Watson Coleman can move up to the Senate then.

Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange), a three-term Assemblywoman from Essex County, has the votes to become the next Assembly Speaker - the third most powerful position in state government.  She has a hard count of 34 (assuming all of the Democrats supporting her win in November), and a soft count of 36.  Oliver is positioned to become the first woman Assembly Speaker since 1965, the first from Essex County since 1973, and the first African American since 1975.

Late this afternoon, Oliver emerged with one significant endorsement: Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro).  Greenstein, a close political ally of Oliver's rival, Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), had professed her official neutrality as recently as 3:30 PM today.  Expect Watson Coleman, who has no endorsements outside her own district, to drop out the race.

Also, expect Greenstein's running mate, Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), to endorse Oliver soon.  DeAngelo had held back his endorsement at the request of Mercer County Democratic leaders, who were backing their home county candidate. 

Democratic sources say that Greenstein went with Oliver to save her post as Assembly Judiciary Committee Chair.  She would have certainly lost that job had she not gone with Oliver, but her relatively late endorsement does not guarantee her the chairmanship.  Sources say that Peter Barnes (D-Edison), a lawyer and the brother of the Hunterdon County Prosecutor, is also in contention to chair the panel.

The tally:

The Rev. Reginald Jackson, the Executive Director of the Black Ministers' Council of New Jersey, has endorsed Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) for Assembly Speaker, according to a Star-Ledger report.  The only other candidate in the race is Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), who is also African American.

At a news conference to announce his support, Oliver denied that there was any deal that linked her candidacy for Speaker to the campaign of Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) for Senate President.

"The Senate does what the Senate does and the General Assembly does what the General Assembly does. There is no trade-off," the Star-Ledger reported Oliver as saying.

And Jackson denied speculation that Oliver was a pawn in a political chess game being played by George Norcross, Stephen Adubato and other state Democratic leaders.

"We have heard rumors that she will be controlled by other folk.  The Sheila Oliver that we know will not be controlled or told what to do, but will do what is best for the citizens of New Jersey, Jackson said.

Last week, Oliver told PolitickerNJ.com that she is the "most independent person ever elected."