Brendan Gill

Winners & Losers of the Week - General Election Edition: CLICK HERE Read More >

PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE

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Incumbent Sen. Frank Lautenberg isn’t happy that Camille Andrews has been selected to fill the ballot spot that her husband, Rep. Rob Andrews, is vacating to run a primary against Lautenberg.

“This doesn't pass the smell test -- at all,” said Lautenberg Campaign Manager Brendan Gill in a statement. “New Jersey needs a Senator who will fight on behalf of the people of this state everyday -- not someone who plays games with the voters to protect his local political boss, George Norcross. Like much of the Andrews campaign so far, this latest maneuver demonstrates the old school politics that the voters of New Jersey are sick and tired of."

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Rep. Rob Andrews is making his second bid for statewide office, challenging Frank Lautenberg in the Democratic Senate primary

As he launches a primary campaign for Sen. Frank Lautenberg's seat, Rep. Rob Andrews says he’s less prickly than he was 11 years ago when his failed campaign for governor left him holding grudges and questioning the value of a man's word.

The congressman from Camden was bothered by then-Essex County Chairman Thomas Giblin’s 1997 decision to withdraw his support for Andrews to instead back north Jersey product James E. McGreevey for Governor.

“I took it personally and that was my mistake,” said Andrews, 50, who felt vindicated but no less intensely frustrated after McGreevey’s spectacular fall.

“Someone who might have backed McGreevey and not me was not a bad person,” Andrews said.

“He is a foolish person,” the congressman added, “but not a bad person.”

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Three former District Directors for Congressman Steven Rothman have moved on to successful political careers: Adam Zellner was named today to serve as the Governor’s new Policy Director; Brendan Gill is the campaign manager for Frank Lautenberg’s 2008 re-election campaign; and Michael Soliman is U.S. Senator Bob Menendez’s State Director.

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Frank Lautenberg, who at age 84 will seek a fifth term as a United States Senator from New Jersey. If he wins, he’d become the oldest and longest-serving Senator in state history. But a sudden retirement could turn New Jersey politics upside-down.

Common Sense America Executive Director

Brian Brown and Garden State Equality Chairman Steven Goldstein go to battle over a likely vote next year on same sex marriage.

John Adler, the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman who is seeking to become the first Democratic Congressman from Jim Saxton’s district since 1994. And watch Frank LoBiondo, if Jeff Van Drew decides he wants to be a Congressman

Kate Whitman

, the smart and talented daughter of former Governor Christine Todd Whitman, who is seeking an open congressional seat in the 5th district. Also, Whitman’s primary opponent, Sen. Leonard Lance, and the Democratic nominee, Assemblywoman Linda Stender. And note that in 2007, Whitman lost a convention for Somerset Freeholder, Lance was a PolitickerNJ.com Loser of the Year Runner-Up, and Stender ran the 11th Worst Campaign of the Year.

Charlotte DeFilippo, the veteran Union County Democratic Chair, had her records as Executive Director of the Union County Improvement Authority subpoenaed by the state Attorney General’s office.

Steve Ayscue, who has made George Norcross’ political jets arrive on time for years, has emerged as one of the most powerful political insiders in South Jersey, with considerable responsibility for Democratic wins in State Senate races and beyond.

Matthew Boxer,

who survived a contemptuous confirmation process to become New Jersey’s first State Comptroller, will be held accountable as the guy charged with making a government some view as out of control operate more efficiently.

Troy Singleton

, an aide to Carpenters Union leader Frank Spencer and a close confidante of Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts.

The Group

– the key fundraisers for Hillary Clinton’s New Jersey presidential campaign: John Graham, Alfred De- Cotiis, Michael Kempner, Bill Harla, Rev. Reginald Jackson, and Meryl Frank, have created a structure that will make them sought after by candidates in the future. Bill Layton, the newly elected Burlington County Republican Chairman, will now be held accountable for the success and failure of GO P candidates in Burlington.

Dennis Shulman

, a blind Rabbi/Psychoanalyst, is seeking the Democratic nomination for Congress in the fifth district. He wants to challenge Rep. Scott Garrett.

Two veteran New Jersey operatives get a chance to manage in the major leagues:

Brendan Gill, who has worked for Steve Rothman, Bill Pascrell and others, will manage U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg’s campaign. His possible rival will be Mark Duffy, who has worked for Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce and has run campaigns in Mercer and Monmouth counties, will be Republican Anne Evans Estabrook’s campaign manager.

Two of the state’s leading young Hispanic politicians are

Teresa Ruiz, who became the first Latina to win a seat in the State Senate, and Newark City Councilman Anibal Ramos, who could emerge as a mayoral candidate – especially if Cory Booker falters.

New Jersey AFL-CIO President

Charles Wowkanech took some flak from Democrats by supporting Nick Asselta and Phil Haines, and for staying out of the Whelan/McCullough race. Will Democrats punish him, or leave him alone? Read More >

Dan Gallic, who is more-or-less running his friend Joe Pennacchio’s not-yet-official U.S. Senate campaign, turns 40 next week. Compared to other campaign workers, that makes him a pretty old hand in this business.

“I’m officially old,” said Gallic, who also blogs for the Web site Conservatives With Attitude. “That’s the number one issue why I’m not going to necessarily step up to the plate for being a campaign manager, but in the same breath I can say I’m going to do everything I can to help Joe.

Gallic is older than his two likely behind-the-scenes opponents in the upcoming senate race, but not by that much. Mark Duffy, who was just tapped to manage Republican Anne Evans Estabrook’s campaign, is 34, while Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s campaign manager, Brendan Gill, is 33. While all three have considerable political experience, none has taken the lead role in a statewide campaign until now. Read More >