Cary Edwards

In the 40th legislative district, where two Republican incumbents face primary challenges, the chain of custody of State Assembly seats comes from defeating sitting Assemblyman in primary elections.  The first Assemblyman elected when the 40th was John Spizziri, a young lawyer from Wyckoff who had first won election to the Legislature in 1971.  Spizziri, running on a line with gubernatorial candidate Raymond Bateman in 1977, lost the Republican primary to two young Republican lawyers, Cary Edwards and Walter Kern.  Edwards and Kern were backed by supporters of another candidate for Governor, Thomas Kean.  Bateman carried Bergen County, but Kean ran strongly in the 40th district towns.

When Kean was elected Governor four years later, Edwards became his Chief Counsel, and later the state Attorney General.  Edwards lost bids for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 1989 and 1993.  Kern went on to serve as Assembly Judiciary Committee Chairman.

Kern lost the 1989 Republican primary after a random audit of his attorney trust fund account led to his disbarment.  He was beaten by David Russo (R-Ridgewood), who has held the seat for the last twenty years.

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Former Gov. Tom Kean, endorsing John McCain for President before the New Hampshire GOP primary last year. Kean also endorsed State Sen. Bob Martin in a 2003 primary against Jay Webber.

As he endorsed Christopher Christie for the 2009 GOP gubernatorial nomination on Wednesday, former Governor Thomas Kean, Sr. reminded reporters that the only other time he involved himself in a Republican Primary was when his son ran for the U.S. Senate three years ago.   That's not completely accurate.  During his second term as Governor, Kean went to Hudson County to endorse Albio Sires, a Republican activist from West New York who had been recruited by state Republicans to challenge U.S. Rep. Frank Guarini (D-Jersey City) in 1986.  Sires was facing a primary challenge from one of two Republicans on the Hudson County Board of Freeholders.

At the time, Republicans believed they were looking at a possible political realignment in Hudson County.  They had won two Freeholder seats in 1984 and four Assembly seats in 1985.  Ronald Reagan carried Hudson in 1984, and Kean won every town in the county when he ran for re-election in 1985.  The GOP was playing heavily in non-partisan municipal races that year, and was counting on electing a Republican Mayor of Union City, where Assemblyman Ronald Dario (R-Union City) was heading a local ticket - financed by the GOP - that included a young lawyer named Robert Menendez.

Anthony Rottino, a 42-year-old businessman from Franklin Lakes, is expected to seek the Republican nomination for State Assembly in the 40th district.  Rottino and running mate Joseph Caruso will challenge the two GOP incumbents, Assemblymen David Russo (R-Ridgewood) and Scott Rumana (R-Wayne).

Rottino owns real estate and insurance firms, as well as two Harley-Davidson dealerships and the new Gold's Gym in Teterboro.

"As a business owner, I can attest to the fact that operating a successful business in New Jersey is very difficult. There is too much regulation, too many costs," Rottino said.  "Only by stripping away needless government programs and layers of regulation that punish hard working taxpayers and entrepreneurs can New Jersey once again become a vibrant and affordable state."

If Michellene Davis becomes Governor Jon Corzine's next Chief of Staff, it won't bode well for Edward McBride, who has served as Corzine's Chief Counsel since Ken Zimmerman left earlier this year.  A Davis appointment would mean that Corzine effectively passed over McBride for a promotion and picked someone who is several runs below the Counsel on the organization chart.  Other Chief Counsels, like Stuart Rabner, Mike Torpey, Cary Edwards and Edward McGlynn, have been promoted up.