Celeste Riley

Two Assembly races, both GOP primaries, appear headed for a recount.  In District 3, Lee Lucas leads Arthur Marchand, a former Cumberland County Surrogate, Prosecutor and Freeholder, by 46 votes.  Marchand's running mate, East Greenwich Mayor George Shivery, ran 171 votes behind.  Dr. Robert Villare, a surgeon and first-time candidate, will be one of the two Republicans to face the Democratic incumbents, John Burzichelli (R-Paulsboro) and Celeste Riley (R-Bridgeton).  In District 23, Hunterdon County Freeholder Erik Peterson is 57 votes ahead of Edward Smith, who is Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Oxford).

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ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE MEMBERS DISCUSS POSSIBLE RAW MILK SALES

Begin Study of Whether to Legalize Sale of Raw Milk Products in NJ

(TRENTON) - Assembly members Nelson T. Albano, Celeste M. Riley and Herb Conaway, M.D., today released a multimedia package on discussions over whether to legalize  raw milk sales in New Jersey.

Raw milk is milk product straight from a cow that has not been pasteurized or homogenized.  Twenty-six states, including New York and Pennsylvania, allow for the sale of raw milk with some restrictions.

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ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS COMMENTARY ON BILLS INCREASING AWARENESS & SIMPLIFYING ENROLLMENT IN PAAD, SENIOR GOLD

(TRENTON) - Assembly Democrats today issued a multimedia package on two bills sponsored by Assembly members Sheila Y. Oliver, Connie Wagner, Celeste M. Riley and Ruben J. Ramos, Jr. that would increase awareness of and simplify enrollment in the state's two prescription assistance programs.

ALBANO, MILAM, RILEY & WAGNER DEMAND MORE PROTECTIONS FOR ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY RESIDENTS

Call on State Officials to Improve Services Following Critical Report

(TRENTON) – Assembly members Nelson T. Albano, Matthew W. Milam, Celeste Riley and Connie Wagner announced today they’ve introduced legislation seeking enhanced protections and new strategies to ensure assisted living residents aren’t discharged simply because they pay with Medicaid.

Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden) has picked Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Newark) to replace Joseph Vas (D-Perth Amboy) on the Assembly Budget Committee.  Vas was stripped of his committee assignments and leadership posts following his indictment on state corruption charges last month.

Celeste Riley (D-Bridgeton), who won a special election convention to replace Douglas Fisher, who is now the Secretary of Agriculture, will take Fisher's seat on the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.  She has also been assigned to the Regulated Professions and Telecommunications and Utilities Committee.

Linda Stender (D-Fanwood) has been named to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for the remainder of the legislative session.  She will replace Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton), who too Vas' post as Chairman of the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee.

The resignation of Charles Kuperus as Secretary of Agriculture created an opportunity for Gladys Lugardo to become the first Hispanic to serve on the Bridgeton City Council. Kuperus was replaced by Assemblyman Douglas Fisher, creating an open seat that went to Bridgeton Council President Celeste Riley.  Lugardo, who lost a City Council bid in 2006 by just seven votes, replaced Riley on the Council.  Councilman Dennis Thompson was elected to succeed Riley as Council President.

The State Assembly gets two new members today.

Former Bridgeton Council President Celeste Riley, a Democrat, and former Warren County Freeholder John DiMaio, a Republican, are both set to be sworn in at this afternoon’s session.  

Riley replaces Doug Fisher, the state’s new secretary of agriculture, in South Jersey’s 3rd District.  She’s both the first female to represent that district and to come from Cumberland County. 

Marchand

Former Cumberland County Surrogate Art Marchand said that Gov. Corzine’s budget address on Tuesday made it slightly more likely that he’ll run for assembly in the 3rd Legislative District. 

“I think his budget address only reinforces the information we’re getting from Trenton that it’s a disaster.  Blaming George Bush for it all is just not going to work anymore,” said Marchand.  “Democrats have been in charge for seven years.  It’s time for them to accept complete responsibility.  You don’t raise taxes in the middle of a recession – that’s economics 101.”  

Marchand lost his job as surrogate in November after a Democratic wave swept through Cumberland County, taking out the freeholder board’s last Republican member and a long-time incumbent sheriff.  But with Governor Corzine at the top of the ticket this year instead of Barack Obama, Marchand said that the district’s two assembly seats appear ripe for Republican takeover – at least if the GOP agrees to fund more than just a token challenge.    

Over the last three decades, the party makeup of the district’s legislators has mostly mirrored the party that has controlled Trenton, with the exception of former state Sen. Raymond Zane, a Democrat who switched parties at the end of his political career.  With Republicans growing confident about their gubernatorial prospects, some see potential coattails on former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie.

“My thought is that it’s a completely swing district.  Who has the majority in Trenton and who has the governor basically will have the 3rd District too,” said Marchand. 

Assemblyman Douglas Fisher (D-Bridgeton) will resign at the end of this week to become the new Secretary of Agriculture.  Democratic leaders have picked Bridgeton Council President Celeste Riley to take his place, and she can take office after she is formally elected at a special election convention, which can be scheduled 7-35 days after Fisher’s official resignation. 

Democratic sources expect Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden) to pick Assemblyman Nelson Albano (D-Vineland) to replace Fisher as Chairman of the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.