Christine Todd Whitman

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Bill Bradley (above) and Frank Lautenberg are the only incumbent Democrats to win re-election in New Jersey in the last thirty years.

As he prepares to launch his bid for a second term, Governor Jon Corzine will seek to become the first Democrat not named Frank Lautenberg to win re-election in New Jersey since Bill Bradley just narrowly defeated Christine Todd Whitman in a U.S. Senate race nineteen years ago. 

Lautenberg's victory over Republican Dick Zimmer last year ended a fourteen-year drought for Democratic incumbents winning re-election.  The last time was in 1994, when Lautenberg beat Republican Garabed "Chuck" Haytaian, the Assembly Speaker.   During the subsequent fourteen years, no Democratic statewide officeholder was re-elected to a second term.

Republicans are looking to end twelve-year drought; they haven't won statewide since Whitman was re-elected Governor in 1997.  Since that election, Republican statewide candidates have been victorious  in 49 other states, as well as in Puerto Rico and Guam.

Lisa Jackson, Barack Obama's choice to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, becomes the 18th New Jerseyan to serve in the President's cabinet since James Madison picked Samuel Southard to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Navy.  Jackson also becomes the first African American from New Jersey to serve in the cabinet.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SLIDESHOW OF NEW JERSEYANS IN THE CABINET

Emerging as a formidable candidate for Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is Bill Matsikoudis, the Jersey City Corporation Counsel and a former Assistant Counsel to Gov. James E. McGreevey.  Insiders report that Matsikoudis has at least two very influential backers: Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, the Hudson County Democratic Chairman; and Newark Mayor Cory Booker.  Healy and Booker were early supporters of Barack Obama’s bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.  The two mayors have the ability to influence New Jersey’s two Democratic U.S. Senators, whose recommendation can, in turn, influence the Obama administration.

Seventeen New Jerseyans have served in the President's cabinet since James Monroe named Samuel Southard as his Secretary of the Navy in 1823.

The Trenton Times is reporting that Stuart Country Day School, a Roman Catholic school in Princeton, has canceled a woman's leadership forum because Trenton Bishop John Smith objected to the pro-choice keynote speaker, former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. 

There's another statewide campaign in New Jersey next winter: the race to succeed Christopher Christie as the United States Attorney - a post that holds considerable power and visibility, and potentially a launching pad for higher public office.   By tradition, federal prosecutors submit their resignations to coincide with the inauguration of a new President. 

If John McCain wins, possible candidate for U.S. Attorney include McCain state campaign director Rick Mroz, a former Chief Counsel to Gov. Christine Todd Whitman; and State Sen. Bill Baroni, the Chairman of McCain's New Jersey campaign.  Mroz runs former Assemblyman/BPU Commissioner Edward Salmon's consulting firm, and is associated with former Cumberland County GOP Chairman Lawrence Pepper's law firm.  Baroni is a Seton Hall University law professor, and has been on Team McCain since 1999, when he worked on the national campaign staff as McCain's advanceman. 

McCain could also go with one of Christie's deputies, like First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra or Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown.

Frank Lautenberg has hit the magic number: he’s at 51% in a new Rasmussen Reports poll released on Wednesday. That’s the first time in Lautenberg’s 26-year political career that he has hit the fifty percent mark before Labor Day. He leads Republican Dick Zimmer 51%-33%.

Congressional candidate Kate Whitman is joined by her mother, former Gov. Christie Whitman, at a dinner in Scotch Plains
SCOTCH PLAINS - A familiar face joined 7th District Congressional candidate Kate Whitman as she trailed through diners along US-22 today, her mother former Gov. Christie Whitman.

"I thought I was done with this," the former governor said jokingly. Her public presence, only the second time in this campaign, lent a familiar face to voters who seemed to be caught off guard that today was Primary Day.

"I didn't even know she was running for anything," Cindy Soloway of Scotch Plains told PolitickerNJ.com, "What is she running for?"

When one diner asked Whitman who else was running, Whitman raised her right hand and swiftly rattled off the names of her 6 opponents, "Its me, Leonard Lance, Kelly Hatfield…" she continued, counting her finger tips.

Over the past year, former Governor Christine Todd Whitman has offered keen political commentary as a PolitickerNJ.com blogger, voicing her positions on a multitude of local, state and national issues. Her participation has enhanced political discourse within the New Jersey political arena. We have been honored by her presence and are truly grateful for her willingness to share her views with the New Jersey political community. Christie Whitman deeply cares about this state and its future, and when she speaks, all New Jerseyans ought to reflect on what she has to say.

Judy Shaw is retiring as a partner in one of Trenton's biggest lobbying firmsCiting health issues, Judy Shaw, a former Chief of Staff to Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and a partner in a major State Street lobbying firm, announced her retirement today.  She will remain with MBI GluckShaw as “of counsel” in the firm she started with Hazel Gluck.

Shaw underwent extensive back surgery in February and requires extensive rehabilitation. She will divide her time between homes in Florida and Massachusetts.