Diane Allen

South Jersey Democrats are touting Cinnaminson native Anthony Mazzarelli, the head of the emergency medicine department at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, as a potential candidate for State Senator in the seventh district.  Mazzarelli is reportedly testing the waters for a 2011 Senate bid against four-term Republican Diane Allen (R-Edgewater Park).  Allen could step down earlier to concentrate on her courageous fight against an aggressive form of cancer, a move that would trigger a November 2011 special election.  Mazzarelli joins Assemblymen Herbert Conaway (D-Delanco) and Jack Conners (D-Pennsauken), and carpenters union official Troy Singleton as potential candidates.

In addition to   being a physician, Mazzarelli is also a bioethicist. Though he's mainly stayed behind the scenes, he's has been the de-facto leader of a group of emerging civic leaders in Camden and Burlington Counties.   He was also recently recognized as one of South Jersey's top physicians under 40 by Philly. One thing that may stand in the way of   getting him to run, however, is his independence. He proudly   proclaims his moderation on his weekend Philadelphia talk radio show   where he is known for presenting both sides of the major issues.   Still he is said to be an ally of South Jersey political leader George   Norcross, who is Chairman of Cooper Hospital, and he helped raise  money for Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

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The decision of Assemblyman Herbert Conaway (D-Delanco) to run for Burlington County Democratic Chairman could complicate a 2010 special election for State Senator if Diane Allen (R-Edgewater Park) were to leave the Legislature.  Allen is battling an aggressive form of cancer and recently had surgery.  She has a tough road ahead. 

If Allen were to resign, the Republican County Committee from the seventh district towns in Burlington and Camden counties would hold a special election convention to name a new Senator.  There has been speculation that Rev. Aubrey Fenton, a minister and former Burlington County Freeholder, could take the seat.  That would set up a November 2010 special election to fill the remaining fourteen months of Allen's term - an early referendum on Republican Christopher Christie's first months as Governor in a Democratic-leaning district Allen has won five times.  It would also be an early test for the new Senate President, Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford), who topped Richard Codey largely because of the size of the South Jersey Democratic delegation.  A special election could be enormously expensive Sweeney and Democratic leader George Norcross battle the new Republican governor for a valuable Senate seat.

The high profile State Senate race would also come as U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) campaigns for a second term; there is substantial overlap between the third congressional district and the seventh legislative district. 

Three names have been prominently mentioned on the Democratic side: Conaway, Assemblyman Jack Conners (D-Pennsauken), and Troy Singleton, a former Deputy Executive Director of the Assembly and now the Director of Policy and Planning for the New Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters.  Singleton, who took a leave of absence this year to run Loretta Weinberg's campaign for Lt. Governor, is a favorite of Camden County Democratic leaders who are not huge fans of Conaway. Read More >

State Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington) today acknowledged that she has been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, and is exploring treatment options.

The veteran Republican senator expects to undergo surgery as early as this week.

"My illness has shown me again just how much the good people of my district and the state of New Jersey care about others," Allen said in a statement. "It's impossible to express how grateful I am for their outpourings of caring, support and love."

The senator asked for prayers for her healthy return to the Senate as she, her family, and medical professionals come up with strategies to beat her disease.

"My plan is to return to the floor of the Senate at the first opportunity," Allen said. "No illness will prevent me or my experienced and dedicated staff from providing the people of my district with full representation. My district office is open and ready to help any constituent who contacts us."

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Senator Diane Allen thanks the many supporters and other friends who have called inquiring about her battle with cancer. She is humbled and deeply moved by their concern.

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New Jersey's off-year elections and the competitive gubernatorial contest have stalled the start of the 2010 cycle.  That's great news for U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill), who still has no Republican opponent in a district that sent a Republican to Congress for 124 consecutive years until Adler won it with 52% in 2008.  Days after Adler won the seat last year, former major league baseball star Al Leiter said he would not run.  And last May, a millionaire self-funder the GOP was recruiting, Moorestown investor John Culbertson, said he would not run.

Adler's fundraising prowess is likely to scare away top tier challengers, like State Sen. Diane Allen (R-Edgewater Park), who some insiders would have won the seat last year if a local GOP feud hadn't kept her out of the race.  Adler raised $404,406 over the last three months and has amassed a $1,193,061 war chest; he raised more money than any other freshman Congressman. Unless there is a Republican Governor who can help level the financial playing field, it's possible that this seat won't be seriously contested.

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New Jersey Republicans admit that there is little possibility they'll turn over control of the Assembly this year, but they have hyped their chances in some sleeper districts where they don't typically compete.

Fundraising reports released today show that some money is being raised in those purported sleeper districts, but not much. 

In the 4th District, Republicans Domenick DiCicco and Eugene Lawrence have raised $69,887 - most of which comes from attorneys all over the country.  That's about half of the $134,473 incumbent Paul Moriarty (D-Washington Twp.) and newcomer Democratic running mate Bill Collins have raised. 

"Obviously District 4 is a place where we expect to do well," said Republican State Chairman Jay Webber.

Republicans haven't talked much about District 7, which is considered a Democratic district even though GOP Sen. Diane Allen (R-Edgewater Park) has won there five times.  But their Assembly candidates there - Leah Arter and Harry Adams - have raised almost $90,000 and have spent $77,263 (The Assembly Republican Victory committee took enough notice to donate almost $5,000). The two Republican candidates have $12,250 on hand. 

Chris Russell, a political consultant for Arter and Adams, said the campaign against incumbents Herbert Conaway (D-Delanco) and Jack Conners (D-Pennsauken) is "under the rader." 

"We know the district is difficult, but we figure the only way to put them is position is the old fashioned way," said Russell, who cited the candidates' aggressive ground game.   "If they're in position, we'll strike, and I think right now, they're definitely outworking Conaway and Connors on the ground."

Conners and Conaway have raised a combined $196,603 and have about $53,000 on hand. 

District 14 was supposed to be one of the Republicans' top races this year, but their recruitment efforts fell through after Hamilton Councilwoman Kelly Yaede dropped out at the last minute.

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 -- Updated to fix broken link --

Senator Diane Allen provided the following comment when an informal survey of state authorities found that their high-paid, non-union patronage employees are not required to engage in furloughs similar to those imposed on rank and file state employees.

The informal survey indicates that there are no furlough policies in place for non-union employees at the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, the Waterfront Commission, or many other state authorities, some of which are heavily subsidized by taxes paid by private employees and public employees alike.

(more…)

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Less than sixty weeks remain before the 2010 midterm elections, and Republicans still don't have a candidate to challenge freshman U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) in a district they held continuously from 1884 to 2008, and where their candidate won 48% of the vote in the last election.  During his first six months in office, Adler raised more than any other House freshman, and had $869,275 cash on hand as of his last report.  If the GOP were to pick their candidate today, he/she would need to raise $25,000 a week for the next year just to remain financially viable.

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PARSIPPANY, NJ – Today, Senator Diane Allen released the following statement on Jon Corzine’s attempts to unfairly influence the ELEC debate schedule:

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Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie kept gubernatorial politics out of his initial statement on the resignation of First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown, leaving the task to his running mate for lieutenant governor, Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno. 

Brown resigned a week after her ongoing repayment of a $46,000 loan Christie gave her two years ago was first reported.  

"Michele Brown is a career prosecutor who has worked at the U.S. Attorney's office for 18 years, serving both Democratic and Republican presidents.  Michele's long and distinguished record of public service is impressive, and during that time she's shown herself to be a fair and respected federal prosecutor among judges, adversaries and her peers," said Christie.  "Her efforts have been instrumental to all the success the U.S. Attorney's office has had and her work ethic, determination and outstanding legal background will be missed by all those she has worked with over the years.  I know Michele will continue to be a success at whatever she chooses for her next challenge.”

It was Guadagno who blamed Governor Corzine for impugning Brown and forcing her to end "an acclaimed career."

"It is despicable that Jon Corzine has stooped so low to try to win re-election that he's aimed the negative attacks of his hired guns on a dedicated public servant who made it her life's mission to serve the people of New Jersey as a corruption-fighter," she said.  " As candidates willingly running for office, we expect this kind of mudslinging, but we don't expect it to be aimed at someone who has made a career serving both Democrats and Republicans in the best interest of the public good. Jon Corzine should be ashamed that he has smeared a respected federal prosecutor's name and forced her to end an acclaimed career in the sole interest of scoring petty political points."

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