Diane Allen

A bill sponsored by Senators Sean Kean, (R-Monmouth), and Diane Allen, (R-Burlington), that would create a task force to address the needs of older workers was unanimously passed by the Senate Labor committee today. Senate Bill 2450 would create a nine-member panel to study and make recommendations to help senior workers succeed in New Jersey's labor force.

Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney could help Jon Corzine pick up working class voters from South Jersey.

Gov. Jon Corzine has a potential problem in South Jersey, where a new Quinnipiac University poll shows him trailing former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie by five points, 42%-37%. The poll defines the South Jersey region as Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.  In 2005, Corzine beat Republican Douglas Forrester in this part of the state by 49,825 votes, a 56%-44% margin, and lost only in Cape May County.

In South Jersey, Corzine has a favorable/unfavorable rating of 43%-43%, and an upside-down approval rating of 42%-44%.  Nearly half the voters (47%) say he does not deserve to be re-elected, and 70% say they are dissatisfied with the direction New Jersey is headed. 

Against conservative Steven Lonegan, the former Mayor of Bogota, Corzine is ahead by nine points, 42%-33%, among South Jersey voters - not a great showing against a Republican whose name is not recognized by 88% of the region's voters.

Some Democrats suggest that Corzine could boost his chances in the region by picking a South Jerseyan for Lieutenant Governor.  And some Republicans think Christie could enhance his lead by doing the same thing.

A dispute between the family of Republican political consultant Tom Blakely and Transamerica Life Insurance Corp. has been resolved.  Blakely passed away last March at age 46 after suffering a heart attacks while running a 5K race.    

A week earlier, Blakely sent a check to the company for his family's second life insurance policy with Trasamerica, which disputed the family's claim.  That led Blakely's close friend and business partner at Jamestown, Larry Weitzner, to organize a lawsuit and a tough public relations push against Transamerica on behalf of Blakely's family.

It's not the time to tell students they can't get a deferred payment loan for college.

Heads to Governor's Desk to be Signed into Law

Legislation sponsored by Senator Diane Allen (R-7) that expands rights for developmentally disabled individuals was unanimously passed by the Senate and is on its way to becoming law. "I want to thank all my Senate colleagues for understanding that this bill is about civil rights and ending discrimination, " Allen said.

State Sen. Diane Allen (R-Edgewater Park) is a possible candidate for Congress against John Adler in 2010

If Republicans can't beat John Adler in 2010, chances are they never will.  If Adler wins a second term, watch for mapmakers to take take some heavily Republican Ocean County towns out of his district when new congressional districts are drawn for the 2012 elections.  Adler scored a 52%-48% victory last week over Republican Christopher Myers for the seat of retiring twelve term U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton -- a seat Democrats hadn't won since 1882.

Republican insiders say that Myers isn't likely to get a second shot at the seat, and that the favorite candidate could be former major league baseball pitcher Al Leiter.  Leiter, a Toms River native who has said he wants to run for office someday, has turned down several offers to seek U.S. Senate and House seats in recent years.  Other possible Adler opponents include: State Sen. Diane Allen (who must first heal wounds in a very fractured Burlington County Republican organization); State Sen. Phil Haines; Assemblywoman Dawn Addiego; Assemblyman Brian Rumpf; and Ocean County Freeholder Jack Kelly, who lost the '08 GOP primary to Myers.

Much has been made of State Sen. Diane Allen’s (R-Burlington) lack of involvement in the tight 3rd Congressional race, where Republican Medford Mayor Chris Myers is running against State Sen. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill).

But while Allen is much more committed to State Sen. Leonard Lance’s (R-Flemington) Congressional race, which is far outside of her district, she said today that she’s still voting for Myers, and even personally donated $250 to him within the last week or two.

“I have sat down with [Myers] and any time he asked me any questions on strategy and along those lines I gave him my best bit of information,” she said.

State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon) and state Sen. Diane Allen (R-Hunterdon)

 FLEMINGTON – The Stender supporters started lining up on the sidewalk in front of the old Hunterdon County Courthouse moments before state Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon) arrived with a contingent of women for Lance, including state Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington), and his wife.

Some bitter back and forth ensued between the Stender and Lance women on the state senator’s home turf of this 7th Congressional District, where Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Fanwood) and Lance are in a toss-up battle to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-New Providence).

For a few minutes it looked as though the women here thought they could settle things on their own, in Flemington’s version of “Street Fight.”

Senator Diane Allen (R-7) has introduced two legislative initiatives to assist military members and their families. The first bill would provide unemployment benefits for certain spouses of National Guard members, while the second would assist children who transfer schools due to a military parent's reassignment or deployment.

Would Help Organizations Fight Unfunded State Mandates

Legislation sponsored by Senator Diane Allen (R-7), that would expand the list of organizations that can appeal unfunded state mandates, was unanimously passed by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee today.