Donald Payne

Payne operating in the South Ward

NEWARK - U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark) stands in front of headquarters on Bergen in the South Ward and he's guardedly optimistic.

The South Ward is now at 4,000 votes recorded, or a fifth of what the South Ward attained in 2008 for President Barack Obama. Before the end of Election Day, Payne wants to get 12,000 votes for Gov. Jon Corzine in this ward, the biggest in the city, and the one where Mayor Cory Booker is arguably the least popular.

This is former Mayor Sharpe James's old ward, and at the Galilee Baptist Church - the polling place in James's home district - turnout is relatively good.

At 3 p.m., the district recorded 301 votes, or 133 votes shy of half of the votes people here turned out last year for Obama.

"It's on target," says Payne of the south. "It's light compared to a presidential year - certainly compared to last year, but I think what we do here will enable us to eke out a narrow victory."

From left: U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark), Bill Payne, and Corzine Deputy Campaign Manager James Gee.

Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo just introduced U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark), who stands at the podium in the Prudential Center now.

"Joe DiVincenzo's done a great job in Essex County, putting Essex County first," Payne tells the crowd. "I'm fired up and ready to go."

Moments earlier, Payne wouldn't commit to DiVincenzo's re-election when asked by PolitickerNJ.com. 

"It's a little early for that, isn't it," he said.

At issue is DiVincenzo's participation in shoving Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) out the door earlier this fall, offering thee argument that Codey didn't have the votes to withstand Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford).

NEW BRUNSWICK - Obama's on the ballot Tuesday.

That's what U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark) told a group of black activists and Payne allies at a meeting of the African-American Political Alliance here aat the United Methodist Church on Saturday.

"This race has national significance," the veteran congressman told a room packed with 100 leaders and community activists. "The Republicans would love to say a Corzine loss is a referendum on Obama. If we lose Virginia, and then lose New Jersey, you can see the headline: 'Clean sweep by GOP: Obama on the decline.' They just can't wait to write that story.

"There's no way we're going to allow that to happen, right?"

"Right," the crowd called back.

Payne called up Corzine Deputy Campaign Manager James Gee.

"It's essential the - and they have all these fancy names for it - the base vote comes out," said Gee.

Essex County Corzine Campaign Coordinator Leroy Jones, left, and Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Newark) Thursday in the East Ward.

NEWARK - After months of mostly unobservable underground movements and five days in front of President Barack Obama's appearance at the Rock, there is evidence of effort on behalf of Gov. Jon Corzine in a city the governor needs to win amply in order to land another four years in office.
 
Of course, Democrats are leaning heavily on Corzine-Obama linkage.

In 2005, Corzine defeated Republican challenger Doug Forrester in Newark, 39,573 to 3,336, while carrying Essex County overall, 131,312 to 45,789 on his way to statewide victory.
 
By comparison, Obama punished Republican Sen. John McCain in Newark by a vote of 77,112 to 5,957 last year, as he carried Essex County, 240,127 to 73,975, recording a larger number of votes here than in any other county on his way to winning New Jersey by a 15% margin. 

"Certainly for Obama, people had a clear and distinguishable reason for coming out," says Essex County Democratic Party chairman Phil Thigpen. "Now, it's not as visible when you talk about quality of education or property taxes and you're a renter, for example. So we've got to jazz it up."

Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) has the biggest campaign war chest in New Jersey's thirteen member congressional delegation, with more than twice as much money in the bank as Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn).  Pallone has $4,012,918, while Rothman has $1,759,842.  Pallone raised $355,661 during the last quarter, while Rothman brought in just $25,212 - less than any other New Jersey Congressman from either party.

Christopher Smith (R-Hamilton) has the lowest cash on hand - just $120,480.  He is expected to face a Republican primary challenge, possibly from former Holmdel Deputy Mayor Alan Bateman.  Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) has $195,210 in the bank, and still carries a debt from his challenge to Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) in the 2008 Democratic U.S. Senate primary.

Freshman John Adler (D-Cherry Hill), who won a House seat last year with 52% in a district the Republicans had not lost since 1886, has $1,193,060 cash on hand.  He raised $404,405 during the last quarter - the  best in the New Jersey delegation.  Another freshman, Leonard Lance (R-Clinton), has $314,755.

New Jersey's congressional delegation voted 8-5 along party lines in support of a House resolution voicing disapproval of U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), who shouted "You lie!" during President Barack Obama's address to a joint session of Congress last week.  Democrats John Adler, Rob Andrews, Rush Holt, Frank Pallone, Bill Pascrell, Donald Payne, Steven Rothman, and Albio Sires voted yes.  Republicans Rodney Frelinghuysen, Scott Garrett, Leonard Lance, Frank LoBiondo and Christopher Smith voted no.  The resolution passed 240-17.  Seven Republicans voted yes and twelve Democrats voted no.

Newark Council President Mildred Crump

On the week the Chris Christie campaign opened its Newark headquarters and Republican lieutenant governor candidate Kim Guadagno told a crowd she knows what it's like to be afraid on the streets here, City Council members opened up on Christie's number two.

“I am stunned that the Monmouth County Sheriff would say she is afraid to walk our streets,” Newark Council President Mildred Crump, an ally of Gov. Jon Corzine, said in a release. “As someone running to be the next in line to lead this state, it is very disconcerting to hear that Sheriff Guadagno was apparently scared to set foot into the city when she was coming here to teach law.”

North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos ratcheted up the critique.

“The Christie campaign came to Newark to open a campaign headquarters and managed to verbalize in one sentence all that is wrong with their campaign,” Ramos said.  “It is pure hypocrisy for them to say they care about Newark and its residents in one breath and, in the next, say they are afraid to walk our streets.”

NEWARK COUNCIL BLASTS CHRISTIE RUNNING MATE
FOR SAYING SHE IS
“AFRAID TO WALK ACROSS THE STREET” IN THE CITY

(NEWARK)—Members of the Newark Council today questioned Republican Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidate Kim Guadagno’s statement Tuesday that she is afraid to walk down the street in Newark.

The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) has recommended that the House Select Committee on Ethical Standards launch an investigation into two privately funded Caribbean trips by U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark) and four other Members of Congress, according to a report in Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

"This marks the first time that the panel has made recommendations since the House voted to establish the quasi-independent ethics watchdog in early 2008," Roll Call wrote.

The committee named an investigative subcommittee in June following published reports that Payne and others violated House rules by taking the trip.

U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark) is one of five Members of Congress targeted by a House Ethics Committee investigation of two Caribbean trips sponsored by the Carib News Foundation, a non-profit group funded by Citigroup, according to a CBS News report.    Payne reportedly went on a three-day trip in St. Marteen in November 2008, and a four-day trip in 2007.  House rules prohibit Congressmen from participating in privately funded trips of more than two days.