Frank Pallone

PALLONE STATEMENT ON CORZINE SENATE DECISION
Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. issued the following statement today after Senator Jon Corzine's announcement that Congressman Robert Menendez would fill the final year of his senate term.

One sign that the next United States Senator from New Jersey will not be Frank Pallone: Governor-elect Jon Corzine has not spoken to Pallone since late last week, when the Monmouth County Congressman got the impression that Bob Menendez was the leading candidate.

Another sign: the Asbury Park Press, which had two horses in the race (Pallone and Rush Holt both represent parts of Monmouth counties) endorsed Bill Bradley for the seat. Of the newspapers that endorsed in the 2005 Senate race, only the APP declined to back their local Congressmen. The Courier-Post and Philadelphia Inquirer supported Rob Andrews, and the Trenton Times endorsed Holt.

A Philadelphia Inquirer editorial today endorsed Rob Andrews for the open United States Senate seat, saying that Rush Holt would be fine, Bob Menendez is flawed -- and summarily dismissed Frank Pallone. The Courier-Post also endorsed Andrews today.

If Jon Corzine's U.S. Senate appointment creates a vacancy in the U.S. House of Representatives, look for a Special Election Primary on March 28 and a Special Election on May 16. Several lawyers familiar with Title 19 say that the state election law is somewhat ambiguous, but it appears Corzine, as Governor, has the option of bypassing the Special Election -- a system used in most other states -- and leaving the seat vacant until a November Special Election, on the same day as the General Election.

New Jersey has not had a Special Election for Congress since 1950. House seats vacated when William Cahill (in January 1970) and James Florio (in January 1990) remained vacant until the November General Election, as did the vacancies caused by the deaths of Edwin Forsythe (in March 1984) and James Howard (in March 1988). Corzine will need to decide whether the right of 647,000 citizens to have representation in Congress for ten months is worth the expense of two additional elections. Corzine's decision could be based on where he chooses to create a vacancy.

If he appoints Robert Menendez to the U.S. Senate, there is a clear front runner for his 13th district House seat: outgoing Assembly Speaker Albio Sires. Corzine has already made a personal contribution to Sires' federal campaign account, and the simplicity of the transition -- both in a primary and general -- could make issuing a writ of special election more palatable.

In other districts, the line of succession is murkier. If he sends Rob Andrews to the Senate, South Jersey Democrats will need to decide whether the seat goes to State Senator Stephen Sweeney or to Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Louis Greenwald. The two could fight it out in a primary, but Camden Democrats tend to handle family fights like these indoors, without the unpleasanries of an election. (Camden Democrats haven't had a rip roaring primary since 1979.) Still, Andrews has hinted that he's either running for the Senate or nothing; that might mean Democrats will have to pick between Sweeney and Greenwald anyway. Republicans can't compete in this district.

There is also no clear successor to Frank Pallone. The Democratic farm system is much stronger in the Middlesex County portion of the district, but Monmouth County Democrats will be anxious to hold the seat. Monmouth has the larger share of the sixth district population, but there are more Democratic primary voters in Middlesex -- which could make the line in Plainfield (Union County) a critical factor in choosing a candidate. Middlesex County has not had a Congressman since 1992, when a new map placing incumbents Pallone and Bernard Dwyer in the same district forced Dwyer's retirement. Possible Middlesex candidates include: State Senators Barbara Buono and Robert Smith (who challenged Pallone in the 1992 primary and last year divested a federal campaign account worth more than $100,000), and Assemblyman John Wisniewski. In Monmouth, Democrats could run Maggie Moran, a Democratic strategist who served as State Director of Corzine's Senate office; Belmar Mayor Kenneth Pringle or Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider -- or they could import State Senator Ellen Karcher or Assemblyman Michael Panter, whose legislative district includes parts of the 6th C.D. Karcher grew up in Sayreville, where her father and grandfather served in the State Assembly. Assmeblyman Upendra Chivukula, who lives in the one Somerset County town in this district, wants the seat, but his endorsement of Menendez in the Senate race limits his chances. This a Democrat-leaning district (Pallone won 69% in 2004, John Kerry won 57%); Monmouth County Sheriff Joseph Oxley might be the Republican candidate.

If Corzine decides the next U.S. Senator is Rush Holt, the new Governor might be more hesistant to call a Special Election -- Holt is safe in the 12th district, but it is potentially more competitive (Kerry won 54% in 2004, his lowest percentage in any Democratic House district) if he is not the candidate. Democrats would have to pick between a huge field of potential candidates, including: Karcher and Panter from Monmouth; Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer, Democratic State Chairwoman (and incoming Assembly Majority Leader) Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora in Mercer; Lambertville Mayor David Del Vecchio (who ran a strong campaign for this seat in 1996), the Hunterdon County Democratic Chairman; and Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein from Middlesex. The race would not be a slam-dunk for Democrats, if the GOP could find the right candidate, and if the national political environment improves for them. Possible Republican candidates include two former Congressmen, Richard Zimmer and Michael Pappas. Zimmer gave up the seat in 1996 to run for U.S. Senate and was replaced by Pappas, who lost to Holt in 1998. Zimmer held Holt to a 500-vote margin in 2000. Zimmer practics law in Washington, and Pappas is currently the Regional Adminisrator for the Small Business Administration in New York. Other contenders include: State Senator Joseph Kyrillos, the ex-GOP State Chairman who ran against Pallone in 1992, or former State Senators Richard LaRossa and Jack Sinagra. Republicans could also run a candidate with the ability to self-fund their race, like millionaire Steve Distler of Princeton or Tammy Murphy of Rumson, whose husband was Corzine's partner at Goldman Sachs. One interesting candidate: Douglas Forrester, whose high name I.D. would help in a Special Election, if he has another $5 million available for one more race.

An e-mail sent to Frank Pallone supporters today:

From: "Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr."
Reply-To: info@pallonefornewjersey.com
Subject: The Best Choice for the Senate
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 14:22:42 -0600 (CST)

Dear Friend:

As you may know, nearly a year ago I announced my desire to become Jon Corzine's successor in the United States Senate. In the coming weeks Governor Elect Corzine will appoint a new Senator. I believe my progressive voting record and my ability to win in Republican areas makes me an ideal candidate for the position.

Now is the critical time when you can play a part in helping my candidacy. Attached are talking points detailing why I am the right choice to represent New Jersey in the Senate. I am asking for your help in delivering my message throughout the State.

Specifically, you can help our efforts by doing the following:

Send an email to friends and family about my candidacy.
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
Log on to my website and sign up for the Pallone Partnership. (www.PalloneforNewJersey.com)
Post campaign ideas on my interactive blog (www.pallonefornewjersey.com/frankblog)
Attend a Pallone for New Jersey Meet-Up. (http://fpalloneforcongress.meetup.com)

This is a unique campaign that we are embarking upon, and I am confident that together we can have an impact on who will be New Jersey's next Senator. Feel free to contact my campaign office at 732-571-4141 if you have any questions or to lend a hand in our campaign.

Sincerely,

Frank Pallone, Jr.

Talking Points: Frank Is Best Choice For Senate

Frank Can Win Republican Monmouth & Ocean Counties
Frank is the only candidate who brings Republican counties to the table. Each of the House Democrats eyeing Corzine's Senate seat has a solid Democratic base, but Frank is the only one who has represented and continues to garner strong support in Republican Counties. During his 17 years in Congress, Frank has represented both Ocean and Monmouth Counties, and is well-known by Jersey Shore residents for his fight to end ocean dumping and keep New Jersey's beaches clean.

A Senator Pallone would make it impossible for a Republican to win.
Republican candidates simply cannot win in New Jersey without capturing both Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Consider that in 2004 President Bush won Ocean County by 50,000 and Monmouth County by 30,000, but still lost the state. Now, think of a 2006 Pallone Senate Campaign where he wins both of these traditionally Republican counties, making it impossible for the Republican candidate to win.

Frank Will Continue Corzine's progressive record in the Senate
Frank has been a consistent progressive voice in Congress. Frank, the son of a Long Branch Police Officer, has consistently stood up for working New Jersey families in Washington. He is viewed as a strong progressive leader in Washington who fights for a clean environment and a more affordable and accessible health care system.

Frank opposed the Iraq War from the start and has opposed writing the President a blank check. Unlike some of his colleagues, Frank has been a consistent voice in opposing the war in Iraq. He voted against going to war unilaterally, favoring instead international diplomacy, and has opposed spending bills because they provide the president a blank check without any accountability to Congress.

Monmouth County Sheriff Joseph Oxley is preparing to run for Congress next year, either against ten-term incumbent Frank Pallone, Jr., or for an open seat if Pallone runs for the United States Senate. Pallone has spent the last year seeking support for the Senate seat to be vacated in January by Governor-elect Jon Corzine. The 47-year-old Oxley served as an Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor and as Mayor of Middletown before winning election as Sheriff in 1996. He was re-elected with 59% of the vote in 2004. Pallone, who won re-election in 2004 with 67% of the vote in a district that John Kerry carried with 57%, has not faced a serious Republican challenge since State Senator Joseph Kyrillos ran in 1992. If Pallone does not seek re-election, possible Democratic candidates include: State Senator Barbara Buono, Assemblyman John Wisniewski, and Maggie Moran, a Democratic strategist who served as Senator Corzine's State Director. State Senator Ellen Karcher could also run (she grew up in the Middlesex County portion of the district), even though her she lives in the part of Marlboro that is in the 12th district -- and Assemblyman Michael Panter, who appears to have won re-election to a second term, might move into the district in order to run. Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula of Somerset County had formed a campaign committee earlier this year in case Pallone does not run, but he has clearly offended Pallone allies by publicly calling on Corzine to appoint Robert Menendez to the Senate.

Two of the presumed contenders for Jon Corzine's U.S. Senate seat will be showcased tonight as spinners at Corzine's election night headquarters in East Brunswick: Congressmen Bob Menendez and Rob Andrews. Another Senate candidate, Congressman Frank Pallone, will also be spending the evening in East Brunswick, but has not been included as one of the Corzine surrogates being made available to the media.

New Jerseyans don't seem to have a favorite among the seven Democratic Congressmen who seem interested in replacing Jon Corzine in the United States Senate -- largely because none of the House members have huge statewide name ID. The best known is Robert Menendez, the Hudson County Democrat who is the #3 member of the House Democratic leadership. Rob Andrews of Camden County is known by less than a quarter of the state's voters despite his statewide run in the 1997 gubernatorial primary. Frank Pallone has stepped up his bid: he did a statewide mailing to Democratic County Committee members this week touting his record during seventeen years in Congress.

Day 5: Corzine Still Condoning Politics First
--Silent Senator Never Spoke Out on Golan, Won't Speak Out on Pallone, Andrews, Menendez skipping Vote to Help Katrina Victims to Do Debate Spin--

Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson issued the following statement today: Last Tuesday, Congressmen Frank Pallone, Rob Andrews and Bob Menendez missed an important vote to provide relief to survivors of hurricane Katrina so they could do the political bidding of Jon Corzine. Five days ago, I asked Jon Corzine to speak out on this and make it clear that it was wrong for those three members to put politics first. He's said not a peep. No one should be surprised though because Corzine always puts his politics first and remains silent when his party does the wrong thing.