George Norcross

In 1973, State Sen. James Turner was convicted on charges that he to plant drugs in the home of Assemblyman Kenneth Gewertz.

New Jersey's third legislative district, which has included parts of Gloucester and Salem counties since it was created in 1973, has had the lowest turnover of any legislative district in the state: only two State Senators and just seven Assemblymen over the last 35 years.  The likely resignation of Assemblyman Douglas Fisher to become New Jersey's Secretary of Agriculture will trigger a special election convention fill a rare opening in the Assembly.

Democrat Raymond Zane, a Gloucester County Freeholder, won the seat in 1973 after a classic political feud between two Gloucester County legislators resulted in the criminal conviction of the incumbent.  Republican State Sen. James Turner was so determined to destroy the career of Democratic Assemblyman Kenneth Gewertz that he conspired to plant drugs in Gewertz's car and garage. But the tactic went bad after the police detective sensed that the tip he received from Turner might not be completely altruistic. An investigation led to Turner's arrest on charges that he hired three known criminals to plant a large amount of amphetamines in the Gewertz home. A jury convicted the 44-year-old Turner in less than two hours and he was sentenced to five years in prison. Turner was removed from the Senate after his conviction, but refused to drop his bid for re-election to a second term in 1973. Gloucester County Republicans withdrew their endorsement and ran Sheriff Walter Fish as a write-in candidate after a Superior Court Judge rebuffed their bid to remove him from the ballot. Zane was an easy winner, and the big surprise was the more than 20% of the voters supported Turner's return to the Legislature.   Gewertz, perhaps one of the most colorful men to ever serve in the New Jersey Legislature, was able to keep his seat until Democrats finally dumped him in 1979.

Zane held the Senate seat for 28 years before losing re-election in 2001 after he lost the backing of the Gloucester County Democratic organization and became as a Republican.  A feud between Zane and longtime Democratic County Chairman Michael Angelini began in 1999 when top members of the local Democratic organization became angered over Zane's refusal to back Democrat John Burzichelli, the Mayor of Paulsboro, in his campaign against GOP Assemblyman Jack Collins, the Speaker, and Gary Stuhltrager.

State Sen. Dana Redd (D-Camden)

TRENTON - State Sen. Dana Redd (D-Camden) will run for mayor of Camden and plans to kick off her campaign this Saturday, Feb. 7th, she told PolitickerNJ.com.

Now serving her first term as senator, Redd, 40, is concurrently serving as vice president of the Camden City Council. She said she hopes to be able to work out a deal with Mayor Gwendolyn Faison, 82, who has served as Camden's chief elected official since 2000.

"I've had discussions with Mayor Faison and we're trying to put together a unity slate," said Redd. "I'm hoping she endorses me."

Faison's office issued a statement this afternoon.

The mayor has not officially made a decision about whether she intends to run for re-election.

"It's time to stop fighting and serve the people," Faison said.

State Sen. Dana Redd (D-Camden) is leaning toward running for Mayor of Camden in the May municipal election, South Jersey Democratic sources say.  Octogenarian incumbent Gwendolyn Faison, whose actual age varies among different news outlets, is expected to run again but has not yet announced her intentions.  The Camden mayoral post has been the one prize to elude powerful South Jersey political leader George Norcross. 

Redd, a City Councilwoman and Vice Chair of the Democratic State Committee, is viewed as a rising star in State Democratic politics.  She won Wayne Bryant's State Senate seat in 2007 and has just finished her first year in the Legislature.   Because she went to the Senate prior to February 1, 2008, the new state law banning dual office holding does not apply to her Council and Senate seats.  But if she were to be elected Mayor, she would be forced to give up her Senate seat.  That would create a July Special Election Convention to replace her in the Legislature, and a November 2009 Special Election to fill the remaining 26 months on her term.

If Redd runs for Mayor, she would effectively be taking herself out of the running for Lt. Governor.  It would be hard for Jon Corzine to pick her a week after winning the June Democratic primary.

Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester)

Although they represent different parts of the state, County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and state Sen. Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney with a few exceptions – the sales tax fight two years ago comes to mind - usually end up on the same side.  

This time, however, it’s not looking as though the two men are going to get eyeball to eyeball on the state pension deferral, which Sweeney opposes and DiVincenzo supports.   

It’s one of those moments when two politicians whose careers have run along parallel lines suddenly veer into each other’s path and create an unmistakable flashpoint.   

DiVincenzo desperately wants the legislature to sign off on Gov. Jon Corzine’s brainchild bill enabling counties, municipalities, and school boards during an economic downturn to defer their state pension payments by 50 percent over a three-year period, which would total $1.3 billion.

Berlin Councilman Chris Morris is a possible candidate to replace Jim Beach as Camden County Clerk in an election that has just one voter.

The decision to replace John Adler in the State Senate with Jim Beach will mean that Gov. Jon Corzine will need to appoint a new Camden County Clerk.  The presumption is that Corzine will make his appointment after hearing a recommendation from George Norcross, the South Jersey Democratic leader.  The State Senate must confirm the appointment, but that process is likely to be a simple formality.

Norcross could pick the person he wants to run in a November 2009 special election for the post, or -- as he's done before -- simply go with a caretaker who would be Acting County Clerk until the election results are certified.

There is some speculation that the leading candidate to replace Beach is Christopher Morris, a Berlin Councilman and former Deputy County Clerk.  Morris has served as Camden County's Director of Buildings and Grounds, and is currently a project manager for the Camden County Improvement Authority.  Less likely, though possible, candidates to become the new County Clerk are former Assemblyman David Mayer and Camden County Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez.

Camden County Clerk James Beach is headed to the State Senate. He is expected to replace John Adler in January.

Camden County Clerk James Beach will replace John Adler in the State Senate, according to a Camden County Democratic source who spoke with George Norcross, the South Jersey Democratic leader who decides who serves in the Legislature.  Beach must still win a special election convention, but he is not expected to face any opposition.

Gov. Jon Corzine will appoint a nominate a new County Clerk -- presumably after consulting with Norcross -- who must be confirmed by the State Senate.  Both Beach and the new Clerk must run in a November 2009 special election.

New Jersey Senate Democratic Photo

Senate President Richard Codey administers the oath of office to State Sen. Sandra Bolden Cunningham (D-Jersey City) in 2007. Cunningham could wind up as Senate Labor Committee Chairman, if Codey picks Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) to head the Judiciary Committee

If Paul Sarlo becomes the new Senate Judiciary Chairman when John Adler leaves for Washington in January, Senate President Richard Codey will need to name a new Chairman of the Senate Labor Committee.  The two other Democrats on the panel now are Frederick Madden and Sandra Cunningham.  Statehouse watchers say that one could be a no-brainer: Codey will pick Cunningham, his ally, and not Madden, who is aligned with Codey's rival, South Jersey Democratic Chairman George Norcross.  

Madden, elected in 2003, is the most senior Senate Democrat without a committee chairmanship, followed by Loretta Weinberg, who entered the Senate in 2005. 

An image from Pamela Lampitt's 2007 campaign website. The two-term Assemblywoman from Cherry Hill is not expected to seek John Adler's State Senate seat.

Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt is privately telling friends that she will not seek the 6th district State Senate seat that will be vacated by Congressman-elect John Adler.  Lampitt, entering her fourth year in the Assembly, has a strong relationship with Speaker Joe Roberts and sources suggest she would be a frontrunner for a committee chairmanship next session. 

Four key South Jersey Democratic officials today asked Assemblyman Louis Greenwald to reconsider his decison not to seek the 6th district State Senate seat that will be vacated in January by U.S. Rep.-elect John Adler.  Camden Couny Democratic Co-Chairmen Donald Norcross and James Beach, Cherry Hill Mayor Bernard Platt, and South Jersey Democratic leader George Norcross want Greenwald to run in a special election convention to replace Adler.  Greenwald has opted to remain in the Assembly, where he is chairman of the powerful Budget Committee.

Three women widely viewed as rising stars in the Democratic Party are likely to receive consideration for Lt. Governor next year when Jon Corzine picks a running mate: State Sens. Dana Redd (D-Camden) and Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark), and Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz.