A Zogby poll conducted for the Press of Atlantic City and Richard Stockton State College was right on the money in the second district State Senate race.  The poll had Democrat James Whelan leading GOP State Sen. Sonny McCullough by a 50%-37% margin, a thirteen point margin.  On Election Day, Whelan won 57%-43% - a margin of fourteen points.

But the Zogby poll in the 1st district Senate -- a statistical dead heat between Jeff Van Drew (45%) and Nicholas Asselta (42%) -- turned into a Van Drew romp: 56%-44%, a twelve-point win for Van Drew.

2007 was a Republican year in New Jersey, thanks to some significant local gains, a well played game of defense, the defeat of two ballot referendums, and the growing insignificance of Governor Jon “Hold Me Accountable” Corzine. It is arguably the first Republican year in New Jersey, albeit marginally, since 1997.

Republicans ousted State Senator Ellen Karcher in the 12th, has a net gain of two Assembly seats – defeating two-term Democrat Michael Panter in Monmouth County and winning back the 8th district seat they lost earlier this year when Francis Bodine switched parties to run for the Senate. The GOP won both Assembly seats in District 2, holding Frank Blee’s seat and picking up the one Jim Whelan vacated.

Voting at Seton Hall Preperatory School in West Orange, Senate President Dick Codey was the center of attention, drawing a small media contingent to watch him enter and leave the booth.  Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance, on the other hand, didn’t get much attention. 

It was a contrast in celebrity.

“Tell Senator Codey I’m envious,” joked Lance.

But the two have one thing in common – there’s been speculation that they could lose their leadership positions in the Senate.

One of the biggest stakeholders in next week’s mid-term election is seven-term Republican Congressman Frank LoBiondo, who played a key role in Sonny McCullough’s victory over Frank Blee in a February 2007 Special Election Convention for State Senator. 

LoBiondo’s political fortunes are also closely tied to the success of his close friend, State Senator Nicholas Asselta; polling from both parties shows the incumbent trailing.  Maryannie Harper, LoBiondo’s longtime Chief of Staff, is on a leave of absence to run Asselta’s campaign.

Team Whelan launched two websites in as many days against two of their opponents, state Sen. Sonny McCullough and Assembly candidate Vince Polistina.

In a press release, district 2 Democrats' campaign spokesman Raiyan Syed said of Polistina, "Beware the '$6 Million-Dollar Man' masquerading as a taxpayers' advocate in the state Assembly contest. The candidate scrambling to hide his record is Republican Vince Polistina, who has spent the last several years truly advocating for one lone taxpayer: himself. Using the political system in ways he'd rather the voters not know about, Polistina has pocketed nearly $6 million from 13 government entities, even wrangling multiple no-bid, pay-to-play government contracts."

The Asbury Park Press has endorsed Jennifer Beck over Ellen Karcher, the Press of Atlantic City is backing Jefferson Van Drew and James Whelan over Nicholas Asselta and Sonny McCullough, respectively, The Record wants Joseph Ariyan instead of Gerald Cardinale, and the Courier Post and the Philadelphia Inquirer have endorsed Phil Haines over Francis Bodine.

LD2

McCULLOUGH, AMODEO & POLISTINA SAY IT’S TOO BAD CORZINE WON’T STICK AROUND TO TALK ABOUT WHY DEMOCRATS FEEL THEY HAVE TO RAISE TOLLS AND TAXES

State Senator James “Sonny” McCullough and Republican Assembly candidates John Amodeo and Vince Polistina said it is unfortunate Governor Jon Corzine wouldn’t use his pit stop in Atlantic County today to talk about his secret plan to sell state toll road assets, his secret plan to redistribute state school aid or his failed plan to lower state property taxes.

“It’s interesting that while Jim Whelan is trying to convince the voters he is ‘independent,’ here comes Jon Corzine to say how much he needs Whelan in the Legislature,” said McCullough. “After taking money from Corzine and the other party bosses, Whelan isn’t ‘independent.’ He’s has been bought and paid for by Corzine and party bosses from North and South Jersey. They fully expect to get their money’s worth. It’s small wonder that the Atlantic City Press recently wrote questioning how Whelan could be independent when he’s accepted so much money from outside party bosses.”

Corzine stopped in Atlantic County before leaving New Jersey for a week-long European Union Summit on Global Warming in Lisbon.

The district 2 state senator argues that the Democrats have irresponsibly run up state spending.

The district 2 state Senate candidate James Whelan contrasts his record of public integrity with Sonny McCullough.

Driving in the rain in Atlantic County, Democratic Assemblyman Jim Whelan says he knows it’s going to be close on Election Day when all these long months of arguing and talking and walking and pounding and fund-raising and driving come to a head in his challenge of GOP Sen. James "Sonny" McCullough.

"A win by one point is still a win," says Whelan. "Boston won the first game of the World Series the other night, 13-1. They won the second game, 2-1. The result of the second game is still the same as the first. They won."

Whelan has the strong arm reliever coming into the game in the form of Senate President Richard Codey, who’s got an $800,000 fast ball, and on Sunday, Gov. Jon Corzine will campaign with Whelan.