The Press of Atlantic City has endorsed Democrat James Whelan for State Senator in the second district.  Whelan, a one-term Assemblyman and former Mayor of Atlantic City, is challenging GOP incumbent Sonny McCullough, who went to the Senate last February after William Gormley retired. 

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McCULLOUGH, AMODEO & POLISTINA SAY CORZINE’S PLAN FOR A.C. EXPRESSWAY ASSET SALE DURING LAME DUCK

IS OFFICIALLY OUT OF THE BAG

State Senator James “Sonny” McCullough and Republican Assembly candidates John Amodeo and Vince Polistina said it should come as no surprise that Governor Jon Corzine now admits he will spring his still-secret plan for an Atlantic City Expressway “asset sale” on the Legislature and the taxpayers during the lame duck session following November’s election.

They said Corzine’s revelation was contained in a news report broadcast by Millennium Radio stations yesterday. Corzine said he hoped the lame duck Legislature would act on his scheme to sell state toll road assets in exchange for a quick infusion of money to balance next year’s state budget.

GOP state Senator James "Sonny" McCullough says the Republican charge of money wheeling coming out of the 1st district today echoes what's happening in Atlantic County.

When the Republicans talk about budget cuts, they immediately eye the Abbott School districts, and Jim Whelan argues that urban schools should not be the state's financial scapegoats.

Assemblyman Jim Whelan is getting big money from the Democratic Party for his State Senate campaign, but the former Mayor of Atlantic City says he's never been bought, and won't be now.

The Democrats' state Senate candidate's radio attack ads have up until this week been "ordered and paid for" by Jim Whelan. This week the same ads were identified as paid for by Wilkins for Assembly.

Political reformers don't make many friends among their fellow elected officials in this state. The moment someone tries to stand above the fracas is when that person becomes a target of both parties - and the bosses behind both parties.

Sen. Ellen Karcher ousted Republican Co-Senate President John O. Bennett II, after beating George E. Norcross’ candidate in the Democratic primary, Oceanport Mayor Gordon Gemma.  Norcross tried to bring Karcher into his fold and she wouldn't budge. Instead she forged an alliance with Senate President Richard Codey.

This week, Karcher is in trouble in her re-election bid, with some polls showing her six to nine points behind Republican Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck. Despite the Karcher campaign's efforts to drag Beck's numbers down with New York market attack ads the campaign has run since October 15th, Beck's campaign isn't crumbling, or showing any signs of fissure.

The roots run deep in Atlantic County, and the so-called softies on the golf courses in the suburban towns still bear traces of the barrier city, where gamblers learn to live another day even when they don't have money.

Republican Sen. James "Sonny" McCullough had his "Students for Sonny" in T-shirts in the lobby of Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Thursday night, scene of his Chamber of Commerce debate in the 2nd district with Democratic Assemblyman Jim Whelan.

McCullough wasn't supposed to be in the race at this point. Democrats figured family strife within his own party would deep-six him by now. After all, the man McCullough replaced, state Sen. Bill Gormley, was all but actively campaigning against him, and Assemblyman Frank Blee was likewise still steamed at McCullough for wresting party control away from Camp Gormley.

The race for State Senator in District 2 is a Toss-Up, while Nicholas Asselta and Ellen Karcher could be headed for defeat, according to a new PoliticsNJ.com Battleground '07 analysis.  READ

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McCULLOUGH: WHAT WAS WHELAN THINKING?

State Sen. James “Sonny” McCullough today charged his opponent with “a remarkable and costly failure of judgment” when he Appeared before a committee of the Pennsylvania Legislature to support that state’s effort to approve legalized gaming.