The Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University is sponsoring their annual post-election conference to analyze the general election results – always a fun and informative session.  But this year, Eagleton may have inadvertently failed to provide partisan balance: their panelists are former Democratic State Chairman Thomas Byrne, who supports Democratic candidates; former Republican State Senator Bill Gormley, who is fairly open in his support of Democratic State Senate candidate James Whelan in the second district; and New Jersey Business and Industry Association Vice President Christine Stearns, who has raised money for Democratic candidates this year. Is the most Republican-leaning panelist Star-Ledger columnist Tom Moran, who some Democrats say is the Honorary Chairman of Chris Christie for Governor 2009?

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McCULLOUGH, POLISTINA & AMODEO:

TAXPAYERS CONTINUE TO LOSE GROUND IN THE BATTLE AGAINST HIGH PROPERTY TAXES

State Senator James “Sonny” McCullough and Republican Assembly candidates John Amodeo and Vince Polistina say the average taxpayer in almost every municipality in the 2nd Legislative District has lost ground in the fight against high property taxes since the Democrats took control of the state Legislature and their opponents offer no plan for permanent relief and reform.

Six of New Jersey’s forty legislative districts send both Democrats and Republicans to Trenton, and each of those six could do the same after the November midterm election.

In District 1, Republican State Senator Nicholas Asselta faces a challenge from Democratic Assemblyman Jefferson Van Drew in a district that split in 2001 and 2003.  Van Drew’s running mate, Nelson Albano (who ousted veteran GOP Assemblyman Jack Gibson two years ago) faces a tough race for re-election.  This district could split two different ways: a Senator from one party and two Assemblymen from the other, or each party could elect one Assemblyman.

In key State Senate races so far, daily newspapers have endorsed the challengers -- in each case, from the State Assembly: the Press of Atlantic City has endorsed Democrats James Whelan and Jefferson Van Drew over GOP Senators Sonny McCullough and Nicholas Asselta, respectively; and the Asbury Park Press is backing Republican Jennifer Beck over Senator Ellen Karcher.

The candidates in the state Senate, Assembly and Atlantic County executive's races will compete in debates Thursday evening at Stockton College in Pomona.

In this contentious 2nd legislative district, the contest between Republican state Sen. James "Sonny" McCullough and Democratic Assemblyman Jim Whelan commands particular attention.

A Republican poll has Jim Whelan and Sonny McCullough in a dead heatAn internal campaign poll obtained by PoliticsNJ.com shows the second district state Senate race in a statistical dead heat, with Republicans leading in the contest for two Assembly seats.

The poll, which was conducted by McLaughlin & Associates, shows 41.7% of voters either voting for Democrat Jim Whelan or leaning towards him, while 41.3% picked Republican James “Sonny” McCullough.

In the Assembly contest, with respondents picking a combination of their first and second choices, Republican John Amodeo has a commanding lead over the pack, with 36%. The next preference was for Vince Polistana, with 28.7%, followed by Joe Wilkins with 27% and Blondell Spellman with 26.3%.

If not for his criminal conviction, Craig Callaway would be taking office as the Mayor of Atlantic City.  He resigned as City Council President last year after being sentenced to 40 months in a federal prison for accepting bribes.  

Callaway was one of several recent Atlantic City Councilmen to be convicted on corruption charges: Gibb Jones got five years on probation for extortion and Ramon Rosario was sentenced to ten months in prison for taking bribes. Another Councilman, Martin Small, was aquitted.

The campaign sign on a run-down bar in the Chelsea section says Bob Levy, candidate for mayor, will make the streets safe and clean.

Now Levy, two years into office, is suddenly underground, and political operators in city government are appealing to Trenton for guidance about who’s in charge.

Democrats in the District 2 legislative race, meanwhile, today proclaimed a 10-9 round in the inevitable Levy fallout war, and Republicans said not so fast.

The two most public men in this hour of political reckoning battled in Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy's absence today.

Levy, who's rumored to be the target of a federal probe into his alleged mischaracterization of Vietnam service in order to collect thousands of dollars' worth of benefits, has not reported for work since Wednesday.  Mayor's spokesman Nick Morici this afternoon said business administrator Domenic Cappella told him the mayor is officially on "medical leave," and the mayor's lawyer, Edwin Jacobs, did not return phone calls.