Joe Ariyan

Joseph Aryan, a former State Senate candidate, says he's not interested in running for Bergen County Democratic Chairman.

Attorney Joe Ariyan has taken his name out of the running for Bergen County Democratic Chairman.

Ariyan, who unsuccessfully challenged state Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Demarest) last year as the Bergen County Democratic Organization’s candidate, was mentioned in Charlie Stile’s column this weekend as a possible successor to indicted chairman Joe Ferriero.

“In recent weeks, I have been contacted by several elected officials from Bergen County as well as members of the County Committee encouraging me to pursue the Chairmanship of the Bergen County Democratic Organization,” said Ariyan in a statement. “To each, my response has been the same - which is that there is simply no vacancy for the position. Until and unless a convention is held or Chairman Ferriero resigns his post, any speculation is premature and merely political fodder."

District 39 takes the cake for the most humorous campaign commercials this election cycle.

State Sen. Gerald Cardinale’s is airing a cable television commercial of a hand puppet duckling criticizing state Senate candidate Joe Ariyan – for being a puppet.  This comes after Democrats produced Youtube videos making light of Cardinale’s lobbyist-sponsored trips and his Caribbean home. 

There were a few jabs in the 39th district Assembly debate this evening at Bergen County Community College, but it was positively civil compared to what turned out to be a row between Democratic State Senate candidate Joe Ariyan and incumbent Sen. Gerald Cardindale.

The two Senate candidates sparred about what it means to be friends with Dick Codey, corruption, stem cell research, wheeling of campaign funds, and accepting trips to Florida paid for by the banking industry.

The District 39 Republicans’ first television advertisement has raised the ire of their Democratic opponents.

The ad, which is currently airing, insinuates that Democratic state Senate candidate Joe Ariyan received three appointed public jobs after donating thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates. Ariyan is Bergen County’s Public Advocate for Land Use, a public defender in Hillside and commissioner of the Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority.

“Joe Ariyan gave tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions then got 3 taxpayer paid jobs,” said the ad. “Pay to play contributions?”

Is Shirley Turner really in trouble, or did someone just spin Joe Donohue? In a review of competitive State Senate races for the upcoming mid-term elections, The Star-Ledger listed the 15th district as one of the in-play seats that the GOP needs to win to take control of the Senate.

Republican newcomer Robert Martin is self-financing his race against Turner, and Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance has become infatuated with his candidacy. Martin has done some early mail and cable TV ads, and GOP insiders say he plans to spend a few hundred thousand dollars.

The New Jersey Education Association’s PAC played it pretty safe with its endorsements, choosing mostly incumbents. But in the 39th district, the union backed an entire slate of Democratic challengers against three Republican incumbents.

“We’re excited and proud that NJEA has agreed to endorse the full slate,” said Jennifer Chirco, the campaign manager for the 39th district Democrats. “We value the association and really appreciate them lending their support

The teachers’ union picked Democrat Joe Ariyan for state Senate, along with Esther Fletcher and Carl Manna for Assembly. Not getting the nod were state Sen. Gerald Cardinale, Assemblyman John Rooney and Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk.