Joe Cryan

Corzine, right, and Gore.

ATLANTIC CITY - Identifying the touchstone values of their party, Democrats bucked one another up here at the Trump Plaza Casino, trying to build feeling for what amounts now to the last 38 days of their campaign effort to maintain control of Drumthwacket and deliver another four years to Gov. Jon Corzine.

"I love you all," Corzine told his supporters in a room packed with party insiders, stirring into his speech humanizing buzz notes - farm boy, soccer coach, parent teacher conference attendee - to offset the image of an aloof leader who landed in Trenton three and a half years ago with comparatively little time honed at the street level of New Jersey politics.  

Corzine noted his commitment to the vulnerable and poor - his move to enact the country's first economic recovery plan, broaden early childhood education and healthcare, and build new schools.

Echoing Bill Clinton with former Vice President Al Gore in the room, "I still believe in the family values my family taught me back on the family farm," said Corzine, who told the crowd that in his battle with GOP candidate Chris Christie "every value we hold dear is at stake." 

CRYAN: EIGHT MORE CHARTER SCHOOLS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION

(TRENTON) – Assembly Education Chairman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) released the following statement Wednesday after Gov. Jon S. Corzine announced eight new charter schools, the largest number of charter schools approved in a single year in New Jersey:

“The addition of eight more charter schools to New Jersey is yet another example of the unrelenting commitment by Gov. Corzine and legislative Democrats to make improving education throughout the New Jersey a top priority..."

CRYAN & QUIJANO HAIL CORZINE ADMINISTRATION FOR COMPLETING NEW PARKWAY/I-78 LINK

(UNION COUNTY) – Assemblyman Joseph Cryan and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (both D-Union) on Thursday praised Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s administration for finally completing the long-awaited connection between the Garden State Parkway northbound and Interstate 78 westbound.

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BURZICHELLI & CRYAN ON LAWSUIT AGAINST NJ’S EFFORT TO ELIMINATE NON-OPERATING SCHOOL DISTRICTS

(TRENTON) – Assembly Education Chairman Joseph Cryan and Assemblyman John Burzichelli on Wednesday criticized Rocky Hill and Millstone for filing a lawsuit against a new law to eliminate non-operating school districts.

The law (A-4141) gives county superintendents authority to merge a non-operating district with the district in which it participates in a sending-receiving relationship.

“The lawsuit by Rocky Hill and Millstone is not only disappointing, it is inexplicable,” said Cryan (D-Union). “The public has long called for reform and less government, and eliminating non-operating school districts and merging them into existing ones was a positive step by Gov. Corzine and Democrats toward school district consolidation..."

Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, left, and state Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Woodbridge) tonight at the Forge.

WOODBRIDGE - When the doors of the Forge flung open, the two groups went in separate directions: the mostly Puerto Rican contingent from Perth Amboy headed drearily back to the bay town, while Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, South Amboy Mayor John O'Leary, Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman and their man for the 19th District, Craig Coughlin, headed straight for the Shannon Rose Pub and a raucous celebration.

State Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Woodbridge) showed up - Coughlin's wife is his campaign treasurer. There's a bond there.

So did Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville), but the sitting 19th District lawmaker from the lower house wasn't a core circle player in this celebration of Coughlin's resounding win over retired Superior Court Judge Mathias Rodriguez and health care professional Jean Pierce tonight at a special party convention at this manor on the northbound side of Route 9.

"Craig was a great candidate with experience in all five towns and all three branches of government," said McCormac, whose county committee allies from his hometown were well-organized in getting out and providing the foundation for Coughlin's 170 winning votes, compared to 75 for Rodriguez and 25 for Pierce.

State Party Chairman Joe Cryan blew in for the hoopla, which had actually started earlier in the evening, back at the Forge, when people looked around and saw Woodbridge out in force and couldn't contain their glee. Those were going to be Coughlin votes.

The Rev. Pastor Buster Soaries

The Rev. DeForest "Buster" Soaries said he's calling other African American leaders today to build support for Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) as the successor to retiring Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden), and threatened to back pedal from any involvement in the gubernatorial election unless Gov. Jon Corzine throws his support to Watson Coleman.

"The Democrats cannot continue to expect to get loyalty from African Americans," said Soaries, a Republican turned Democrat who served as secretary of state under former Gov. Christie Todd Whitman. "We deferred to conventional politics over the selection for senator and lieutenant governor. If Bonnie Watson Coleman is overlooked - if conventional politics negates serious consideration - we're going to respond vociferously."

Democratic Party sources place Watson Coleman, a former chair of the state party organization, and Assemblyman Joe Cryan (D-Union), the current state chair of the party, in the top tier of those legislators most likely to pursue the top position in the legislature's lower house.

Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) does not want to address the prospect of running for Speaker just yet.

“I’ve got a job that I’m going to focus on as chairman of the party, working to get Democrats elected,” he said.  “I’m as accountable as anyone for making sure we retain the Assembly majority, so I’m just going to keep my focus there and see where things go.”

The Star-Ledger reported last night that Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden) will not seek reelection after over a year of speculation about whether he would remain.   Cryan’s name has frequently surfaced as a potential replacement.   

Cryan has led the Democratic State Committee since 2006 and has been in the assembly since 2002, where he currently serves as Deputy Majority Leader.  He is also an undersheriff in Union County.

Heartened by three weeks of negative news about Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie, Democrats hoped to see independent polls reflect a tightening race.  They did not get their wish today. 

A Quinnipiac University poll released today put Christie ahead of Governor Corzine by 10 points – a four point increase from their poll last month.  Another independent poll released today from Fairleigh Dickinson University put Christie ahead by 5 points – virtually the same as FDU’s poll last month. 

Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan, however, says that he and other Democrats are not worried.

“We have a campaign strategy that lays out how to get to our vote goal numbers.  It lays it out pretty carefully. I admit it’s internal, but I think party folks in particular have seen part of what we’ve laid out so far and its intended consequences.  So I think people understand we’re going to get to where we need to be,” Cryan said. 

Privately, some Democrats express concern and disappointment that the horse race numbers have not moved.  But the renewed sense of optimism about Corzine’s chances -- which came after morale bottomed out in the wake of July’s “Corruption Thursday” bust of mostly Democratic politicians -- has not disappeared. 

Democratic State Chairman and Joseph Cryan today filed a complaint against Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

Cryan (D-Union), who is also an assemblyman, based the complaint on Christie’s failure to disclose interest from a $46,000 loan he gave to current First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown when she worked under him as executive assistant and counsel.  
    
Christie, who called the omission of the loan from ELEC forms, federal employee disclosure forms and income taxes a mistake and oversight, yesterday filed an amendment with ELEC disclosing the loan.

“Christie continues to fail to live up to the ethical standards he sets for others,” said Cryan.  “He is running for Governor -- failing to report a personal loan to a close colleague is a serious transgression and breaks both federal and state ethics rules.  Christie, of all people should know – he has prosecuted public officials for similar offenses, yet, he dismisses his own unscrupulous behavior as a simply an ‘oversight.’ This situation demands an immediate and thorough investigation.”

Republican State Committee Chairman Jay Webber

Republican State Committee Chairman Jay Webber said his gubernatorial candidate is in a very good position, leading incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine by nine points in a head-to-head match-up, according to today's Quinnipiac University poll.

"This is the 27th consecutive poll I have seen in which Chris Christie leads Jon Corzine," said the state chairman, whom Christie personally selected earlier this summer to run the party operation.

This afternoon, Webber's chief rival, Democratic State Committee Chairman Joe Cryan, took a piece of consolation from the fact that independent Chris Daggett is chewing up seven points in today's poll. When Quinnipiac factors him into the gubernatorial contest, Christie's lead drops by five points.

"His lead drops a little - but not a lot," said Webber. "He's still beating him. When I read the comments of Joe Cryan, who's thumping his chest about being 'in range' when a third party candidate is added, I think that's a very good sign for Chris Christie."