At Mayfair Farms Restaurant in West Orange on Saturday, the St. Patrick’s Guard of Honor of New Jersey hailed Ray Durkin, or the chairman, as they call him here in a nod of respect to his many years of service to the Democratic Party. 

Full-blooded and hybrid and old and new country Irish fathers and their sons - Giblin, Byrne, Stack, Barrett, McCarthy, Baroni, Mac Donald, O’Toole and Codey – for one afternoon absorbed any and all of New Jersey’s other ethnic groups into the arms of Durkin’s Irish-America.  

Durkin, who led the Essex County Democratic Organization from 1980 to 1992 in addition to serving as chair of the state party from 1985 to 1989, was the 68th St. Patrick’s Guard of Honor on a list going back to 1940 that includes President John F. Kennedy, Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., and governors Richard J. Hughes, Brendan Byrne and Richard Codey.  

In accepting the award, the former Newark City Firefighter and head of the West Ward Young Democrats who has been lowkey politically over the course of the past 12 years, said he was most proud of his wife and five sons, including Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin, who introduced his father on Saturday.

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LEADERS ADDRESS SCHOOL CLOSURES, SUPPORT UEZ JOBS SCHOLARSHIP ACT

ELIZABETH – Today, Senator Raymond Lesniak and Assemblyman Joseph Cryan joined religious and minority leaders to address the closure of two parochial schools in Elizabeth and to support the UEZ Jobs Scholarship Act, legislation that would provide tax credits equal to the value of scholarships donated by corporations for low-income students in Urban Enterprise Zones. The legislation aims to empower parents to choose the best educational environment for their children and to allow students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to attend schools outside of their school district.

Senator Raymond Lesniak stated, “In the past 10 years, 100 Catholic schools have closed. This week, that trend hit our community with the announcement that both St. Anthony’s and Sacred Heart schools will close. We need immediate action to ensure that students in our community continue to have the opportunity to attend a private school of their choosing.

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SPRINGFIELD – At the Union County Central Labor Council’s headquarters this afternoon, Democratic State Chairman Joe Cryan told about 100 union members getting ready to canvass for Assemblywoman Linda Stender’s congressional bid that turnout was high in Democratic areas of the 7th District, but that it was also high in the traditionally Republican counties of Somerset and Hunterdon.

“Our tracks around the state and our tracks around this district show that our folks are coming out to vote, but you know what? Theirs are too.  What you’re going to do over the next few hours are going to make the difference.” 

Speaking to PolitickerNJ.com before the rally, Cryan talked up Gov. Corzine, saying that he was the person most responsible for what is likely to be a victory for Barack Obama in New Jersey, and U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

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KENILWORTH – Yesterday, Democratic State Chairman Joe Cryan challenged a room full of Linda Stender supporters to name a legislative accomplishment by Leonard Lance, and called the state Senator “as partisan as they come. Independent my ass!”

Responding to Cryan before his own, more low key rally tonight, Lance named a recent legislative accomplishment he said was also bipartisan: putting the “Lance Amendment” on Tuesday’s ballot.

“It couldn’t have gotten through the legislature without Democratic support,” he said. “It has been endorsed by Governor Corzine, and it’s one of my proudest accomplishments in the legislature. Number one it’s an accomplishment, and number two it’s a bipartisan accomplishment.”

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CRANFORD -- Democratic State Chairman Joe Cryan took the stage today at Union County College not just to tout Linda Stender as a hard working public servant who always “does the right thing,” but to Pummel her opponent’s reputation as a moderate independent.

“Some people say to me the other guy’s nice, or he’s ok, or what’s unfathomable to me: that he’s independent,” he said.

Cryan spoke favorably of Stender's background, including her global warming bill and work as a freeholder preserve open space. Then he challenged the audience to name one thing Lance had accomplished in his legislative career.

“What a way to get a room quiet -- just ask what Leonard Lance has accomplished,” he said. “He’s not independent. He’s as partisan as they come. Independent my ass!”

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CRANFORD - Union County College President Thomas H. Brown said today that he did respond to Union County Republican Chairman Phil Morin by letter and email regarding his complaint that today’s rally was against the school’s own regulations.

“He got a letter,” said Brown while overseeing preparations to host President Bill Clinton on behalf of Democratic Congressional candidate Linda Stender.

“He got an email. He doesn’t read his emails.”

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Democrats Amy Mallet and Glenn Mason: Politicker photo 

RED BANK/ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS - If Monmouth County Democrats don’t believe in trickle down economics they definitely don’t have a problem with getting some top down love from the campaign of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.).

The Democratic presidential nominee appears to be on cruise control in New Jersey, receiving a boost on Sunday from an unlikely source in this battleground county where the number of registered Dems grew considerably since last year’s primary. 

"The Asbury Park Press endorsed Barack Obama," announced Democratic County Chairman Vic Scudiery, who sported a tie pin in the shape of the state of New Jersey with an Obama logo emblazoned in the center. 

"Obama has the intellect needed to comprehend the complexities of the times and the ability to articulate his positions clearly and eloquently," the paper’s Sunday editorial read in part. "He can inspire, and we believe he will be able to bring out the best in the American people at a time when our best will be needed...

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U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark), and Piscataway grassroots organizer Nadia Brown: Politicker photo 

ROSELLE - It’s Garrett Smith country on a Saturday.

Emptying a chair alongside the young Roselle mayor, U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark) stood in front of a microphone and gave Gov. Jon Corzine props for playing a role in discovering Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il) when Corzine chaired the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Obama’s romping here in Roselle by every indication, but Payne and Obama aren’t eyeball to eyeball on everything, including last week’s Wall Street bailout.

While Obama and his Republican rival in the presidential race on Wednesday quietly supported the $700 billion measure that its critics say falls disproportionately across the shoulders of American taxpayers, Payne twice vociferously bucked the controversial bill in the House.

Today he laid out his views before a cheering crowd in Roselle’s Warinanco Park, where several hundred people gathered in support of Obama on the front-end of a Union County voter registration drive days before the Oct. 14th registration deadline.

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GOP Freeholder candidate John Curley: Politicker file photoIt’s been labor by slow degrees.

Aided by Bush fatigue nationally and the Operation Bid Rig scandal locally, Democrats chipped steadily away at the Freeholder Board in Monmouth, foregoing potential Assembly gains elsewhere to focus on trying to build a majority in this longtime Republican stronghold.

Relying heavily on state party funds, they elected Barbara McMorrow two years ago and John D’Amico last year to get them to within one seat of swinging control of Monmouth in their favor.

Now with newly registered voters bolstering their numbers beyond the GOP’s - 99,282 Democrats to 86,992 Republicans - Democrats hope Amy Mallet and Glen Mason are poised to become their party’s next freeholders here. Freeholder Barbara McMorrow, left, stands with fellow Democrats, candidates Amy Mallet and Glen Mason.: Politicker file photo

In arguably the most consequential freeholder showdown of the year, those two must get past veteran Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and her running mate, Red Bank Councilman John Curley.

"As far as I can tell, it’s the premiere down ballot race in the state," State Party Chair Joseph Cryan said.

Although Democrats gleefully claim momentum going into this one, it will be no walk over for them.

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Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Fanwood) and Josh Zeitz in Trenton this afternoon.: Politicker photo 

TRENTON - Wall Street is melting down while President George W. Bush fundraises in Colts Neck for candidates who will continue his failed policies, argued Democrats at a Statehouse press conference this afternoon.

State Democratic Chairman Joseph Cryan stood with congressional candidates, Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Fanwood) and professor Joshua Zeitz of Bordentown. They all whiplashed Republicans for allowing Bush to come and raise money in a state where the latest Strategic Vision poll shows the president with a 20 percent job approval rating.

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