John Amodeo

Gov. Jon Corzine and Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro)

Amid fullblown intrigue elsewhere, Nutley businessman Carmen Pio Costa and Carlstadt School Board member Don Diorio will formally announce their Republican candidacies in Rutherford Thursday evening, and few doubt the battleground, gauntlet-down implications of their challenge to Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) and Assemblyman Fred Scalera (D-Nutley).

But if the 36th Legislative District remains a decided field of contention this cycle (as is the 1st District in New Jersey’s deep south), two other districts – the 2nd and the 14th – early identified by operatives in both parties as potential battlegrounds in their own right,  at least for the moment do not appear to be marquee headline races.

Certainly that opens up the possibility for North Country Democrats and Republicans to expend more resources in the 36th, where Democrats enjoy a 2-1 edge but where the Dems must run with an unpopular leading man in Gov. Jon Corzine. 

Yet it could also open up other regions, other terrain, formerly classified as green zones. Arguably chief among these, particularly given its bordering proximity to the 14th, is the 12th District, where Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver) and Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R-Colts Neck) seek reelection, and last night double-teamed at a town hall meeting in Manalapan.

State Democratic Party Chair Joe Cryan, left, mingles with Northfield Councilman Jimmy Martinez and the Rev. Reginald Floyd, right.

EGG HARBOR CITY – When the better-known names faded, Atlantic County Democrats turned to two relative newcomers – Northfield Councilman Jimmy Martinez and Northfield attorney and Minister Reginald Floyd - who accepted their party’s nomination tonight at the Vienna Inn on the White Horse Pike.

By all accounts good guys in their party’s eyes, the pair nonetheless emanated “B” team presence after freeholders Alisa Cooper and Charlie Garrett and former Atlantic County Prosecutor Jeff Blitz made the rumor rounds as early favorites these last few weeks to face incumbent GOP Assemblyman John Amodeo and Assemblyman Vince Polistina in a South Jersey war - only to decide against running 

Republicans promptly pounced on the news coming out of Egg Harbor City tonight.

Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper said today that after much consideration, she "definitely will not seek the District 2 seat for the New Jersey General Assembly this year."  Cooper, a Democrat, had said on Friday that she would not run, and then reconsidered her decision later in the day.

"I am most grateful that the Democratic Party asked me to be a candidate for the State Assembly," Cooper said. "I appreciate their utmost confidence in me as someone who would be an effective representative of the 2nd District in Trenton. My late mother, who served as both a Freeholder and then, an Assemblywoman, showed what strong, visionary leadership in Trenton meant for the residents of the 2nd District, and I look forward someday to following in her footsteps."

Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper told the Press of Atlantic City this morning that she will not run for assembly in the 2nd Legislative District.

Cooper, a Democrat, won reelection to the freeholder board last year and has been weighing an assembly bid for several months.

Cooper’s mother, Dolores G. Cooper, a Republican, served five terms in the assembly, from 1982 to 1992.  

Atlantic County Democrats had also hoped to run Jeff Blitz, a former county prosecutor, but he turned down the offer.  The party has yet to reveal a slate to run against incumbents John Amodeo (R-Margate) and Vince Polistina (R-Egg Harbor Township).   

Former Atlantic County Prosecutor Jeffrey Blitz, a Republican who Democrats recruited to run for assembly in the 2nd Legislative District, has turned down the offer.

“I made it known early on after I gave it some thought that I didn’t want to be a candidate,” said Blitz, 67, who served for 22 years as county prosecutor.  

Democrats were hoping to launch a major offensive against incumbents Vince Polistina (R-Egg Harbor Township) and John Amodeo (R-Margate), but top state party insiders felt that Blitz was the only potential candidate who could be competitive in the current political climate.  

Last month, the Press of Atlantic City reported that Blitz’s name surfaced in a Democratic poll, although by that time, Blitz said, he had already taken his name out of the running.

Assemblyman Vince Polistina (R-Egg Harbor Township) felt the target slapped on his forehead by Democrats the day after he was elected in the 2nd Legislative District in 2007.

"They'll start spending a fortune and putting us on network TV - more of the same as what we saw in 2007," he said. 

Yesterday, Polistina and his running mate, Assemblyman John Amodeo (R-Margate) kicked off their reelection campaign at a firehouse in Egg Harbor Township.  Just as Republicans will likely sink many of their limited resources into recapturing assembly seats in neighboring District 1, Democrats are expected to pour considerable funds into this Atlantic County dominated district, where state Sen. James Whelan (D-Atlantic City) pulled off a solid victory over Republican Sonny McCullough in 2007, but didn't pull his running mates, Joe Wilkins and Blondell Spellman, across the finish line. 

Polistina said that he's been made to feel unwelcome by Democrats in Trenton, and said that his reception by the party in power has been a disappointing experience. 

"Thy don't want us there, they don't want to talk to us if they don't have to, and they would like nothing more than to get us out of the General Assembly," he said.

Getty Images Photo

Gov. Jon Corzine is expected to seek re-election to a second term in 2009.

Look for former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie to file papers this month as a candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor.   The former federal prosecutor is expected to become the establishment GOP candidate in a primary against former Bogota Mayor Steven Lonegan, the leader of the conservative wing of the New Jersey GOP.   Two other candidates, Assemblyman Richard Merkt and Franklin Township Mayor Brian D. Levine, are also mulling gubernatorial bids.

Incumbent Jon Corzine is expected to seek a second term as Governor, and is likely to run unopposed in the Democratic primary.  Not since Brendan Byrne faced nine rivals, including two Congressmen and a member of his own cabinet, in 1977 has a sitting Governor faced serious opposition for the nomination of his or her own party.  Corizne has struggled to win the approval of voters, but he's a Democrat in a very blue state, and he is expected to spend a huge amount of money to get re-elected.  It will be hard for any Republican to beat him.

If budget issues or e-mails make it impossible for Corzine to continue his race, look for a spirited Democratic primary with Senate President (and former Governor) Richard Codey as the front runner.

New Jerseyans will elect a Lieutenant Governor for the first time in 2009.  The new state law requires the winners of the major party gubernatorial primaries to pick a running mate, much like vice presidential candidates are designated after a presidential nominee is picked.

Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper may run for State Assembly in 2009 against GOP freshmen Vincent Polistina and John Amodeo.

Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Beth Cooper will seek the Democratic nomination for State Assembly in the second district, according to a report by South Jersey radio personality Harry Hurley.  Cooper was re-elected to a second term as Freeholder last month.  A former Republican, she is the daughter of the late Delores Cooper, who served many years as a Republican Assemblywoman from Atlantic County. TheGOP  incumbents are both freshmen: Vincent Polistina and John Amodeo.  State Sen. James Whelan is opposed to Cooper's nomination, Hurley says.

Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper

Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper sees a run for higher office in her future, but she’s not sure what exactly it will be.

“Certainly down the line. In the future.  I’m not saying definitely 2009, but most definitely I would like to run for higher office. Whether it’s going to be 2009 or 2010 I’m not sure at this point,” said Cooper. 

Cooper just won reelection to the Atlantic County freeholder board, and said she’s still catching her breath from that hard fought campaign.  But she said that she wouldn’t mind following the legacy of her mother, who went from being a freeholder to an Assemblywoman, serving from the 1980s to the early 1990s. 

All eighty seats in the New Jersey General Assembly are up next year, with Democrats in strong shape to keep their majority under a legislative map that creates relatively few competitive races.

Republicans feel that they have a good chance to go on the offensive this year, even if taking control of the Assembly, where Democrats have a 48-32 majority, is an unlikely prospect. Assembly Republican Executive Director Rick Wright thinks the gubernatorial candidacy of U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, one of four Republicans actively exploring a statewide bid, would boost his party’s chances to pick up Assembly seats.

“It all depends on who our gubernatorial candidate is. I know there’s a lot of excitement out there about Chris Christie. If and when he makes his decision, that will help us in our recruiting. We have people out there sitting and saying I want to see what Chris Christie does,” Wright said. “A lot of county chairmen think we have a much better chance of success in gubernatorial and legislative races if Chris Christie is at the top of the ticket.”