John Cimino

Gov. Jon Corzine's administration is causing some angst among Mercer County Democrats who are worried about how a report detailing wasteful spending by Allies Inc. will affect their campaign.  The report, issued this week by state Comptroller Matthew Boxer, says that the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities overpaid contractors by more than $1.4 million.

Allies Inc., was paid $111,851 to cover the cost of two cruises, $2,690 to pay for dinner at the Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar at the Tropicana casino in Atlantic City, and $1,345 for a trip to Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The problem for the Democrats is that one of the Democratic candidates for Hamilton Township Council, Wendy Sturgeon, was the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Allies during the time the wasteful spending took place.  Sturgeon's own profile posted on the LinkedIn.com website takes credit for the kind of events Boxer has criticized.  Expect Republicans to make that an issue in the fall campaign, and watch Democrats distance themselves from Sturgeon.

Mercer County Freeholder John "Hop" Cimino has a new job: he's been hired to do "sales and marketing for both the public and private sector" for T&M Associates, engineering firm that has done work for Mercer County and other public entities.  That means Cimino will be able to use his contacts as a county official to drum up public engineering contracts for the firm - not a bad gig.

"John, like his father, Skip, both formerly worked at CMX," said Peter McDonough, a spokesman for T&M.  CMX was formerly Schoor DePalma, a politically connected engineering firm. 

According to their website, T&M clients include the New Jersey Highway Authority, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.  The firm also had the engineering contract for Baldplate Mountain, which is part of the Mercer County parks system.

Speculation that State Sen. Bill Baroni could become the next U.S. Attorney if John McCain wins the presidency has created some discussion among Democrats about who they would support in a 2009 special election to fill his seat.  If Baroni were to resign, Republicans would hold a special election convention to elect a new Senator - possibly former Hamilton Mayor Jack Rafferty - who could then (depending on the timing of the appointment) face a Democrat in a November 2009 special election.  One Mercer County Democratic leader said that former Hamilton Mayor Glen Gilmore could emerge as a serious contender, suggesting that his local popularity is on the upswing after narrowly losing last year to Republican John Bencivengo.

The problem for Gilmore, if he decides to pursue a political comeback as a State Senate candidate, is that the local Democratic bench is wide and deep.  Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein passed on a Senate bid 2007 (when Peter Inverso announced his retirement) after several key labor unions quickly endorsed Baroni.  Greenstein, the top vote getter in the '07 Assembly race and with a significant base in Middlesex County, is unlikely to back down from another Senate fight.

There's another statewide campaign in New Jersey next winter: the race to succeed Christopher Christie as the United States Attorney - a post that holds considerable power and visibility, and potentially a launching pad for higher public office.   By tradition, federal prosecutors submit their resignations to coincide with the inauguration of a new President. 

If John McCain wins, possible candidate for U.S. Attorney include McCain state campaign director Rick Mroz, a former Chief Counsel to Gov. Christine Todd Whitman; and State Sen. Bill Baroni, the Chairman of McCain's New Jersey campaign.  Mroz runs former Assemblyman/BPU Commissioner Edward Salmon's consulting firm, and is associated with former Cumberland County GOP Chairman Lawrence Pepper's law firm.  Baroni is a Seton Hall University law professor, and has been on Team McCain since 1999, when he worked on the national campaign staff as McCain's advanceman. 

McCain could also go with one of Christie's deputies, like First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra or Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown.

Josh Zeitz in Hamilton today: Politicker Photo

HAMILTON - At a Democratic National Committee fund-raiser in New York City on Thursday, Michelle Obama asked 4th Congressional District challenger Josh Zeitz if he thinks New Jersey will be a battleground for her husband.

Zeitz told the first lady prospect that New Jersey is safely Democratic territory. Then he added something specific about his own challenge of entrenched U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4).

"I told Michelle Obama we’re going to work hard, and yes, we’re going to win that race," he said of his longshot bid to upend the veteran Smith and help give Obama a solid majority in Congress.

As they listened to the story, a small crowd clapped in Zeitz’s Hamilton campaign headquarters, which the candidate opened today on South Olden Avenue, a few blocks from the congressman’s house.

Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, left, and Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer, served as delegates at the party's convention. 

TRENTON - At their standing room only convention in the Masonic Temple on Saturday, Mercer County Democrats selected two full-term candidates for their county freeholder slate in November, and a third to fill the unexpired term of Freeholder Elizabeth Muio. 

The winners were incumbent Freeholder Lucy Walter of Ewing and banker John Cimino of Hamilton for the three-year term seats, and Dan Benson of Hamilton for the unexpired term.

Next month, two major Democratic county strongholds will see important internal party contests.

Mercer County is set to see a significant turnover during its March 15th county committee convention. Its Democratic Chairman, Richard McClellan, plans to step down shortly. Meanwhile, Freeholder Elizabeth Muoio will resign on March 1st, giving a number of Democratic hopefuls a chance to take over her seat. Failing to win Muoio’s seat, some of those candidates may challenge Democratic incumbents Tony Mack and Lucy Walter, whose terms expire this year.

In neighboring Middlesex County, Freeholder John Pulomena has resigned so that the board can appoint him to a position as county administrator, while Freeholder Camille Fernicola has said that she will not seek another term.

CIMINO ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR MERCER COUNTY FREEHOLDER
Life-long Resident Focused on Furthering County's Economic Prosperity, Open Space Preservation, and Protecting Families and Businesses
 
            (Hamilton Twp.) – Life-long Hamilton Township resident John Cimino today announced his candidacy for Mercer County Freeholder to represent working families while expanding the region's economic prosperity.  Cimino, 33, pledged to marry his professional experience with personal devotion to his home county as a member of the Freeholder Board.

The resignation of Elizabeth Muoio to take a pension-boosting county job means that Democrats will hold a Special Election Convention on March 15 to elect a new Mercer County Freeholder.  Potential candidates include: Mike Maloney of Hamilton, the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union No.

Mercer County Democrats will hold an open convention in 2008, which means that two incumbent Freeholders, Lucy Walter and Tony Mack, won’t automatically get party support if they decide to seek re-election.  Democratic sources say that several candidates are expected to seek the Freeholder nod, including John Cimino, an unsuccessful candidate for Hamilton Councilman last week and the son of former Assemblyman Anthony “Skip” Cimino.