John Wisniewski

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch), left, with state Sen. Bob Gordon (D-Paramus) and Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange).

TRENTON - A few Democrats circulate in the big room here at the East Brunswick Hilton, sorting through the devastation with varying viewpoints and plans.

"It's hard for an incumbent in a recession," U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) says after lame duck Gov. Jon Corzine leaves the stage.

"Jon did a good job as governor, but the economic times are bad," Pallone adds. "That's all it comes down to. The economic times were bad, but we're on our way back."

There's Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland), who endured his own drama this fall in which he apparently emerged on the losing end.

The Home News Tribune has urged the ouster of the most incumbent legislators this year: six.  The HNT called for the defeat of Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro), Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), Joseph Egan (D-New Brunswick), Upendra Chivukula (D-Franklin), Patrick Diegnan (D-South Plainfield), and John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville).  Only Peter Barnes (D-Edison) survived the wrath of the editorial board.  But the HNT also endorsed three incumbent Democrats for re-election to the Middlesex County Board of Freeholders. 

The Courier-News wants five incumbents, all Democrats, to be defeated: Linda Stender (D-Fanwood), Gerald Green (D-Plainfield), Egan, Chivukula, and Diegnan.  They endorsed three GOP incumbents, Peter Biondi (R-Hillsborough), Denise Coyle (R-Bernards), and John DiMaio (R-Hackettstown) and Barnes.

The Courier-Post wants four Democratic legislators gone: five-term Assemblymen Herbert Conaway (D-Delanco) and Jack Connors (D-Pennsauken); and two special election winners -- State Sen. James Beach (D-Voorhees), who went to the Senate after John Adler became a Congressman; and Assemblywoman Celeste Riley (D-Bridgeton), who won a special election convention earlier this year after Douglas Fisher resigned to become state Secretary of Agriculture.   The Gloucester County Times also advocated the defeat of Riley, and the Burlington County Times said Coway should go.

The Record endorsed Republican challengers running against Frederick Scalera (D-Nutley), Joan Voss (D-Fort Lee), and Connie Wagner (D-Paramus); they endorsed ten incumbents for re-election - seven Democrats and three Republicans.  The Record also called for the ouster of Democratic Freeholders in Bergen and Passaic counties.

The Press of Atlantic City endorsed a Republican challenger against freshman Assemblyman Matthew Milam (D-Vineland).  The newspaper backed five incumbents - one Democrat and four Republicans.

WISNIEWSKI: CHRISTIE EVEN MORE OF A MYSTERY
THAN BEFORE

(Sayreville) - Even with his endorsement of Democratic fiscal policy in today's editions of the New York Times, Assemblyman John Wisniewski said Chris Christie is even more of a mystery to voters than he was before today's flip-flop.

"Republicans Richard Piatkowski and Peter Kothari are the kinds of rough-edged underdog candidates that don't typically get much attention from voters outside of the most dedicated of party loyalists," the Home News Tribune said in endorsing them for State Assembly in District 19 against incumbent John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) and former Municipal Court Judge Craig Coughlin.

Perth Amboy Mayor WIlda Diaz

PERTH AMBOY - When her ally lost his bid to be the replacement Assembly candidate in the 19th Legislative District, Mayor Wilda Diaz didn't immediately back the Democratic Party ticket consisting of Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) and Woodbridge attorney Craig Coughlin.

But after more than a month of silence, she finally decided to declare her public support for them.

"I came to the conclusion a week ago to support the District 19 Democratic candidates," Diaz told PolitickerNJ.com. "The county committee fight taught me a lesson, but it's politics. The good thing is I supported my candidate until the very end."

With the backing of the Woodbridge party power base, Coughlin administered a beating to Diaz's candidate, retired Superior Court Judge Mathias Rodriguez, an early favorite to replace embattled South Amboy Mayor Jack T. O'Leary on the 19th District Democratic ticket before Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, O'Leary, and Carteret Mayor John Reiman front-ended Coughlin in the 11th hour - along with all the county committee votes from their respective towns to scuttle Rodriguez.

WISNIEWSKI / PRIETO / RAMOS BILL TO PROTECT MOTORISTS BY REQUIRING ICE OR SNOW BE REMOVED FROM VEHICLE NOW LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblymen John Wisniewski, Vincent Prieto and Ruben J. Ramos Jr. to protect motorists by making it a violation to not remove accumulated ice or snow from a motor vehicle has been signed into law by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

ASSEMBLYMAN WISNIEWSKI ON MONDAY’S GOP MEETING

(TRENTON) – Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) released the following statement after Monday’s Assembly Republican gathering:

“It’s laughable that this partisan sideshow once again failed to discuss legislation that would, for instance, tackle whether law enforcement officials should use their public positions for political gain while squandering taxpayer dollars on luxurious travel..."

New Jersey Republicans admit that there is little possibility they'll turn over control of the Assembly this year, but they have hyped their chances in some sleeper districts where they don't typically compete.

Fundraising reports released today show that some money is being raised in those purported sleeper districts, but not much. 

In the 4th District, Republicans Domenick DiCicco and Eugene Lawrence have raised $69,887 - most of which comes from attorneys all over the country.  That's about half of the $134,473 incumbent Paul Moriarty (D-Washington Twp.) and newcomer Democratic running mate Bill Collins have raised. 

"Obviously District 4 is a place where we expect to do well," said Republican State Chairman Jay Webber.

Republicans haven't talked much about District 7, which is considered a Democratic district even though GOP Sen. Diane Allen (R-Edgewater Park) has won there five times.  But their Assembly candidates there - Leah Arter and Harry Adams - have raised almost $90,000 and have spent $77,263 (The Assembly Republican Victory committee took enough notice to donate almost $5,000). The two Republican candidates have $12,250 on hand. 

Chris Russell, a political consultant for Arter and Adams, said the campaign against incumbents Herbert Conaway (D-Delanco) and Jack Conners (D-Pennsauken) is "under the rader." 

"We know the district is difficult, but we figure the only way to put them is position is the old fashioned way," said Russell, who cited the candidates' aggressive ground game.   "If they're in position, we'll strike, and I think right now, they're definitely outworking Conaway and Connors on the ground."

Conners and Conaway have raised a combined $196,603 and have about $53,000 on hand. 

District 14 was supposed to be one of the Republicans' top races this year, but their recruitment efforts fell through after Hamilton Councilwoman Kelly Yaede dropped out at the last minute.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville), right, with Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange)

PATERSON - Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) won't deny that he's the missing link from Middlesex as part of a new legislative leadership package that would make him the next state Democratic Party chairman and successor to Assemblyman Joe Cryan (D-Union).

"'If there's anyway I can augment that team, let me know,'" is how Wisniewski sums up his communications with the power brokers, describing the ins and outs of those talks as "internal party politics."

Appearing tonight at the Brownstone in Paterson at a fundraiser for Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange), he said he would be interested in the job.

"One of the things that the state party chair needs to do - and this goes for whoever holds that position - is to build the roots of the party and encourage among young voters and new voters an identification with the Democratic Party," said Wisniewski.

Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) has taken such a big lead in the race for Assembly Speaker that Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) is having trouble finding colleagues willing to publicly support her candidacy.  The poster child for Watson Coleman's political failure may be Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro), a friend and political ally who is noticeably on the sidelines.

On the Assembly side, the Democratic leadership fight heated up ten days ago when Middlesex County Democratic Chairman Joseph Spicuzzo announced that the Democratic Assembly delegation was "unanimous" in support of John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) for Speaker.  Greenstein had been included in Wisniewski's count because she resides in Middlesex and unanimous indeed means everyone. 

One day later, Greenstein said that she was not taking sides in a fight between the two county organizations that make up her legislative district.  Mercer County Democrats were backing Watson Coleman. Spicuzzo suggested that his intention was announce endorsements from districts 17, 18 and 19, and did not mean to include district 14. But an early draft of the Wisniewski endorsement release, obtained by PolitickerNJ.com, included Greenstein and carried a quote from her.