Joseph Ariyan

Senate President Richard Codey has pulled back his financial commitments to Democratic candidate Joseph Ariyan, according to source.

Six of New Jersey’s forty legislative districts send both Democrats and Republicans to Trenton, and each of those six could do the same after the November midterm election.

In District 1, Republican State Senator Nicholas Asselta faces a challenge from Democratic Assemblyman Jefferson Van Drew in a district that split in 2001 and 2003.  Van Drew’s running mate, Nelson Albano (who ousted veteran GOP Assemblyman Jack Gibson two years ago) faces a tough race for re-election.  This district could split two different ways: a Senator from one party and two Assemblymen from the other, or each party could elect one Assemblyman.

State Senator Gerald Cardinale appears to be in the field with a new poll that tests the impact of two messages: if voters would be less likely to vote for Democrat Joseph Ariyan if they knew his law firm represented terrorists; and if Cardinale has a problem with a message that he voted for laws supported by the banking industry after being wined and dined by them.

By virtue of party registration alone, Joe Ariyan is the underdog in the traditionally Republican 39th district, even if he has the backing of a rich and powerful county organization and is likely to outspend state Sen. Gerald Cardinale by a large margin.

But based on the flexing of fundraising and political muscle tonight, it’s hard to tell just who has the uphill battle.

The Englewood home of real estate developer David Kasparian, where the event was hosted, was a virtual who’s who of Bergen County Democratic politics.  To support Ariyan, warring county party factions – state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero, and everyone in between -- showed up to rub elbows at the swanky event, which was closed to the press.  They were joined by U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez,  U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, and Gov. Jon Corzine, who up until now had been notably absent from campaign events in competitive districts.

Sen. Bob Menendez was taken by surprise this afternoon when asked what he felt about the apparent peace treaty between the warring Hudson County Democratic Organization and the Democrats for Hudson County.

If Connie Wagner is successful in her bid for the State Assembly, there will be no shortage of potential candidates to replace her in January.  A short list includes: Bergen County Improvement Authority Commissioner Cid Wilson, who was seeking an Assembly seat in the 37th district earlier this year, but withdrew when the party united behind the incumbents; Fort Lee Council President (and Acting Mayor) Ila Kasofsky; Rev. Vernon Walton, a former Englewood Councilman; Little Ferry Councilman Thomas Sarlo, the brother of State Senator Paul Sarlo; Bergen County Improvement Authority Chairman Ronald O'Malley, and former Assemblyman (and Hackensack Police Chief) Ken Zisa.  

State Sen. Gerald Cardinale’s move to hold up the nomination of Matthew Boxer as New Jersey’s State Comptroller might be considered a good political move by Republicans interesting in keeping Gov. Jon Corzine’s ties to his former girlfriend in the news, but his colleagues in the Senate minority aren’t rushing to help him out.

Cardinale’s idea is to tie up the nomination of Boxer for the newly created office until Corzine appoints an independent prosecutor to look into the matter of Rocco Riccio, a brother-in-law of Corzine’s ex-girlfriend/paramour/companion Carla Katz, who he gave $15,000 after pressuring him out of his accounting job at the Turnpike Authority. Boxer was reportedly present at a meeting in which Riccio was asked to leave his job.

Bergen County Democrats would like Kathleen Donovan to become a Superior Court Judge within the next year, since that would increase their chances of winning the County Clerk’s post that has eluded them since Donovan first won in 1988.

There has been speculation about Donovan’s judicial ambitions before, and some Republicans say he greatest obstacle has been State Senator Gerald Cardinale, a fellow Republican who has been allied with Donovan rivals over the years. Their feud goes back to 1989, when Donovan supported Jim Courter for Governor against two Bergen candidates, Cardinale and former Attorney General Cary Edwards.

Joseph Ariyan is raising a lot of money for his race against GOP State Sen. Gerald Cardinale, but he’s not ready to go head-to-head with the veteran incumbent in a joint TV appearance.

The two 39th district candidates were invited to appear this weekend on Channel 9’s New Jersey Now. Cardinale accepted, but Ariyan, a first time candidate, declined.