Joseph Coniglio

With about five weeks to go before the general election, it’s risky to write off any political campaign as a lost cause. But several underdog candidates who once seemed to have a slight chance at running competitive races do not seem to have picked up steam or support from their parties.

State Senate candidates Robert Colletti, Richard Dennison, Gina Genovese and John Villapiano have all run spirited campaigns. And while none has a good shot at winning on November 6th, all four insist that their campaigns are very much alive.

Meanwhile, Seema Singh’s State Senate campaign isn’t necessarily dead, though it is on life support.

Once viewed as among the state's most politically regions in New Jersey, the 38th has become a "blue district" and Republicans will not even compete there this fall.  Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce has told Bergen County Republicans that his leadership PAC will not play in the 38th, where incumbent Joan Voss and Freeholder Connie Wagner face Republicans John Driscoll and Renee Czaplicki. 

State Senator Joseph Coniglio, the target of a federal corruption probe, has dropped out of sight since he dropped his bid for re-election to a third term.  With Assemblyman Robert Gordon now slated as the Senate candidate, there hasn’t been a whole lot of talk about Coniglio.

In case you missed it: New Jersey's three newest Assembly candidates were effectively annointed by individual party leaders, unencumbered by the need to present themselves to voters -- in this case, elected members of the County Committee.  Elease Evans, a Passaic County Freeholder who was elected to fill Alfred Steele's unexpired term, was picked by County Chairman John Currie; Bergen County Freeholder Connie Wagner, who will be the Democratic candidate for Assemblywoman in the 38th district (replacing Bob Gordon, who is running for Joseph Coniglio's Senate seat) was selected by County Chairman Joseph Ferriero; and Mila Jasey, a South Orange Board of Education member, was handpicked by Senate President Richard Codey to replace Mims Hackett in the Legislature. 

It was an interesting weekend in the 38th district, where Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero picked a State Senate candidate that he was initially reluctant to go with.  Two-term Assemblyman Robert Gordon is hardly a party hack: back in 1996, the ex-Fair Lawn Mayor refused to abide by party's decision to back then-Bergen County Surrogate Steven Rothman for an open congressional seat and challenged him in the Democratic primary.  Since going to the Assembly in 2003 -- he replaced Matt Ahearn, who left the Democratic Caucus to join the Green Party after a fight with local Dems -- Gordon has been viewed as an independent reformer, although he never publicly commented on Coniglio's ethics woes.

It was a big happy event, by the looks of it from the outside. They looked like an extended family in there, with the Jets game on in the background and a few of the men shamelessly turning sideways in their chairs as they watched Gang Green lose.

But when Assemblyman Robert Gordon stood at the podium and accepted their unanimous backing to succeed District 38 Sen. Joseph Coniglio, Bergen County Democrats emptied their seats and gave him their face-forward attention amid sustained applause.

Gordon had some longtime allies in the Sunday evening crowd at party HQ in Hackensack, guys with whom he went back a long time.

Assemblyman Robert Gordon will face Republican Robert Colletti in the 38th district State Senate raceBergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero has endorsed Assemblyman Bob Gordon to fill the state Senate ballot position left vacant by Joe Coniglio.

“Obviously it was a difficult choice because we had outstanding candidates, and any one of them would make an excellent Senator,” said Ferriero. “But based on Bob’s experience, dedication and commitment to the people of New Jersey, I picked him.”

Gordon was under consideration along with Assembly running mate Joan Voss and Paramus Mayor James Tedesco.

While political insiders around Bergen County watch the Democratic headquarters in Hackensack for white smoke, at least one person who’s being put up for Joe Coniglio’s place on the ballot doesn’t know it yet. 

It’s Fort Lee Councilman Michael Villano, whose name Fair Lawn Committeeman Bob Gulack wants to put forward at the organization’s Sunday night meeting.

Democrats in three legislative districts have scheduled conventions to elect new legislators and pick new candidates.

Saturday, Sept. 15: District 35 Democrats will hold a Special Election Convention to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Assemblyman Alfred Steele, and a Special Primary Convention to choose a new candidate to run as the Democratic Assembly candidate in the November 2007 general election.

Sunday, Sept. 16: District 38 Democrats will hold a Special Primary Convention to pick a new candidate for the State Senate.  The incumbent, Joseph Coniglio, announced on Wednesday that he will not seek re-election.

Wednesday, Sept. 19: District 27 Democrats will hold a Special Election Convention to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Assemblyman Mims Hackett, and a Special Primary Convention to choose a new candidate to run as the Democratic Assembly candidate in the November 2007 general election.