Joseph Cryan

Watch for more breaking news in the races for legislative leadership positions today, possibly with Union County Democrats announcing their support of Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) for Speaker. An announcement by Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) that he’ll back Oliver will mean an additional four votes for the Essex County Democrat’s fledgling campaign.

The unexpected announcement late this evening by John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) that he would drop his fledgling campaign for Assembly Speaker and support Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) is a clear sign that key North Jersey Democrats will back Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) for Senate President, Oliver for Speaker, and possible Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) for Assembly Majority Leader.

Support for Oliver, a relatively obscure Essex County Democrat, is reminiscent of the surprise move in 2001 to dump Joseph Doria (D-Bayonne) as the likely Speaker and replace him with freshman Albio Sires (D-West New York).  Oliver is a protégé of Newark Democratic leader Stephen Adubato, who is a close political ally of South Jersey Democratic leader George Norcross.  She is the Assistant Essex County Administrator. 

If there is a deal with South Jersey, Oliver could potentially start the race with between sixteen and eighteen votes, depending on who wins the hotly contested first district Assembly race.  And if there is a deal with Cryan, Oliver could add four more votes out of Union County.   Wisniewski could put her at 21.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) has dropped out of the race for Assembly Speaker and endorsed Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange).

"After careful consideration, and in an attempt to strengthen the unity of the Assembly Democratic caucus, I have decided to end my bid to become the next Speaker of the General Assembly.  I will instead be supporting Assemblywoman Shelia Oliver to succeed Joe Roberts as our next Speaker," Wisniewski said in a statement released late this evening.

Wisniewski's withdrawal comes four days after four Democratic Assemblymen from Middlesex County said they would back his bid for Speaker.

Frank "Pat" Dodd (D-West Orange), above, wanted to serve as second two-year term as Senate President, but dropped out when Majority Leader Matthew Feldman (D-Teaneck) had the votes.

Post-Election Day politics in New Jersey might feature as many as five contested races for Legislative leadership positions: Senate President, Assembly Speaker, Senate Majority Leader, Assembly Majority Leader, and Assembly Minority Leader. 

Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) faces a challenge from Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford).  Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden) is retiring; Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman is running for Speaker against John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville), and possibly against Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) and Sheila Oliver (D-Adubato).  Those races create openings for Majority Leader; perhaps more importantly, the contests create campaigns for Senate Judiciary Chairman and for Budget and Appropriations committee chairmanships in both houses.

Some of New Jersey's best leadership fights:

The race for Assembly Speaker is causing political headaches for Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro),  who will  steer clear of an endorsement until her own re-election campaign is over.  On Friday, Middlesex County Democratic Chairman Joseph Spicuzzo announced that the entire Middlesex Democratic Assembly delegation would back John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) for Speaker.  That put Greenstein, a five-term Democratic lawmaker from Middlesex, in hot water with Mercer County Democrats, who are backing Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) for the post.  Greenstein's district is evenly divided between Middlesex and Mercer.

Spicuzzo's announcement that Greenstein was backing Wisniewski upset Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, who is backing Watson Coleman.  Hughes convinced Greenstein to back off her pledge to Spicuzzo and remain comfortably on the sidelines.    For Wisniewski, it means that a campaign that was just hours old already had a defection.

This is bad news for Watson Coleman, who was assuming the support of Greenstein and hoping for the backing of Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton).  With African American legislators sidelined as another candidate, Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) mulls a bid for Speaker, all Watson Coleman really has at this point is one vote from her running mate, Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton), and her own. 

VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE ENERGIZES CORZINE CAMPAIGN
& NEW JERSEY DEMS AT ANNUAL STATE CONFERENCE

Former Vice President Gore Headlines
New Jersey Democrats’ 2009 Convention

(ATLANTIC CITY) – Governor Jon S. Corzine and New Jersey Democratic State Committee (DSC) Chairman Joseph P. Cryan this evening hailed Vice President Al Gore’s visit to New Jersey as a significant force in energizing New Jersey Democrats.  Gore gave the keynote address at this evening’s dinner hosted by Congressman Frank Pallone to honor Governor Jon S. Corzine at the 2009 New Jersey Democratic State Conference.

CRYAN SLAMS CHRISTIE FOR HIS BUSH ECONOMIC AGENDA
& PUTTING PARTISANSHIP IN FRONT OF
WORKING NEW JERSEY FAMILIES

 
(TRENTON) – In light of newly released Census data showing that median income has increased in New Jersey, Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan today blasted Bush Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie for putting partisanship ahead of New Jersey families’ economic future.

Former Vice President Al Gore with Roger Chugh, the former Assistant N.J. Secretary of State

Former Vice President Al Gore will attend the New Jersey Democratic State Conference in Atlantic City next week.

"Vice President Gore recognizes how important this election is to the future of New Jersey and to working families for generations to come," said Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union), the Democratic State Chairman.  "He also has first-hand experience with how far the National Republican Party will go to obstruct positive change in Washington. Republicans have their sights set on New Jersey as a way to bolster their party and stop President Barack Obama's bold agenda for change."

Assembly Human Services Committee chair Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) is mulling a bid for Assembly Speaker

Look for a fourth candidate in the race for Assembly Speaker: Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) has spent the last two days testing the waters to seek the post.  Oliver is the Assistant Essex County Administrator, which means strong ties to County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and Newark Democratic leader Stephen Adubato.  Essex County has the state's largest Assembly delegation - nine votes.

Oliver would become the second African American woman to run for Speaker, joining Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing).  Watson Coleman said on Wednesday that she would run.  Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union), the Democratic State Chairman, and Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) are also looking at the race.

Oliver's chances of becoming Speaker could be boosted by a leadership change in the upper house, where Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) is considering a challenge to Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland).  It is unlikely that Essex Democrats would get both slots, and more likely that they would if the Senate Presidency goes to South Jersey.

The 57-year-old Oliver is seeking her fourth term in the State Assembly this year.  She represents District 34, which includes East Orange, Montclair and Clifton.  She is a former Essex County Freeholder and East Orange Board of Education President, and lost her bid for Mayor of East Orange in the 1997 Democratic primary by just 51 votes.  She is currently the Assembly Speaker Pro-Tempore and the Chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee.

CRYAN:  COURT RULING UPHOLDING PAYOUT LIMITS FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS A WIN FOR TAXPAYERS

(TRENTON) - Assemblyman Joseph Cryan today called a ruling by a New Jersey appeals court upholding state Department of Education Commissioner Lucille Davy's ability to limit sick and vacation time payouts for departing school administrators "a win for the taxpayers of the State of New Jersey."

Cryan is the sponsor of legislation (A-2975) that would prohibit school superintendents, assistant superintendents and school business administrations who leave their jobs - whether by retirement or other means - from earning any payment except for legally allowable buy-backs of unused sick leave and vacation time.