Karen Brown

In addition to Jon Corzine and Christopher Christie, independent gubernatorial candidate Christopher Daggett will need to pick a running mate within the next four weeks.  If Daggett qualifies for matching funds - he told NJN's Michael Aron on Tuesday that he expects to do that within the next few weeks - his campaign will have at least $1.1 million to spend on the race.  And if the Legislature passes a bill (already through the Assembly) to mandate Lt. Governor debates, Daggett's running mate will be on TV with, for example, Barbara Buono and Diane Allen.  Daggett won't want a James Stockdale situation.

To demonstrate that his ticket is truly independent, Daggett, a former Republican who held top environmental posts under President Ronald Reagan and Gov. Thomas Kean, may be considering a Democrat.  The Inside Edge, not in consultation with the Daggett campaign, has put together a short list of ten potential Daggett LG candidates:

Ronni Nochimson will drop her bid for Passaic County Clerk, a position she held for ten years before losing re-election in 2009. Nochimson, who was a Republican until three years ago, had sought the endorsement of the Passaic County Democratic organization, but lost an executive committee vote to Woodland Park Council President Keith Kazmark on Saturday.  She committed to backing the winner of that vote, and a Nochimson supporter says she will honor that pledge.

Candidates endorsed by the Wayne Democratic Organization, left to right, Keith Kazmark for County Clerk; John Agostinelli, Tahesha Way, and Gus Peñaranda for Passaic County Freeholder

Woodland Park Councilman Keith Kazmark scored a key victory in his bid to become the Democratic nominee for Passaic County Clerk by winning a formal endorsement from the Wayne Democratic Organization.  The local Democrats voted to back Kazmark over his main rival, former County Clerk Ronni Nochimson, after hearing presentations from both candidates.

The incumbent, Karen Brown, is not seeking re-election. Brown ousted Nochimson in the 2004 general election and the former Clerk has since switched parties.

Wayne Democrats also voted to back Tahesha Way, a Wayne resident, for re-election to the Passaic County Board of Freeholders.  The group also endorsed Augusto Peñaranda, a Paterson Library Trustee, and former Little Falls Councilman John Agostinelli for two open Freeholder seats. Peñaranda and Agostinelli beat two other contenders, Hawthorne Mayor Domenick Stampone and Hawthorne businessman Dino Callegari.

Passaic County Clerk Karen Brown, left, announced today that she won't seek re-election to a second term. One possible replacement is West Paterson Council President Keith Kazmark.

Not surprising party brass and rank-and-filers who were preparing for a battle - just in case, Passaic County Clerk Karen Brown announced she will not run for reelection to a second term, informing Democratic Party supporters in a letter this morning.

“Serving as County Clerk has been a great privilege, and I thank all of my supporters for their confidence in my abilities.  Nonetheless, it is with mixed emotions that I announce my intention not to seek re-election as Passaic County Clerk,” wrote Brown, a Clifton lawyer who's originally from Paterson.

Passaic County Clerk Karen Brown could face West Paterson Councilman Keith Kazmark in a contest for the Democratic nomination.

Passaic County Democrats will have a lot on their plate over the next few months as they decide who to run for two Freeholder seats and if they'll back embattled County Clerk Karen Brown for re-election.  Democrats expect two Freeholders, Sonia Rosado and James Gallagher, not to run again - at least in the case of Gallagher, not as a Democrat. 

Brown won the post five years ago when she ousted two-term incumbent Ronni Nochimson by a 54%-46% margin.  Nochimson, who was the last Republican to hold countywide office in Passaic County, switched parties in 2006 and has said he wants to run for her old job as a Democrat.  Brown has a strong ally in U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, but will have a tough time convincing Democratic County Chairman John Currie and some of the Democratic Freeholders to support her.

Woodland Park Councilman Keith Kazmark, who is the Elmwood Park Municipal Clerk, is also reportedly interested in running for County Clerk.  Kazmark is a former Democratic political operative with strong ties to party leaders across the county.

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.

Deputy Passaic County Clerk Lauren Vande Vaarst resigned today. Her relationship with County Clerk Karen Brown has deteriorated rapidly in recent months after Vande Vaarst dropped out of Brown's lawsit against six of the seven Passaic County Freeholders.