Former Atlantic County Prosecutor Jeffrey Blitz, a Republican who Democrats recruited to run for assembly in the 2nd Legislative District, has turned down the offer.

“I made it known early on after I gave it some thought that I didn’t want to be a candidate,” said Blitz, 67, who served for 22 years as county prosecutor.  

Democrats were hoping to launch a major offensive against incumbents Vince Polistina (R-Egg Harbor Township) and John Amodeo (R-Margate), but top state party insiders felt that Blitz was the only potential candidate who could be competitive in the current political climate.  

Last month, the Press of Atlantic City reported that Blitz’s name surfaced in a Democratic poll, although by that time, Blitz said, he had already taken his name out of the running.

Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper sees a run for higher office in her future, but she’s not sure what exactly it will be.

“Certainly down the line. In the future.  I’m not saying definitely 2009, but most definitely I would like to run for higher office. Whether it’s going to be 2009 or 2010 I’m not sure at this point,” said Cooper. 

Cooper just won reelection to the Atlantic County freeholder board, and said she’s still catching her breath from that hard fought campaign.  But she said that she wouldn’t mind following the legacy of her mother, who went from being a freeholder to an Assemblywoman, serving from the 1980s to the early 1990s.