Lyndon LaRouce

Teaneck Councilman Adam Gussen, a critic of the Democratic splinter group headed up by state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck), plans to seek an Assembly seat against Weinberg's allies in the District 37 Democrats' convention next month.

"I believe by and large the problems in New Jersey today are the result of the collective product of our legislators, and we cannot fix the problems with the people and the thinking that caused the problems," said Gussen in a phone interview with PolitickerNJ.com.

Gussen said that he has filed to take on incumbents Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Fair Lawn) and Gordon Johnson (D-Englewood).

The convention, where county committee members from the eleven towns that comprise the legislative district will choose who will get the party line in the June primary, is planned for Wednesday, March 11th.

Gussen said that he will not run in the primary if he does not win, and that he's signed an affidavit to that effect.  Johnson and Huttle both said they refused to sign the affidavit when it was presented to them, since at the time they were not convinced the convention would be fair.

Gussen called Johnson a hypocrite for using "rhetoric about reform, transparency and open government, and yet you have someone representing the district who is a triple dipper, a dual office-holder and has financially supported Lyndon LaRouche."

In many counties, a State Senator being criticized for ethical woes by her own County Chairman could cause a race to become suddenly competitive. That's not the case in the 37th district, where Republican Clara Nibot has practically no chance to oust incumbent Loretta Weinberg next month. The Nibot campaign was effectively over when she failed to qualify for public financing in the Clean Elections pilot program. You have to wonder if Joseph Ferriero and Weinberg would have attacked each other if the Republican ticket had $300,000 to spend.