mathias rodriguez

Perth Amboy Mayor WIlda Diaz

PERTH AMBOY - When her ally lost his bid to be the replacement Assembly candidate in the 19th Legislative District, Mayor Wilda Diaz didn't immediately back the Democratic Party ticket consisting of Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) and Woodbridge attorney Craig Coughlin.

But after more than a month of silence, she finally decided to declare her public support for them.

"I came to the conclusion a week ago to support the District 19 Democratic candidates," Diaz told PolitickerNJ.com. "The county committee fight taught me a lesson, but it's politics. The good thing is I supported my candidate until the very end."

With the backing of the Woodbridge party power base, Coughlin administered a beating to Diaz's candidate, retired Superior Court Judge Mathias Rodriguez, an early favorite to replace embattled South Amboy Mayor Jack T. O'Leary on the 19th District Democratic ticket before Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, O'Leary, and Carteret Mayor John Reiman front-ended Coughlin in the 11th hour - along with all the county committee votes from their respective towns to scuttle Rodriguez.

Councilwoman Toni Ricgliano

At the center of Gov. Jon Corzine's turmoil in Middlesex County stands Edison, the biggest town of 25 Middlesex towns, and home to the most registered Democrats, where for Corzine, a civil war primary has bled dangerously into the general election.

On paper - 24,579 registered Democrats to 6,012 Republicans - Edison should be a steamroll win for Democrats, but the town's 17,842 undeclared voters typically don't let mayoral contests pass without a fight. Given the unholy alliances emblematic of Edison politics, the last four general elections here have been close. Top of the ticketwise, Corzine won Edison by single digits in 2005, the same year Mayor Jun Choi pulled out a squeaker against independent Bill Stephens.

Now the fact that Choi, beaten in the June primary, 6,582 to 6,204 votes, does not intend to endorse his Democratic Party conqueror, Councilwoman Antonia "Toni" Ricigliano, creates an especially troubling wrinkle for Team Corzine, who had hoped Choi would call on his troops to unify behind the Democratic ticket and mitigate any independent voter stampede away from Corzine.

Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, left, and state Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Woodbridge) tonight at the Forge.

WOODBRIDGE - When the doors of the Forge flung open, the two groups went in separate directions: the mostly Puerto Rican contingent from Perth Amboy headed drearily back to the bay town, while Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, South Amboy Mayor John O'Leary, Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman and their man for the 19th District, Craig Coughlin, headed straight for the Shannon Rose Pub and a raucous celebration.

State Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Woodbridge) showed up - Coughlin's wife is his campaign treasurer. There's a bond there.

So did Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville), but the sitting 19th District lawmaker from the lower house wasn't a core circle player in this celebration of Coughlin's resounding win over retired Superior Court Judge Mathias Rodriguez and health care professional Jean Pierce tonight at a special party convention at this manor on the northbound side of Route 9.

"Craig was a great candidate with experience in all five towns and all three branches of government," said McCormac, whose county committee allies from his hometown were well-organized in getting out and providing the foundation for Coughlin's 170 winning votes, compared to 75 for Rodriguez and 25 for Pierce.

State Party Chairman Joe Cryan blew in for the hoopla, which had actually started earlier in the evening, back at the Forge, when people looked around and saw Woodbridge out in force and couldn't contain their glee. Those were going to be Coughlin votes.

19th Legislative District Democratic Party nominee Craig Coughlin, right, with Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman

WOODBRIDGE - On first ballot, Woodbridge attorney Craig Coughlin has won the three-way race for the backing of the party to run in the 19th Legislative District, Middlesex County Democratic Committee Chairman Joe Spicuzzo just told the crowd at the Forge Manor. 

The final vote tally: 170 votes for Coughlin; 77 for Mathias Rodriguez, and 25 for Jean Pierce.

"I was very fortunate to win," Coughlin told the crowd.

His running mate, Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville), and LD 19 state Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Woodbridge) towered over him at the front of the room.

"I'm trying to break the barrier and prove you don't need to be 6 ft. 4 to represent this district," Coughlin said.

WOODBRIDGE - Retired Superior Court Judge Mathias Rodriguez is up here in the 19th District and he says he wants to be a voice for the elderly who are having trouble "making ends meet."

He sells himself as a man of integrity.

"I want to help the entire Democratic ticket from Gov. Corzine down to Freeholder Ron Rios," says the Perth Amboy judge.

Above all, he tells the audience in the packed banquet hall, "I am a family man."

Today is Election Day in Middlesex County.  Democratic County Committee members from Woodbridge, Perth Amboy, Carteret, Sayreville and South Amboy will meet tonight to choose a new State Assembly candidate in the 19th district.  Embattled South Amboy Mayor John O'Leary dropped out last month.  Democrats will choose between former Superior Court Judge Mathias Rodriguez of Perth Amboy, former Edison Municipal Court Judge Craig Coughlin of Woodbridge, and Jean Pierce, a health care professional from Woodbridge.

The seat is currently held by Joseph Vas, who decided not to seek re-election after his indictments on federal and state corruption charges.  Vas was defeated for re-election as Mayor of Perth Amboy in 2008, a post he had held for 18 years.

Rodriguez, who resigned from the bench in August to run, has the backing of the new Mayor of Perth Amboy, Wilda Diaz.  Sources say that Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) is also backing Rodriguez, while O'Leary is quietly pushing Coughlin.

Middlesex County Democratic Organization Chairman/Sheriff Joe Spicuzzo

It's going to be a vote by secret ballot tomorrow at the Middlesex County Democratic Committee's special election for a 19th District Assembly candidate, where 340 county committee people are eligible to vote, according to Chairman Joe Spicuzzo.

"There will be four-minute presentations by each of the three candidates," said Spicuzzo.

No questions.

Health care professional Jean Pierce of Woodbridge yesterday drew first to speak, and will occupy the number one spot on the secret ballot. Retired Superior Court Judge Mathias Rodriguez will speak next followed by retired Municipal Judge Craig Coughlin of Woodbridge, who will respectively occupy the two and three spots on the ballot.

District 19 GOP candidate Richard Piatkowski

Although Republicans rumble about the party swapping out one or both of its District 19 candidates depending on the outcome of Wednesday night's special Democratic convention, Middlesex County Republican Chairman Joe Leo said it won't happpen.

"Peter Kothari and Richard Piatkowski are our candidates," said the chairman. "They have the nomination of our party and they will run until the end, and we will win in the 19th District."

Kothari, a Woodbridge businessman, confirmed to PolitickerNJ.com that he had heard talk in the party that he may be gone, jettisoned in favor of a Latino candidate in the event that retired Superior Court Judge Mathias Rodriguez of Perth Amboy loses Wednesday night at the special to either retired Municipal Court Judge Craig Coughlin of Woodbridge or long shot health care professional Jean Pierce, also of Woodbridge.

WOODBRIDGE - Born in South Amboy to a factory worker father who worked at the Perth Amboy Chevron company, a resident of Woodbridge with family in all of the towns over here, Craig Coughlin considers himself a diehard blue collar creation of the 19th District. 

"I think I know the district as well as anyone can," said Coughlin, 51, who's heading into a special convention showdown next Wednesday with retired Superior Court Judge Mathias Rodriguez of Perth Amboy to earn the right as a Democratic candidate in the 19th.

"I don't think Judge Rodriguez knows the district as well as I do," said Coughlin, who's lived in the district's biggest town, Woodbridge, since 1993. "I have friends and family in every community. I know the district. I know what matters. People want a good educational system, protection for seniors and people-centered legislation. I have experience in the judiciary and on the political side."

He lives here in the 19th, and works here.

Peter Kothari's float earlier this month at the Indian Independence Day Parade in Edison.

WOODBRIDGE - As Democrats continue to wage a low-grade civil war in the 19th District, Republicans Richard Piatkowski and Peter Kothari have struggled to stay in tandem and are now mutually feeling party pressure to get out of the race, depending on what happens at Wednesday's special convention, where Democrats seek a successor to embattled South Amboy Mayor John T. O'Leary.

Again they're having a hard time agreeing on a strategy.

Kothari says he would consider backing down for the good of the Republican cause, while Piatkowski says he's intent on being the candidate from Perth Amboy.

"Whatever the party wants, I can do it," said the former, when asked if he's heard rumors about the Republican Party dumping him for a candidate with potentially better name ID, strategic import and more resources to take advantage of rival party blunders.

"I will definitely consider it," the GOP Assembly candidate from Woodbridge said when asked if he could leave the contest. "My priority is getting Chris Christie elected as our next governor. We also have to reclaim the 19th District. If the party wants to put someone here it believes would make our chances more strong, then I'm ready to fight for that candidate."