Michael Panter

Monmouth County Democrats don't seek to like East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov, who says she won't seek the Democratic nomination for State Assembly in the 12th district this year.

East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov's decision not to run for State Assembly in District 12 was applauded by some Monmouth County Democrats, who said they would not have supported giving her the organization line even if she did want to run.  A Democratic source in Monmouth alleges that Mironov was a "major impediment" to twelfth district campaigns in recent years, saying that she was downright "hostile" to State Sen. Ellen Karcher, Assemblymen Michael Panter and Dr. Robert Morgan, and Assembly candidate (now Freeholder) Amy Mallet. 

At one East Windsor event Mironov ran in 2007, the source said the Mayor refused to allow Mallet to speak - a move that apparently stunned U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg and Senate President Richard Codey, who were in attendance.  The Monmouth Democratic source says Mironov sought to "disrupt the efforts of 12th District legislators in a persistent, passive-aggressive way.  She doesn't play well with others, and would go into four letter tirades if she found out a Democratic legislator even had a meeting in East Windsor or Hightstown without seeking her prior consent.  So there is not much love for Janice in the Monmouth party which is 80% of the district by population."

East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov

Democratic Party members have approached veteran East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov about the possibility of her running for the Assembly in the 12th District this year, Mironov confirmed to PolitickerNJ.com.

But, “I don’t have any plans to do that,” said Mironov, who has served 14 years as mayor of the east side Mercer County town.

“I love being mayor,” she added. “I never close any doors. Nobody does that. But I have no plans at this point. My residents have been very good to me.”

If Joseph Kyrillos doesn’t get picked to run for Lt. Governor in 2009, he’s likely to retire from the State Senate in 2011, according to a Monmouth GOP leader with knowledge of Kyrillos’ plans.  The six-term State Senator is actively seeking the LG nod, hoping to run on a ticket with his friend, U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie.

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin would be the front runner to succeed Kyrillos in the Senate -- though not at all automatic on the GOP side -- if the 13th district seat remains intact after redistricting.  If the seat is open, mapmakers could move State Sen. Jennifer Beck into District 13; her hometown, Red Bank, borders on the 13th.  That could boost the chances for Democrats to recapture the 12th district, where former State Sen. Ellen Karcher and former Assemblyman Michael Panter are mulling comebacks.

There’s no question that the Democrats would love to take out rising Republican star Jennifer Beck in the 12th legislative district.

But with her reelection over three years away and redistricting coming up in 2010, none of the potential challengers on deck for her will even indicate that they’re thinking of taking her on. But they won’t rule it out either.

Former Assemblyman Mike Panter, who spent four years in the legislature before being ousted in a miniature Republican wave led by Beck in November – one largely blamed on a controversial farmland tax assessment break taken by former State Sen. Ellen Karcher – said he’s made a conscious effort not to think about politics this year.

Former Assemblyman Michael Panter, who lost his bid for re-election to a third term in 2007, is expected to play an active role raising money for Democratic legislative candidates in 2009. Assembly Democratic sources say that Panter won’t run again next year, but instead hopes to pick up a series of political IOU’s that he can use in 2011 as mapmakers redrew legislative districts.  Panter wants to see the twelfth district become more Democratic and then challenge Republican Jennifer Beck for the State Senate.

The new class of legislators isn’t even seated yet, but that won’t stop us from speculating about the Assembly election in 2009.

Granted, two years is a political eternity, and which party will hold an advantage in that time depends most heavily on who’s at the top of the ticket. But when the new Assemblymen and women take their places in Trenton early next year, there will be 25 freshmen – several from competitive districts. Those represent the best opportunity for each party to knock off some incumbents.

Right now, however, from this great distance, it doesn’t appear as though any new districts will come into the fold, or that control of either legislative body is likely to shift. Indeed, it’s more likely that 2009 will see a smaller number of districts in play.

Gov. Jon Corzine is optimistic about New Jersey's futureSeated at a back table in an Ironbound restaurant on Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Jon Corzine listened as he heard the leadership of his party described as a three-headed hydra; an image used by Republicans on the campaign trail to characterize Senate President Richard Codey, Speaker Joseph Roberts - and Corzine.

The governor thinks it's ridiculous.

"We have a Constitution that separates power for a reason," said Corzine: to prevent one branch of government from usurping the authority that individuals have in each branch.

The appointment of former Attorney General Stuart Rabner to the office of state Supreme Court Justice is one of his proudest accomplishments as governor, given the quality and preparedness of the man, Corzine said. However, the judiciary is not the troubled branch of government by the reckoning of Corzine's fiercest critics - maybe philosophically with decisions such as Abbott - but at least not immediately.

2007 was a Republican year in New Jersey, thanks to some significant local gains, a well played game of defense, the defeat of two ballot referendums, and the growing insignificance of Governor Jon “Hold Me Accountable” Corzine. It is arguably the first Republican year in New Jersey, albeit marginally, since 1997.

Republicans ousted State Senator Ellen Karcher in the 12th, has a net gain of two Assembly seats – defeating two-term Democrat Michael Panter in Monmouth County and winning back the 8th district seat they lost earlier this year when Francis Bodine switched parties to run for the Senate. The GOP won both Assembly seats in District 2, holding Frank Blee’s seat and picking up the one Jim Whelan vacated.

District 13 Sen. Joseph Kyrillos huddles with Assemblyman Sam Thompson.Stumping throughout central Jersey on Sunday, Gov. Jon Corzine dismissed the recently formed Common Sense America as a closeted anti-gay group masquerading as a champion of fiscal conservatism.

In defiance of Fair and Clean Elections in the 14th district, the Princeton-based outfit has spent an estimated $450,000-worth of ads against Democratic Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein and by extension, her running mate, labor leader Wayne DeAngelo.

"It’s not going to end up having a major impact," said Corzine, with Greenstein, DeAngelo and state Senate candidate Seema Singh, at his side in Hamilton’s Golden Dawn Diner.

The Trenton Times today endorsed Republican Jennifer Beck for State Senate in the hotly contested 12th district race, saying she was "the more persistent voice in fighting for change."  Beck has also been endorsed by the Asbury Park Press and the Star-Ledger in her bid to unseat Democratic incumbent Ellen Karcher.

"Could Ms. Karcher have been more forceful in prying more reforms out of the Democratic-controlled Legislature? It's hard to say, but clearly this last session was full of half-measures and some outright failures," the editorial said.  READ