Nellie Pou

One recurring theme in newspaper endorsements from across the state: some candidates don't properly prepare for editorial board meetings.  In several cases during this cycle, newspapers said they were reluctant to endorse incumbents, but had no choice after challengers were either ill-equipped to answer public policy questions, or simply did not respond to invitations to participate.  Newspapers wouldn't have necessarily endorsed the challengers if they met them, or if they were not competent, but incumbents are favored when the challengers don't even show up.

The Record and the Herald News still endorsed Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange), likely to be the next Assembly Speaker, even though they were "skeptical, given the heavy influence of New Jersey's political machinery," of her claim to be an independent thinker - and despite her possession of another full-time government job. Oliver's GOP opponents did not meet with the newspaper's editorial board: "We have no sense of whether they can back up their promises."

In the neighboring 35th district, the Record and the Herald News lamented over their choices when they endorsed incumbents Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) and Elease Evans (D-Paterson).

"It is possible the Republicans would make excellent members of the Assembly, yet they did not meet with The Herald News' editorial board. Their positions on issues important to the state and to the district are less clear to us.  While we are not comfortable, given these difficult times, with two incumbents who hold close ties to the state's powerful unions, we cannot endorse challengers whose positions and allegiances are largely unknown," the editorials said.  "It would be better if voters in the 35th had a greater choice for Assembly. As it is, the choices are few, and from here, the known is a step above the unknown."

The Courier Post complained that two of the three Republican candidates for Camden County Freeholder wouldn't take their calls, and the third candidate was not even remotely ready for public office.  Brian Kluchnick, a GOP Assembly candidate in the fifth district, also didn't return phone calls.  The Courier-Post has surely shown a willingness to endorse Republican candidates.

The Record and the Herald News have endorsed incumbent Democratic legislators in Districts 34 and 35, but said that they were "skeptical, given the heavy influence of New Jersey's political machinery" that Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) is an "independent thinker."

Oliver is expected to become the next Assembly Speaker when the Legislature reorganizes in January.  The two newspapers also endorsed Assemblyman Thomas Giblin (D-Montclair) for re-election.

HILDA SOLIS PRAISES CORZINE’S EFFORTS
ON BEHALF OF WORKING  LATINO FAMILIES
ACROSS NEW JERSEY

 
(PATERSON) – Governor Jon S. Corzine and Senator Loretta Weinberg today were joined on the campaign trail by Hilda Solis at a breakfast event hosted by Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Paterson) to energize and invigorate Hispanic women and celebrate Governor Corzine’s achievements on-behalf of women and New Jersey’s Latino community.

State Sen. John Girgenti (D-Hawthorne) is no push-over.  After The Inside Edge reported last week that there was speculation that Girgenti could face retirement in two years as Latinos eye his Senate seat.  Girgenti is a white man in a district where Latinos and African Americans outnumber whites. 

"Any suggestion that the Passaic County Democratic Party does not stand fully in support of Senator Girgenti is ridiculous," Currie told PolitickerNJ.com.

But Passaic County Democratic Chairman John Currie says that Girgenti is a lock on re-election, and went on to announce that Girgenti will also enjoy the support of Assemblywomen Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) and Elease Evans (D-Paterson), as well as all seven Democratic Municipal chairs in the 35th district:  Anthony DeNova of North Haledon; Barbara O'Byrne of Totowa; Irene Brown of Glen Rock; Delores Sykes Williams and Rev.  James Kuykendall of Paterson; Jerry Volpe of Haledon, and Mayor Mohamed Khairullah of Prospect Park.

Two State Senators who have remained loyal to Richard Codey (D-Roseland) are likely nearing the end of the legislative careers, according to several Democratic insiders.  As a white man representing a district where Latinos and African Americans outnumber whites, John Girgenti (D-Hawthorne) has been at risk of losing party support for the last few years.  Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Paterson) asked Passaic County Democrats to consider her for the Senate in 2007, but party leaders backed the re-election of the 62-year-old Hawthorne Democrat who has been in the Legislature since 1977.  Latino leaders have been eyeing the 35th district Senate seat as their best opportunity to double their representation in the upper house – from one to two.

Girgenti could either lose party support for another term in the Senate, or mapmakers – if Democrats were to dominate legislative redistricting – could offer him the chance run in a new district, perhaps against Senate Minority Whip Kevin O’Toole (R-Cedar Grove).

Some Democrats say the retirement of Senate President Pro-Tempore Shirley Turner (D-Lawrence) could come sooner rather than later.  If Gov. Jon Corzine wins a second term, Turner – no favorite of the front office – could be offered another post in an effort to clear a path for Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) to go to the Senate.  Watson Coleman, popular with Democrats, appears to have gotten the short end of the stick in a legislative leadership deal that will make Sheila Oliver (D-Ewing) the next Assembly Speaker and Joseph Cryan (D-Union) the new Majority Leader.  Watson Coleman is also a contender for a cabinet post in a second Corzine administration. 

If Turner completes her turn and Watson Coleman remains in the Assembly, there is a good chance that Turner will get nudged into retirement in two years so that Watson Coleman can move up to the Senate then.

POU, EVANS, WAY AND CURRIE ATTEND RALLY
TO OPEN PATERSON VICTORY ‘09 OFFICE
TO SUPPORT CORZINE & DEMOCRATS

 
(PATERSON) – Assemblywomen Nellie Pou and Elease Evans today joined Victory ’09 co-chair Freeholder Tahesha Way, Passaic County Democratic Chairman John Currie, elected officials and candidates from across Passaic, as well as volunteers and Paterson residents at a rally to kick-off the grand opening of the new Passaic County headquarters of the Democratic State Committee’s Victory ’09 Campaign.

POU: PRIVATE JOB GROWTH SHOWS EFFORTS TO COMBAT GLOBAL RECESSION ARE WORKING

(TRENTON) – Assembly Appropriations Chairwoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) released the following statement today on new employment numbers that show New Jersey added 2,900 private sector jobs in August:

“Today’s new employment numbers show the aggressive and innovative steps New Jersey has taken under Gov. Corzine to help workers and businesses through the global economic recession are taking hold.

“For the second consecutive month, private sector job growth is up. Meanwhile, public employment is down. That’s great news for workers, businesses and taxpayers..."

Assemblyman Vincent Prieto (D-Secaucus) joins Gov. Jon Corzine for a rally in honor of the governor this morning at Workers United Union headquarters in Newark.

NEWARK - Gov. Jon Corzine stepped up to the podium at Workers United Union headquarters to accept the endorsements of Latino elected officials even as his GOP rivals in the governor's race loosed a counter list of private sector and former elected official Latinos backing Republican candidate Chris Christie.

"Because of Jon Corzine's failures, our communities, schools and cities are suffering," said Lydia Valencia, director of the Puerto Rican Congress of New Jersey and chairwoman of Hispanics for Christie.  "We need a governor who understands the reality facing real New Jerseyans struggling to make ends meet, especially when Corzine's taxes are taking a bigger and bigger chunk of our money. I am supporting Chris because he will bring jobs to our state, help small businesses and make sure our children receive a quality education."

Alert to Christie's efforts to woo Latino voters (he has campaigned in Union City, Perth Amboy and regularly in Jersey City, and has a "Christie-Guadagno" campaign song set to salsa), Democratic elected officials closed ranks around the governor.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken); Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Paterson, chair of the Latino Legislative Caucus; Paterson Mayor Jose Torres; Passaic Mayor Alex Blanco; Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz; West New York Mayor Sal Vega; state Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark), Newark North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos; and many others, 17 total, rallied with Corzine at union headquarters in downtown Newark while an audience of mostly SEIU workers rained praise on the incumbent governor.

WATSON COLEMAN / CRUZ-PEREZ / JASEY / EVANS / GUSCIORA & POU BILL ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS SIGNED INTO LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by six Assembly Democrats to give counties the ability to establish grant programs to address homelessness was signed into law today by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

The law (A-3101) is sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) and Assembly members Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-Camden), Mila Jasey (D-Essex), Elease Evans (D-Passaic), Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer) and Nellie Pou (D-Passaic).

“The number of homeless, in New Jersey – especially women and children – is unacceptably high and may go even higher as more families face the very real and scary prospect of losing their homes to foreclosure,” Watson Coleman said. “State and local governments must work together to provide more funding and better services to provide access to affordable housing and ensure families have another option to living in a shelter or on the street.”

POU: CORZINE ORDER ENSURING WOMEN AND MINORITIES BENEFIT FROM STIMULUS IS ‘REAL PROGRESS’ FOR NJ

(PRINCETON TWP.) – Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) released the following statement Friday after Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed an executive order ensuring businesses owned by women and minorities benefit from federal and state economic stimulus projects:

“It was so gratifying and important today to see Go. Corzine reaffirm his strong commitment to provide equal employment opportunity for women and minorities.

“Today’s executive order not only emphasizes the importance of providing work to deserving women- and minority-owned business, but imposes requirements to make it possible.

“This isn’t just a piece of paper signed to make us feel good about boosting women and minority-owned businesses.

“This is real progress for New Jersey..."