Nicholas Asselta

PoliticsNJ.com made a trip up to the ivory tower and asked three oft-quoted political analysts for their takes on tomorrow’s legislative elections: Ingrid Reed, Director of the Eagleton Institute’s New Jersey Project; Joe Marbach, political science professor and acting Dean at Seton Hall University; and Brigid Harrison, political science professor at Montclair State.

A Zogby poll conducted for the Press of Atlantic City and Richard Stockton State College shows Democrat James Whelan leading GOP State Sen. Sonny McCullough by a 50%-37% margin, and the race between Republican State Sen. Nicholas Asselta and Democrat Jeff Van Drew to be a statistical dead heat.

Van Drew, a three-term Assemblyman, leads Asselta by a 45%-42% margin. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 5%.

(ALONG THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY, November 2) – First District Senator Nick Asselta and his Assembly running mates Norris Clark and Mike Donohue today joined Senate Republican Leader Leonard Lance and Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce, and Second District Senator Sonny McCullough and his Assembly running mates John Amodeo and Vince Polistina at a press conference off the Garden State Parkway to declare their opposition to any consideration of the Democrats’ plan to sell New Jersey’s toll roads during a lame duck session of the legislature.

One of the biggest stakeholders in next week’s mid-term election is seven-term Republican Congressman Frank LoBiondo, who played a key role in Sonny McCullough’s victory over Frank Blee in a February 2007 Special Election Convention for State Senator. 

LoBiondo’s political fortunes are also closely tied to the success of his close friend, State Senator Nicholas Asselta; polling from both parties shows the incumbent trailing.  Maryannie Harper, LoBiondo’s longtime Chief of Staff, is on a leave of absence to run Asselta’s campaign.

The Daily Journal has endorsed Republican State Senator Nicholas Asselta and Democratic Assemblyman Nelson Albano for re-election.  For the open Assembly seat, they backed Republican Mike Donohue.  READ

The Asbury Park Press has endorsed Jennifer Beck over Ellen Karcher, the Press of Atlantic City is backing Jefferson Van Drew and James Whelan over Nicholas Asselta and Sonny McCullough, respectively, The Record wants Joseph Ariyan instead of Gerald Cardinale, and the Courier Post and the Philadelphia Inquirer have endorsed Phil Haines over Francis Bodine.

The state Republican Committee welcomed President Bush to a fundraiser in the spring to help raise cash for GOP candidates in Legislative races, but Rep. Frank LoBiondo says the money wheeling into the 1st district senate race from Camden Democrats is worse.

The race for State Senator in District 2 is a Toss-Up, while Nicholas Asselta and Ellen Karcher could be headed for defeat, according to a new PoliticsNJ.com Battleground '07 analysis.  READ