Richard Codey

State Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean (R-Westfield) won't rule out the possibility of backing state Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) over Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) in a battle for the senate presidency that to this point has been mostly confined to the Democratic caucus.

"My focus going forward is for the people of the State of New Jersey to have more a affordable quality of life, a more accountable government, and real job creation," said Kean, when asked by PolitickerNJ.com if he had ruled out throwing the support of the 17 members of his caucus to the embattled sitting senate president.

"We will work in a bipartisan fashion to achieve those ends," added Kean.

Codey earlier in the week learned that Sweeney had mustered 14 Democratic votes in a 23-member caucus, propelling the labor leader senator from South Jersey past the 62-year old veteran senator and former governor in their majority Democratic caucus.

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Newark Mayor Cory Booker needed to do some damage control yesterday after taking heat for his endorsement of Richard Codey (D-Roseland) in the race for Senate President.  Booker, at the urging of two lawyers who advise him, Elnardo Webster and Paul Fader, backed Codey after Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) had already announced he had a majority of the Democratic Senate Caucus on his side.   That caused some Democrats close to Sweeney - especially George Norcross - to offer Booker a bit of friendly guidance.  (It's fair to assume that the advice included strategic assumptions for the 2013 Democratic gubernatorial primary.)  Booker, realizing Webster and Fader might have screwed up a bit, put out a statement late in the day acknowledging Sweeney's victory over Codey, and endorsing Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) for Speaker.  That probably made Norcross happy, but it won't be any consolation to Codey, who thought announcing a Booker endorsement a few hours earlier might be his salvation.

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One of the likely casualties of the battle for the Senate Presidency will be Assemblyman John McKeon (D-West Orange), who is Richard Codey's (D-Roseland) closest ally in the Legislature.  Watch for the new leadership to punish McKeon, perhaps by taking away his chairmanship of the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee.  Democrats will argue that with the new Speaker coming from Essex, some of the more prestigious chairmanships might need to go elsewhere. 

Democrats most loyal to Gov. Jon Corzine are not big fans of McKeon, who took on the role of bashing Corzine during the few months in 2004 and 2005 when Codey and Corzine might have been competitors for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

McKeon, the Mayor of West Orange, has been widely viewed as the heir apparent to Codey's Senate seat.  With Codey apparently about to lose his post to Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford), the new leadership might be less than enthusiastic about seeing McKeon ascend to the Senate.  Sources suggest that Democrats might be open to moving West Orange (and perhaps Roseland, if Codey runs again) out of the district during the 2011 redistricting process.

Maybe Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris Twp.) will get his wish: the conservative Republican told PolitickerNJ.com last month that he would run against Codey if mapmakers created a competitive district that is at least half Morris County,

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With 33 days to go before the general gubernatorial election, it almost feels like a primary, with Democrats warring Democrats.

Vital party territory - Essex County - treads at the edge of civil war in the aftermath of state Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney's (D-West Deptford) professed lock-up of two state senators from the home turf of Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland).

But as Codey fights on, Sweeney from his base in South Jersey refuses to take any blame for exploding their backroom rivalry into the public sphere and further pitting Codey against Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, who employs those two pro-Sweeney senators.

"I was looking to move beyond it by making the announcement now that I have 14 votes," said Sweeney. "My main purpose is Jon Corzine's reelection. I've been up and down this state, helping the governor with debate preps, and speaking before different groups. It's Dick Codey who kept fanning the flames. I got 14 votes, now he's trying to leverage and pressure people.

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Newark Mayor Cory Booker says that Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) will be the next Senate President and has endorsed Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) for Assembly Speaker.

Earlier today, Richard Codey (D-Roseland) issued a statement announcing that Booker has endorsed his re-election as Senate President, along with thirteen other Democratic mayors from Essex County.  Booker offered praise of Codey's service, but acknowledged that Sweeney has the votes to win.

"For his entire career Dick Codey has been a true champion of New Jersey and the city of Newark. And for my short career as mayor he has been an honorable friend and invaluable ally. It is clear to me that the question of who will be our next senate president has been settled," Booker said in an e-mail to PolitickerNJ.com. "We are all Democrats and it is time to come together and work on the important issues facing our state and each individual municipality and also ensure that Governor Jon Corzine is re-elected. I look forward to working with Senator Sweeney in his new role and am confident that he too will be a champion of New Jersey and the city of Newark."

Booker made it clear that he is backing Oliver, an ally of Newark Democratic leader Stephen Adubato, Sr., for Speaker.

"What remains unsettled is the question of who will be the Assembly Speaker. I have no vote in this matter, but to the degree that I am able I will be a strong advocate for Sheila Oliver," Booker said.  "Her ascendancy to this position will not only be historic as the first African American to hold this seat but much more importantly, she is a qualified public servant who will provide critical leadership for our state during these challenging times.

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All fourteen Democratic mayors in Essex County - including Newark Mayor Cory Booker -- today endorsed Richard Codey (D-Roseland) for re-election as Senate President.  The endorsement comes one day after Codey's rival, Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) announced that he had the backing of fourteen of the 23 Democratic State Senators.

Mayors have no voice in the Senate Democratic Caucus, which will choose legislative leadership positions in the upper house, but Codey is seeking to put some pressure on two Essex Democrats, Nia Gill (D-Montclair) and Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark), who were among the Senators who endorsed Sweeney yesterday.

In addition to Booker, Codey won the backing of: East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser, Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith, Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, West Orange Mayor John McKeon, Livingston Mayor Charles August, Bloomfield Mayor Ray McCarthy, Belleville Mayor Ray Kimble, Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca, Montclair Mayor Jerry Fried, Livingston Mayor Charles August, Caldwell Mayor Sue Gartland, South Orange Mayor Doug Newman and Roseland Mayor John Arvanities.

The full text of their statement:
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For months, Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) and Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) worked the phones and buttonholes and exit ramps of caucus colleagues in an effort to get commitments of support to run the state senate for the next two years.

And while shock characterized some of the Essex County delegation's reaction to news Wednesday that South Jersey union leader Sweeney has enough backing to bump veteran North Jersey political animal Codey off the upper-house rostrum, caucus members statewide took the probability of a leadership transition in stride, having seen the endgame months ago.

"At the end of the day, I did it on its merits," state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen) said of her support for Sweeney over Codey. "Senator Codey has done a fine job, but it's Steve's time.

"Senator Sweeney and I have worked very well together and I have grown to trust his integrity and his word," added Buono, who when asked if her support for Sweeney came with the promise of votes delivered to make her majority leader said, "That's a decision for the Democratic caucus."

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In the last 24 hours: Steve Sweeney appears to have beaten Dick Codey in the race for Senate President; Sheila Oliver looks like she has the votes to become the next Assembly Speaker; and new Quinnipiac poll shows a close race for Governor, with Chris Christie leading Jon Corzine by four percentage points.

PolitickerNJ.com's coverage of today's news:

Governor
Quinnipiac poll has Christie ahead by 4 points as Corzine gets closer
Christie camp highlights Corzine's QPAC negatives
Cryan heartened by poll numbers showing closer race
Webber focuses on Corzine's 39%
Daggett brings out the impersonators again

Senate President
Sweeney has dinner with Cunningham... and Cardwell
Opposition researcher says OLS tipped off Codey
Codey absorbs news of Sweeney's backers, won't give up
Sweeney announces endorsements of majority of Democratic Senators in bid for Senate President
Lesniak: having a Speaker and Senate President from the same county would be 'unprecedented' and 'not good'
Bowser reminded DiVincenzo about the consequences of opposing Codey
Labor group backs Sweeney

Assembly Speaker
Oliver: 'I am the most independent person ever elected'
Coleman not ready to give up on speakership
South Jersey Democrats back Oliver for Speaker
Wisniewski drops bid for Speaker and endorses Oliver

Assembly Minority Leader
DeCroce/Bramnick flex overwhelming support in face of Biondi faction

Legislative Races
40 Assembly candidates seek 'return the Legislature to regular citizens'
FOP releases endorsements

Local
Former Irvington mayor pleads guilty to taking kickbacks
Healy files with ELEC for 2013

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Faced with Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) allies fingering him as the culprit behind Codey's imminent leadership downfall and months away from an election that most observers thought would be a walkover for him, Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo hit back tonight.

Codey's people say the presence of state Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark) and state Sen. Nia Gill (D-Montclair) on a 14-member roster backing Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) bid for Senate President against Codey prove DiVincenzo wants Codey gone and was only too willing to lend a shoulder to the South Jersey gang-up. 

DiVincenzo says no way.

"If Dick Codey had the votes, we would have been with Dick Codey - we would have supported him," said the county executive. "He didn't have the votes! Dick's done a good job, but he doesn't have the support of what? - his colleagues."

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