Hudson County is deep Frank Lautenberg territory, but Democratic Senate candidate Rob Andrews came to the heart of Jersey City’s downtown today to hold a town hall meeting.

“We will expand the campaign anywhere people will have us,” said Andrews before holding court at a gazebo in the city’s Hamilton Park. “There’s one rule in the Andrews campaign – you have to be young at heart, you have to be willing to support us.”

The meeting was organized by the local councilman, Seven Fulop – a likely mayoral candidate next year and frequent critic of Jersey City Mayor/HCDO Chairman Jerramiah Healy, who supports Lautenberg.

Prominent, Diverse Group of Democratic Figures Signifies Broad Support

CUNNINGHAM - GREENVILLE HOSPITAL CLOSING WILL HURT LOCAL RESIDENTS

Senator Cites Lack of Local Health Care Access as Primary Reason to Keep Hospital Open

EAST WINDSOR – At a meeting of the State Health Planning Board today at which the board voted to recommend the closure of Greenville Hospital, Senator Sandra Bolden Cunningham said that the closing of the hospital in Jersey City will leave the community without “access to adequate, timely and necessary health care.

TRENTON – Senator Sandra B. Cunningham, D-Hudson, and a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, released the following statement today regarding legislation sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney and Senator Barbara Buono, to provide up to six weeks of paid family leave time for employees:

            “My vote today in support of extending paid family leave benefits to employees of all businesses, regardless of size, was a vote of good conscience.  In my district, there are a substantial number of small businesses, whose employees are primarily single women, who serve as the head of their households. 

The newly elected state senator, and the mayor of Jersey City make sure the crowd knows who the change candidate is in the '08 presidential race.

Barack Obama at a Jersey City campaign rally
More than 3,000 people packed a gym at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City on Wednesday to hear Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

"My voice is a little hoarse, my eyes are a little bleary, my back is a little sore, but my spirit is strong," he told the crowd. "And I am ready to bring about change in America, how about you?"

Obama reveled in his Jersey City audience, and his campaign staff urged the impassioned crowd to take a more active role in the February 5 primary in a state where Hillary Clinton has won most of the party establishment endorsements and maintains a double digit lead in independent polls.

At a campaign rally in Jersey City today, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama –whose opponents have made his limited experience in public office an issue – recognized State Senator Sandra Bolden Cunningham as “one of the finest legislators in the country.”  That’s a heck of an accomplishment for Cunningham, who entered the Senate on November 8, 2007.

Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli took on vacation to Italy with State Senator Joseph Coniglio, the target of a federal corruption probe, and Dennis Oury, the lawyer for the Bergen County Democratic Organization.

Jon Corzine decided to take a quick trip to Portugal to attend a global warming conference seven days before the mid-term elections. And for writing a personal check to Rocco Ricco, Carla Katz’s ‘ner do well brother-in-law.

Atlantic County Sheriff Jim McGettigan, in his dismal race for County Executive, criticized the county for hiring porn industry lawyer Eric Bernstein (he calls himself a first amendment attorney) as a labor counsel – without revealing that Bernstein represented McGettigan.
And then, after attacking him, he wrote asking for a campaign contribution.

Assemblyman Gordon Johnson gave $1,850 of his own money to a group run by Lyndon LaRouche. Dumber move: he said he didn’t know LaRouche was a racist.

Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow faced assault charges after allegedly shoving a Republican Committeewoman during a rancorous Hunterdon primary.

Toms River Council President Greg McGuckin owed the IRS over $100k, and he didn’t think his opponents in the race for Mayor would find out.

Even though she knew he had been convicted of sexually assaultin  a 13-year-old girl, State Senator-elect Sandra Bolden Cunningham allowed 45-year-old Russell Wallace to work on her campaign.

Republican State Senator Nicholas Asselta spent 39 months of his life believing that Democratic Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew would no  run against him. He lost by 5,000 votes.

Perennial candidate Todd Caliguire designed a mailer that called his Senate primary opponent Kevin O’Toole “the Republican Al Sharpton” —saying that O’Toole’s “Asian/Korean” heritage gave him protection in redistricting.

Prudential executive Gabriella Morris to fill a vacant Republican seat on the Election Law Enforcement Commission. She last a couple of days before Gov Jon Corzine realized he couldn’t name a government affairs executive to regulate lobbyists.

Several presidential campaigns are sponsoring events tonight so that New Jersey supporters can watch the returns of the Iowa Caucuses.  

John Edwards' New Jersey campaign will host a caucus “watch” party at 7 PM tonight at Tumulty’s Pub, 361 George Street, New Brunswick.  State Sen. Joseph Vitale will be the host.

Barack Obama’s campaign is sponsoring parties tonight in Newark (8PM at the Robert Treat Hotel, 50 Park Place), Jersey City (7:30 PM at the home of Vanessa Czaplicki, hosted by Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy and State Senator Sandra Bolden Cunningham) , North Arlington (7PM at the McGorty residence, hosted by Congressman Steven Rothman), and Cherry Hill (8PM at the Coastline Bar and Restaurant, 1240 Brace Road).

Hillary Clinton’s New Jersey campaign office will open at 5:30 PM tonight at 130 West State Street in Trenton.

Stephen Sweeney was elected Senate Majority Leader today, defeating Paul Sarlo.  While technically the unanimous choice, Sweeney had the support of 14 Senators and Sarlo had the backing of 9.

Richard Codey was re-elected Senate President without opposition. Sweeney, a labor leader and Gloucester County Freeholder, becomes the first South Jerseyan to serve as Majority Leader since Daniel Dalton in 1991.

Codey, according to sources, proposed a delay in the Majority Leader vote – a move that was defeated by a 12-11 margin (with Loretta Weinberg as the deciding vote). Codey then proposed a vote by closed ballot; that motion was defeated by a larger margin.

According to information provided by several individuals who were part of the leadership election process, Sweeney’s fourteen votes came from the six South Jersey Senators, three Senators from Middlesex County, the two Senators from Union County, Sandra Cunningham and Brian Stack, and Weinberg.