Steve Adubato

North Ward Democratic leader Steve Adubato heads into the Flamboyan this morning for a report on voter turnout. 

NEWARK - The Essex County Democratic Committee want voters to make a beeline to the "B" line in today’s election, which features battles at all levels in a political environment that so far can be characterized by very low-turnout.

County Executive Joe DiVincenzoNEWARK - The Essex County Executive and Newark’s senior senator today both panned a proposal by North Ward Democratic leader Steve Adubato and a few others to dump County Chairman Phil Thigpen in favor of a longtime member of Adubato’s inner circle.

County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and state Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Newark) pledged their full support for Thigpen, and denounced Adubato’s attempted power play to deliver the chairmanship to his friend, Adrianne Davis.

"Steve’s a guy who wants his epitaph to be, ‘I controlled everything in my life,’ but he’s just a guy with a big ego, who wants everyone to kiss his behind like we’re out here picking a bunch of cotton bales, black, white and Latino, all of us," Rice said. "To hell with Steve."

Himself a longtime Adubato ally who came up out of the North Ward, DiVincenzo stopped short of Rice’s all-out assault on his friend and political mentor, but was clear in his disapproval.

NEWARK - The sides have lined up - one against the other -Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Lautenberg forces versus Andrews forces - but Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo has kept his name in no man’s land.

"I’m neutral," he said yesterday when he made an appearance at a Gov. Jon Corzine press conference behind the Oliver Street Elementary School in the Ironbound.

Of course, everyone in his North Ward circle backs U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews over U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), mostly because powerful North Ward Democratic leader Steve Adubato backs Andrews.

Andrews supporters in Newark include state Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Newark) and North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos - all DiVincenzo diehards.

NEWARK - There is considerable speculation tonight regarding NorthSteve Adubato, Sr. Ward Democratic leader Steve Adubato’s efforts to build support within the Essex County Democratic Committee for Adrianne Davis to succeed Phil Thigpen as party chair.

Sources say Adubato, former party chair Ray Durkin, Thigpen, U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-10), former Assemblyman Bill Payne, County Executive Chief of Staff Phil Alagia, and party senior advisor Joe Parlavecchio discussed the move, which if it happens would take place after the June 3 election.

Davis, who serves as clerk of the Board of Chosen Freeholders, is a longtime friend of Adubato’s and worked as an administrator at Adubato’s North Ward Center for over 16 years. She currently serves on the Center’s Board of Trustees and as Vice President of the Robert Treat Academy Charter School Board of Trustees.

South Ward Councilman Oscar James II in headquarters.

NEWARK- Oscar James II doesn’t know if he can win this primary fight down here in Newark’s South Ward, but if he can hold Lautenberg to a stand-off, and other ground-level Andrews allies in northern New Jersey can do the same, maybe South Jersey can deliver big for the underdog.

That’s the plan anyway.

In the meantime, there’s another war he’s fighting.

A two-year councilman representing the most sprawling ward in the city, James knows U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) is a longshot in his challenge of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). But as the Booker Team leader in the south, James wants to help bust apart the Payne family machine that has long controlled ward politics.

NEWARK - They both come from the south, but the more common U.S. Rep. Rob Andrewsand, they say, compelling trait that South Jersey Congressman Rob Andrews and South Ward Councilman Oscar James II share is desire for change.

Already counting on the long-established North Ward Democratic Organization for support in his U.S. Senate campaign here in Essex County, Andrews has banded with members of the fledgling South Ward Political Action Committee (SWPAC) and will rally with them this Saturday at an event hosted by James.

The alliance looks like a natural.

As the Newarkers take on an entrenched South Ward party machine, and Andrews statewide simultaneously goes after an 84-year old incumbent, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), they both highlight the new-versus-stale narrative in their respective June 3 battles.

Ward Three Council candidate Paul "P.J." Mac Donald, right, with his ally, Belleville Mayor Ray Kimble. 

BELLEVILLE - All over town, the headquarters of candidates are shuttered on a Monday afternoon, with the exception of Paul "P.J." Mac Donald’s campaign digs on Washington Avenue.

The mood is grimly combative in this roomful of politicians and former cops as Mac Donald recounts what led him to this point, eight days before the May 13 election.

"There was an empty seat and some friends asked me if I’d be interested in running," he says. "I went down to the mayor’s office and sought his support. I called every public official and every one of them gave me his blessing.

"Then I called Caputo."

Sen. President Richard Codey (D-Essex) in Newark with Mayor Cory Booker and Council President Mildred Crump.

ORANGE - Politics here invariably comes back to the state’s most popular politician, former governor and Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex), who grew up across the street from the city’s other favorite son, Two Ton Tony Galento.

"With Tony, what you saw was what you got," Codey recalls.

A rotund puncher who trained on spaghetti and beer, what that got Galento was a fourth round technical knockout at the hands of heavyweight champion Joe Louis, and a subsequent supporting role as a heavy in "On the Waterfront."

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzoMidway through his second term, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo is gearing up for whatever fight comes his way as he plans for a third term in office.

"Joe is looking ahead to running, and serving, to complete the execution of his vision for Essex County," said chief-of-staff Phil Alagia.

To that end, DiVincenzo today is holding a $300-a head celebration in West Orange.

An ally of North Ward Democratic leader Steve Adubato, Sr., who supports U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) for U.S. Senate over incumbent U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, DiVincenzo to date has remained neutral in the U.S. Senate primary.

Sharpe James NEWARK - A lot of Democrats who worked with Sharpe James over the years had one word to describe what they felt today as they watched a federal jury deliver a guilty verdict in the former mayor’s corruption trial.

They felt sad.

"Sometimes we cooperated, sometimes we didn’t, but I really believe he cared about Newark," said North Ward Democratic leader Steve Adubato. "It’s a terrible tragedy."