Steve DeMicco

The debate over debates created a debate between Gov. Jon Corzine's longtime strategist, Steve DeMicco, and his new advisor, Jamie Fox.  Sources say that DeMicco advocated Corzine's participation in a NJ 101.5 radio debate with Christopher Christie, but that Fox strongly opposed it.  Apparently Corzine made the final call; the governor has been feuding with the state's largest radio station for most of the year.

Gov. Jon Corzine, trailing his Republican opponent in a bid for re-election, has asked veteran Democratic strategist Jamie Fox to take a senior role in his campaign, Democratic sources say.  Democrats say that Fox would be an addition to the team and stressed that it is not a campaign shakeup.  Fox would not replace any of the existing campaign staff, and sources say that Corzine's longtime Chief of Staff, Tom Shea, and strategist Steve DeMicco will be staying on.

Fox, sources say, has not yet made a final decision to accept.

Over the next two weeks, the Corzine campaign is expected to bring several well-known operatives on to their staff in a full-time capacity.  The moves are expected to engage some key Democratic constituencies that have been less than enthusiastic over the governor's bid for a second term. 

The 55-year-old Fox served as Chief of Staff to Gov. James E. McGreevey and to U.S. Sen. Robert Torricelli.  He was the Executive Director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, state Commissioner of Transportation, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg's state director, and Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. Jim Florio.  Prior to opening a lobbying firm, Fox was the Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

He took a leave from his firm last September to join Barack Obama's campaign, and was sent to Florida as a senior advisor.  John McCain had an 8-point lead in Florida before Fox arrived; Obama won the state by 2.5 points.

A report that the chief financial officer of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities will appeal the dismissal of his lawsuit against BPU President Jeanne Fox is politically motivated, according to Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan.  Joseph Potena had sued Fox, claiming he was mistreated after exposing an $83 million Clean Energy Program account where there are allegations of improper management.

"It proves once and for all that the lawsuit and Republicans politics have been intertwined from the beginning of this 4 1/2 year-old case, said Cryan (D-Union), who is also an Assemblyman. "Republicans have been leaked legal documents since the start of the lawsuit.  They have used the lawsuit to pillory a decent, dedicated and proven public servant of thirty years."

U.S. Rep. Frank Palllone is expected to run for the Senate if Frank Lautenberg retires in 2016.

One more indication that U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone is extraordinarily serious about running for the United States Senate: he has hired veteran Democratic spokesman Richard McGrath as his new Communications Director.  McGrath, who has held the same position for two U.S. Senators, has worked five statewide campaigns and has spent the last seven years at the New Jersey Democratic State Committee.  McGrath isn't moving to Washington to work for a policy wonk Congressman unless another statewide race is on the horizon. 

The twelve-term Congressman from Monmouth County has $3.5 million cash on hand - the largest war chest of any New Jersey federal official.  Pallone is eyeing the seat of Frank Lautenberg, who will be 90-years-old when his current Senate term is up.

Take a look at PolitickerNJ.com's first Winners & Losers of the Year, published in December 2000.  CLICK HERE

Jeanne Fox doesn’t have the votes to win Senate confirmation for another term as President of the state Board of Public Utilities, according to Senate Democratic sources.  The Senate Judiciary Committee has no plans to post Fox’s nomination for a vote, leaving her in holdover status for now.  Gov. Jon Corzine nominated Fox in February.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman John Adler, a candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s third district, has said he won’t consider the Fox nomination until after the trial of whistle-blower who claims retaliation for reporting a potentially illegal an $80 million ratepayer-funded Clean Energy account established by the BPU President. 

In one way, Republican Dick Zimmer’s Senate campaign against Frank Lautenberg looks remarkably like Rob Andrews’s ill-fated Democratic primary challenge to the incumbent Senator.

For the second week in a row, Zimmer held a press conference to challenge Lautenberg to televised debates – including two this month.  This time, Zimmer stood with State Senate Minority Leader Thomas Kean, Jr., who engaged in two June debate with Sen. Bob Menendez during their race in 2006.

“If Senator Menendez could debate then, Senator. Lautenberg can certainly debate now,” said Kean.

But Zimmer’s campaign contrasts with Andrews’s in that Zimmer does not believe that Lautenberg’s age will prove to be his vulnerability.  When asked whether Lautenberg, 84, was too old to effectively serve another term in office, Zimmer said “No, not in terms of years.”

There seems to be a general consensus among political insiders as to who won the Democratic U.S. Senate debate: Steve DeMicco.  Frank Lautenberg was less than impressive – not even close to his performance in previous debates against Millicent Fenwick, Pete Dawkins, Chuck Haytaian and Doug Forrester – but the debate was at 8PM on a Friday night, so it didn’t really matter.  That’s why DeMicco, Lautenberg’s consultant, was the winner – his campaign took quite a few hits for not engaging Rob Andrews in network TV debates, but it appears that was the right call.

If Frank Lautenberg’s political consultant, Steve DeMicco, beats up on Rob Andrews – as he surely will – how will that affect the already controversial renomination of his DeMicco’s wife, Jeanne Fox, as President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities?  John Adler is Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is holding Fox’s nomination until after the trial of whistle-blower who claims retaliation for reporting a potentially illegal an $80 million ratepayer-funded Clean Energy account established by Fox.  And South Jersey, Andrews’ base, has six Democratic Senators – which means if the GOP comes through with their pledge to oppose Fox, she can’t possibly get confirmed without the support of South Jersey Democrats.