Steve Sweeney

Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean (R-Westfield), left, and Senate Minority Whip Kevin O'Toole (R-Cedar Grove)

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.

Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford), left, and Gov. Jon Corzine.

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.

Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland)

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."

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."

East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser and Essex County Executive Joe Divincenzo with Gov. Jon Corzine in August.

Running for reelection this year in pursuit of a fourth term in what amounts to a walk-over Nov. 3rd election for him in his heavily Democratic city, East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser didn't rule out running again next year, for a different office, though - against Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo.

News today that DiVincenzo's county employee underlings - state Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark) and state Sen. Nia Gill (D-Montclair) - plan to back South Jersey product, Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford), in his challenge of Codey, thereby swinging the balance of senate power to South Jersey, rankled Bowser.

"I think Joe DiVincenzo has his priorities twisted," said Bowser. "He should be supporting Dick Codey.

"Nothing against Sheila Oliver," Bowser added of the Assemblywoman who ran against him in a 1997 mayoral primary and lost by 51 votes, who now stands to be Speaker of the Assembly as an Essex County counterweight to Sweeney's upper house ascension. 

Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) outside his West Orange office this afternoon.

WEST ORANGE - Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) smiled as he considered the news of Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney's (D-West Deptford) upper-hand in their play for backing in a caucus leadership fight.

Sweeney's commitment of support from 14 members in a 23-member caucus appears to give him enough to defeat Codey, who's served as senate president for six years.

"I don't have a comment," said Codey to reporters as he walked out of his office and made for the parking lot.

He turned and his smile widened as he quoted Sweeney's comment about their leadership battle.

"One hand behind his back?" Codey said. "One hand behind his back?"

State Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford), with Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, left, and U.S. Rep. Albio Sires (D-West New York), right.

UNION CITY - Having received the endorsement for Senate President of state Sen./Mayor Brian P. Stack this past weekend, state Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) tonight appeared in Union City to proclaim his support for Stack.

"I come from a part of the state very different from here, where there are more cows than people," Sweeney told the crowd at Stack's packed Union City First meeting. "When I got to the senate, they told me about Brian Stack. I am proud to be a supoorter of Brian Stack. He cares about working people. Some people give great speeches and others do something about it. I'm proud to be here with you, Brian."

Stack tonight.

UNION CITY - No stranger to political theater, renegade state Sen./Mayor Brian P. Stack played the unlikely role of Hamlet this summer as he projected indecision about who to support in the race between Gov. Jon Corzine and GOP challenger Chris Christie.

Tonight, Stack formally backs the governor - in his own way. He says the right things, but is brief in his assessment of Corzine while mostly - and heavily - promoting himself and his battle-tested organization.

"There's someone here who needs our support and we're going to work extremely hard for him. When I went to this gentleman as your senator or mayor, whatever town it was for, he was always there for us and now he's in a political fight and we need to be there for him," Stacks yells. "He doesn't put his interests first, he puts the people's interests first."

Targeted as part of a corruption probe that never resulted in charges while Christie was U.S. Attorney, Stack played footsy with Christie just long enough to create some insider buzz before U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken) sat him down and told him bluntly it's time to back the Democratic governor.

So here he is this evening, backing him - in a jam-packed production at Scheutzen Park almost worthy of Apollo Creed's build-up in Rocky IV just before he fights Ivan Drago.

Although there are some Corzine/Weinberg signs tacked to the walls and the governor is on the schedule to formally accept Stack's endorsement, this Union City First event hardly radiates a Corzine-centric universe in a district where as a 2007 state senate candidate running against the powerful Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO), Stack crushed his opponent, 18,213 to 5,582 votes.

PAULSBORO - When President Barack Obama this summer shifted in his New Jersey speech from Gov. Jon Corzine to the issue of national healthcare reform, some Corzine allies privately fretted over the President's abrupt transition from the task of building up a beleaguered New Jersey incumbent with personal-touch anecdotes, to delivering policy bullet points that might have just as well been projected from a podium anywhere. 

But U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) chairman of the House Health Subcommittee and a defender of the public option, sees the confluence of Corzine's reelection bid and the national fight for healthcare reform.

"Of course, we won't get the bill done by Election Day," Andrews told PolitickerNJ.com at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new marine terminal here, which Corzine attended. "But I think the fight for healthcare reform has energized the base. Back in June and July, the the other side was organized, but through August the Democrats organized in response and that's what we have heading into this election."