Teresa Ruiz

Democratic Assemblyman William Payne filed petitions today to run for State Senator in the 29th district as an Independent.  And former Newark City Councilwoman Bessie Walker has filed as an Independent Assembly candidate.

Newark City Councilman Luis Quintana is on his way to Trenton to file petitions to run in the general election for State Senate to represent the 29th District, according to incumbent Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo. 

This sets up a potential three-way race in November for the open seat.  Assemblyman William Payne has also indicated his intention to run as an independent, and would become the only African-American candidate in the race. 

Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo has nailed down the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, and is using pictures of himself with Payne in campaign literature as he fights the power structure that spit him out after he bucked the bosses last year.

"He told me he didn’t believe he could sit on the sidelines, and he thought my record and my tenure made my re-election important," said Caraballo, speaker pro tempore in the Assembly. "He made it a very personal thing."

He’s been around long enough to know people get punched hard in this business, but Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo from district 29, the third ranking member in the Assembly and the highest ranking Latino, finds it no less difficult to fight off his anger.

"I wouldn’t change my vote, no, no way," he says. "I have absolutely no regrets about that vote."

It was the sales tax increase proposed during the budget season last year.

The governor wanted the Essex County delegation to vote for it but Caraballo didn’t do it, arguing the tax would unfairly impact his constituents, particularly those making minimum wage or less. Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo didn’t appreciate that, and neither did the governor.

Assemblyman William Payne, who returned from China yesterday on a trip with his brother, U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, confirmed this evening that he didn't meet today's primary filing deadline because he intends to run for State Senate in the 29th district as an independent.

Albeit regretfully modified, he insisted on retaining his party identify.

"I am going to file as an independent Democrat and run in the general election," Payne told PoliticsNJ in a telephone interview.

Sen. Ron Rice said Monday it's his understanding that veteran Assemblyman William Payne would not be filing to run in the 29th district Democratic Party primary, but would instead be running as an independent in the general election come November.

Payne has not returned phone calls last week or today amid rumors that he would not be running as a Democrat.

State Sen. Nia Gill has endorsed Teresa Ruiz for State Senate and Grace Spencer and Albert Coutinho for Assembly in the 29th district, along with Essex County Clerk Christopher Durkin and Newark South Ward Councilman Oscar James.

The filing deadline to run in the June primary is Monday, and Assemblyman William Payne is in China with his brother, Congressman Donald Payne.  His absence lends credibility to speculation that he will not file for State Senate.  Some insiders say that Payne is considering a November bid as an Independent -- which would put his brother in the tough spot of not supporting his party's choice for the 29th district Senate seat.

There is a good chance that a pair of Senators with substantial baggage will be replaced by two women a generation younger. Camden County Democrats have picked Dana Redd, a 38-year-old Camden City Councilwoman to replace Wayne Bryant, while Teresa Ruiz, 32, the Essex County Democratic Vice Chairwoman, is a leading candidate for the seat currently held by Sharpe James.

Redd would become the third African American women in the Senate (joining Shirley Turner and Nia Gill), while Ruiz would become the first Latina in the Senate, and the second Latino to serve in the upper house. Camden and Essex counties have skillfully avoided the kind of diversity battles that seem to have plagued Bergen and Hudson counties.

Redd and Ruiz may provide fresh faces in a Senate that will see a huge turnover this year, but they would also have to deal with the perception that they are products of powerful political machines. Redd is a strong ally of the Camden County Democratic organization, and Ruiz is a close ally of Newark political leader Stephen Adubato, Sr.

Redd began her political career as the Chief of Staff to Camden County Freeholder Riletta Cream, whose husband, Arnold Cream, served as Camden County Sheriff after a legendary career as a professional boxer under the name Jersey Joe Walcott. In 1976, as a third grader, she presented flowers to Mother Theresa during a visit to Sacred Heart Church in Camden.

There is considerable speculation that Essex County Democrats want Teresa Ruiz, a top aide to County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and the party Vice Chairwoman, to run for the State Assembly next year -- if they follow through on their threats to dump incumbent Wilfredo Caraballo in the 29th district.

Caraballo created major political trouble for himself in June when he refused to join the rest of the Essex legislative delegation in backing Governor Jon Corzine over Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts during the budget battle. Caraballo's key political ally, Newark Democratic leader Stephen Adubato, Sr., had reportedly told Caraballo at the time that his actions could cost him party support when he seeks re-election in 2007. The 33-year-old Ruiz is considered one of the young rising stars in Adubato's powerful North Ward political operation. She served briefly as the Essex County Democratic Chairman in 2003, between the resignation of Donald Payne and the election of Philip Thigpen.

If Ruiz did go to Trenton, she would become the first Latina to represent Essex County in the Legislature.