Tom Byrne

MORRISTOWN - Democratic Party leaders will stage a rally inMayor Donald Cresitello Trenton on Monday in support of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg as two potential primary challengers - Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello and former party Chairman Tom Byrne of Princeton - continued to lay the groundwork to run against the veteran lawmaker.

"We’re going to have the Democratic congressional delegation, Gov. Corzine, Sen. Menendez - all in support of Sen. Lautenberg," said Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan.

The event is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Marriott.

The entry of Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello into the U.S. Senate primary could complicate former Democratic State Chairman Tom Byrne's decision making process on whether to challenge incumbent Frank Lautenberg.

Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello is preparing to challenge incumbent Frank Lautenberg in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, and will launch a petition drive tomorrow morning in Morristown, according to Gayle Kesselman, Co-Chair, New Jersey Citizens for Immigration Control.

“This is very good news,” Kesselman said in an e-mail.  “Mayor Cresitello has steadfastly understood the illegal immigration problem in the country and his town. He has instituted 287G training for his police officers and argued with the Democrats in NJ about the immigration problem. The current NJ Senator, Frank Lautenberg, is up for reelection in 2008.  He is probably in his middle 80's.  And Lautenberg has a very pro-illegal immigration voting record in the U.S. Senate. Mayor Cresitello wants to challenge him for the seat.”

Tom Byrne might challenge Frank Lautenberg in the Democratic primaryFormer Democratic State Chairman Tom Byrne confirmed today that he’s seriously mulling a primary bid against incumbent U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

Byrne, who works as a financial consultant and is the son of former Gov. Brendan Byrne (his full name is actually Brendan Thomas Byrne, Jr.), has already commissioned a poll on his prospects and expects to learn its results by Friday. He’ll make a decision on whether or not to run over the weekend.

“The big factor will be whether people think it’s time for a change,” said Byrne, who headed up the state Democratic party between 1994 and 1997.

In September, PolitickerNJ.com reported that Byrne wouldn’t rule out a primary challenge against Lautenberg.

Tom ByrneFormer Democratic State Chairman Tom Byrne has a poll in the field to see if he can beat 84-year-old incumbent Frank Lautenberg in the Democratic primary, according to two Democratic Party insiders. Byrne, 53, is the son of former Gov. Brendan Byrne.

The Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University is sponsoring their annual post-election conference to analyze the general election results – always a fun and informative session.  But this year, Eagleton may have inadvertently failed to provide partisan balance: their panelists are former Democratic State Chairman Thomas Byrne, who supports Democratic candidates; former Republican State Senator Bill Gormley, who is fairly open in his support of Democratic State Senate candidate James Whelan in the second district; and New Jersey Business and Industry Association Vice President Christine Stearns, who has raised money for Democratic candidates this year. Is the most Republican-leaning panelist Star-Ledger columnist Tom Moran, who some Democrats say is the Honorary Chairman of Chris Christie for Governor 2009?

Joshua Zeitz, a former aide to Governor Jim Florio and U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli, is expected to run against fourteen-term Republican Congressman Christopher Smith. Zeitz has raised $43,032, while Smith, a traditionally anemic fundraiser, has $204,161 cash on hand. Zeitz actually outraised Smith during the last quarter.