Tomas Padilla

U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman, left, is backing Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire for U.S. Marshal over another Bergen candidate, Freeholder Director Tomas Padilla, right.

In a letter to New Jersey's two United States Senators, U.S. Rep. Steven Rothman today endorsed Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire for U.S. Marshal.  This is significant because Rothman has chosen McGuire over another candidate for the post, Bergen County Freeholder Director Tomas Padilla.  It will be hard for Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez to ignore the Rothman endorsement since he is the Democratic Congressman from Bergen County. 

Hudson County Sheriff Juan Perez wants to succeed Jim Plousis as U.S. Marshal

Hudson County Sheriff Juan Perez is quietly seeking support to become New Jersey’s next U.S. Marshal, but sources with knowledge of the selection process say the career law enforcement official is not on the short list of candidates at this time.  The leading candidates are former Mercer County Sheriff Samuel Plumeri and Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire – both are very much announced candidates and are actively lobbying for the job -- with Bergen County Freeholder Tomas Padilla looming large as a potential contender.

Perez, a former State Police captain and public school teacher, served as Jersey City’s Deputy Police Director before defeating four-term Sheriff Joseph Cassidy in the 2007 Democratic primary.

Add another name to the list of possible candidates for U.S. Marshal: Tomas Padilla, the Bergen County Chairman.  Sources with direct knowledge of the appointment process suggest that Padilla, a Latino and a career law enforcement official - he's a Hackensack police captain - could quickly emerge as a serious contender for the federal post if he tells decision makers he's interested.   Padilla , a Freeholder since 2002, would become the first Latino to serve as New Jersey's U.S. Marshal.

If Padilla became U.S. Marshal, the Bergen County Democratic Committee would need to hold a special election convention to replace him on the Board of Freeholders.  In November 2009, there would be a special election to fill the remaining fourteen months on Padilla's term - provided that the vacancy occurs before early September.)  This would put three of the seven Democratic seats on the Freeholder Board up for grabs this fall.

Hillary Clinton campaigns in Hackensack today, where she was endorsed by Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero: Getty Images Photo

In her first public campaign stop in New Jersey since September, Hillary Clinton made an appearance tonight at Bergen County Academies in Hackensack to accept the endorsements of Bergen County Chairman Joe Ferriero and a host of other elected officials from the powerhouse.

The appearance came immediately after Clinton attended a $2,300 per head fundraiser at the Stony Hill Inn across town, and afterwards she was off to another rally to appeal to the Hispanic vote in North Bergen. Earlier today, she was in Pennsylvania to accept the endorsement of Gov. Ed Rendell.

The Hackensack crowd, which Clinton campaign officials estimated at 700 to hear Clinton speak at the school's gymnasium with 1,000 more overflowing into its auditorium, had to wait. Clinton arrived about an hour and a half late, leaving Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire to keep the crowd entertained, adlibbing jokes and poking fun at other elected officials.

These days, State Senator Loretta Weinberg won’t speak to Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes or Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero unless she absolutely has to. So many people were wondering why Weinberg, minus Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle and Assemblyman (and Lyndon LaRouche donor) Gordon Johnson, who both live in Englewood, dragged herself to a fundraiser for Senator Frank Lautenberg at Wildes’ home last night and stayed until nearly the last person left.

HACKENSACK - Today Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire and Freeholders James Carroll, Tomas Padilla and Elizabeth Calabrese accepted the endorsement of the Bergen County Education Association. In letters addressed to the candidates, the BCEA announced that its membership voted to back each Democratic candidate at the organization’s September meeting.