U.S. Senate

The Democratic U.S. Senate candidates sparred tonight on NJN, where Sen. Frank Lautenberg hit Rep. Rob Andrews on a broken promise, Rep. Rob Andrews hit Lautenberg for hypocrisy regarding his attacks on opponent Millicent Fenwick's age in 1982, and Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello just wanted to move on.

It was the final debate between the candidates before Tuesday's primary. Earlier today, ABC's Philadelphia affiliate aired a debate between Andrews and Cresitello, without Lautenberg, who turned it down.

After Lautenberg bemoaned Andrews's joint pledge with the rest of the state's Congressional delegation not to run a primary against Lautenberg, Cresitello said he was tired of hearing the story.

Star-Ledger: Lautenberg, Andrews clash over toll plan during televised debate

The Record: Lautenberg takes on Democratic Senate rivals in debate

Press of Atlantic City: US Senate hopefuls, Democrats hold first, only TV debate

Gloucester County Times: More accusations traded in 2nd Dem Senate debate

Courier-Post (Gannett): Candidates for NJ's Senate seat air platforms in debates

Philadelphia Inquirer: Lautenberg, Andrews clash on age and record

ZIMMER BESTS OPPONENTS

AT GOP SENATE DEBATE

- Pennacchio argument debunked by hometown paper -

Where does Frank Lautenberg live? If you ask the four-term Senator, he’ll say in his Cliffside Park condo.  But others – not just his rivals – say that when he’s not in Washington, he spends most of his nights at his wife’s New York City apartment.   On May 12, Lautenberg’s office dismissed a Politics1.com report that the concierge at Lautenberg’s apartment said the Senator’s office sends a staffer to pick up his mail each week.  “He picks up his mail himself at the mailroom at his apartment building,” said Dan Katz, Lautenberg’s Chief of Staff, told PolitickerNJ.com.  “When? When he gets there back from Washington at the end of the work week when we are in session or when he is already there when Senate is in recess.”

No doubt the Rob Andrews’ cold shoulder snub by his Democrat Congressional colleagues is newsworthy.

As reported yesterday by the NY Times, Andrews’ “fellow Democrats in the state’s Congressional delegation are shunning him, avoiding teaming up with him on legislative work and seldom speaking with him,” (

But the Times’ article goes on to say the snub is “striking even in the rough-and-tumble of New Jersey politics”"

That may be a bit of stretch.

The Gloucester County Times has endorsed Rob Andrews for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination over four-term incumbent Frank Lautenberg.

"Lautenberg's current term hasn't been distinctive enough for him to stay out of retirement for another six years. Andrews has earned the right to tell voters how he'd do more," the editorial stated. "The slightly more liberal Lautenberg exaggerates policy differences with Andrews, a good strategy given Tuesday's narrow electorate. T most New Jerseyans, Andrews' long ago budget-cutting votes with Newt Gingrich aren't meaningful. Andrews indeed took too long to realize that the Iraq war was being directed ineptly, but he reversed his support a while back."

Democratic Senate candidate Rob Andrews today picked up the support of Perth Amboy Mayor-elect Wilda Diaz.

Two weeks ago, Diaz stunningly upset incumbent Mayor Joseph Vas, who has  held the seat since 1990 and is also an Assemblyman. She likened the Andrews campaign to her own.

Joe Pennacchio's campaign has released internal polling numbers showing a dead heat in the race for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination in next week's primary election.  Pennacchio and Dick Zimmer are tied at 20%, with Murray Sabrin at 4%, according to a Pennacchio poll conducted by Neighborhood Research.  But the poll shows Pennacchio making strong gains over the last two weeks, when Zimmer led 23%-7%, with 4% for Sabrin.  "Zimmer's prior lead was a function of superior name ID," says pollster Rick Shaftan.  "Once voters learn of Zimmer's loss to (Bob) Torricelli, his inability to win back his old house seat and his decision to side with Clinton on illegal aliens, gun control and abortion his support collapses."

Dick Zimmer has a tough tradition to break:  no previously unsuccessful general election candidate for the United States Senate in New Jersey has ever come back to win a Senate seat.    Jeff Bell, the 1978 GOP nominee, lost a 1982 Senate primary; and Democrat Archibald Alexander lost U.S. Senate general s in 1948 and 1952.  One Senator who lost re-election, Warren Barbour, came back to regain his seat.