FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2008

Among the winners: U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, Jamie Fox and Tom Shea, who helped Barack Obama win Florida.

Also: Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero, whose indictment didn't seem to hurt anyone but Diane Testa; and former Newark Mayor Sharpe James, who was able to help an old ally win a City Council seat before he goes to prison.

Honorable mention for Loser: the late Thomas Ferrell, who served in Congress from 1883 to 1884, is no longer the last Democrat to hold Jim Saxton's seat. That record now belongs to John Adler.

Winners

Losers

Rob Cressen

The Executive Director of the Ocean County Republicans held three countywide offices against an aggressive Democratic campaign, and delivered strong pluralities to John McCain, Dick Zimmer and Chris Myers.

Cory Booker

Barack Obama may be President, but all politics is local: the Mayor of Newark invested heavily in a special election for his old Central Ward City Council seat and his guy lost to a candidate with the public endorsement of Sharpe James.

Amanda Gasperino

Scott Garrett's campaign manager took blind Rabbi Dennis Shulman's challenge seriously and made sure her campaign didn't get caught in the Democratic tidal wave of 2008.

Anthony Chiappone

The Bayonne Assemblyman invested heavily in Patrick Conaghan's unsuccessful mayoral campaign, and now his Assembly seat is in jeopardy.

Brendan Gill

Frank Lautenberg's campaign manager ran a flawless campaign from start to finish. He did everything right.

ABBY CURRAN

Linda Stender's campaign manager ran the worst race of the cycle, and key New Jersey Democrats have been blaming her for losing a race they should have won.

MARTIN GILLESPIE

As campaign manager for Chris Smith, who got more votes than any other House candidate in the state, he made sure Josh Zeitz's challenge was just hype.

Michael Hsing

The Republican Councilman from Bridgewater who ran for Congress as an Independent wound up having no effect on the 7th district race at all.

Lynne Hurwitz

The veteran operative took over the Bergen County Democratic campaign after Joe Ferriero's indictment, and despite the corruption issue that became the GOP mantra, Democrats re-elected three Freeholders.

Marcellus Jackson

The convicted former Passaic Councilman, who is awaiting his prison sentence, played a very public role in Vinny Capuana's unsuccessful campaign for Mayor.

JEFF MEYERS

The lobbyist/operative beat the powerful Burlington County GOP machine, electing a Democratic County Clerk and ousting two Republican Freeholders.

BILL LAYTON

Trying to fill Glenn Paulsen's shoes, the Burlington County GOP Chairman loses two Freeholders, a County Clerk and a Congressman.

Tricia Mueller

The labor leader ran Barack Obama's campaign in New Jersey, which won towns that Democrats had never taken before.

Joe Oxley

The new Monmouth County GOP Chairman might keep control of the Freeholder Board, although his candidate is behind. He's a loser because GOP leaders say he was AWOL during the campaign, and now, during the counting of provisional ballots.

Jason O'Donnell

The Bayonne Democratic Municipal Chairman was a key player in Mark Smith's election as Mayor.

DOUG SORANTINO

The new Cumberland County Republican Chairman fundraising was embarassing, and he lost a Freeholder seat (the last Republican one), a Surrogate, and a Sheriff.

Mark Warren

The longtime Demcratic operative managed John Adler's campaign for Congress, a well-executed race that won a seat the GOP has held since 1884.

Tom Wilson

The Republican State Chairman, a John McCain backer since 2000, presided over another bad year for the NJGOP.

Amanda Woloshen

Leonard Lance's campaign manager defied conventional wisdom in well-executed campaign against a well-known Democrat with more money and a better political environment.