January 26, 2007 - 2:12pm
News

Civil war in Bergen

The three leading candidates to challenge incumbents Gordon Johnson and Valerie Vainieri Huttle for the Democratic State Assembly nomination in the 37th district are former Assemblyman Ken Zisa, Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes, and Bergen County Improvement Authority Commissioner Cid Wilson, the President of the Dominican American National Roundtable. Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero has endorsed Loretta Weinberg for re-election to the State Senate, but not Johnson and Huttle.

If the Assembly incumbents lose a vote at a Democratic convention, Weinberg has the choice of running on the Democratic line, or rejecting it and running on a slate with Johnson and Huttle. That could mean a primary for Sheriff Leo McGuire and Freeholders Elizabeth Calabrese, Tomas Padilla and James Carroll.

The prospects of a contentious Democratic primary in Bergen County this June could be especially troublesome for Corzine -- especially if he weighs in again and supports a Weinberg slate. Corzine already has problems with Democratic legislators in South Jersey and Hudson County, and a battle with Ferriero, who has considerable influence in the 36th and 38th districts -- could make the passage of a state budget increasingly more difficult.

Zisa served four terms in the Assembly before giving up his seat to run unsuccessfully for Bergen County Sheriff in 2001. He won a September 2005 Special Election Convention for State Senate by just four votes, but after a Superior Court Judge ruled that five disputed votes should be counted, Weinberg wound up winning by one vote, 115-114. Zisa had Ferriero's support, while Weinberg was endorsed by Jon Corzine.

The uber-ambitious Wildes, who has an on-again, off-again, relationship with Ferriero, lost a Special Election Convention for Weinberg's Assembly seat to Huttle. He has nearly $460,000 in a federal campaign account, in case Congressman Steven Rothman does not seek re-election.

WALLY EDGE can be reached via email at politicsnj@aol.com.

Comments

*** Tough spot for Corzine. No way is Ferriero going to support


***
Tough spot for Corzine. No way is Ferriero going to support Huttle and Johnson, so I'd say competing tickets are likely, unless Weinberg decides to save her own skin. Ferriero is a crafty guy, he's put Weinberg (and Corzine) in a real pickle.

In an odd-year, no Gov race election year, its about turnout and organization, which gives Ferriero a built-in advantage.

Weinberg is tight w/ unions and grass roots, but that won't be enough to overcome the gotv machine of the party.

****

01/26/07 3:04 pm

Mr. Democrat is mistaken if he thinks the Bergen GOTV machine ca


Mr. Democrat is mistaken if he thinks the Bergen GOTV machine can take on organized labor, environmental groups, gay rights groups, womens groups, and all the traditonal progressive organizations which make up the Democratic party. What a shame that the Chariman is willing to splinter the party faithful with his blind ambition for control.

01/26/07 3:42 pm

Mr. Democrat is mistaken if he thinks the Bergen GOTV machine ca


Mr. Democrat is mistaken if he thinks the Bergen GOTV machine can take on organized labor, environmental groups, gay rights groups, womens groups, and all the traditonal progressive organizations which make up the Democratic party. What a shame that the Chariman is willing to splinter the party faithful with his blind ambition for control.

01/26/07 3:42 pm

Corzine might find himself in a primary in 2009.


Corzine might find himself in a primary in 2009.

01/26/07 5:49 pm

no matter what happens in a convention or a primary, district 37


no matter what happens in a convention or a primary, district 37 will still end up with all 3 seats come election day. District 37 is by far most of the most Democratic and liberal districts in the state

01/26/07 7:01 pm

when all is said and done after the convention and primary, the


when all is said and done after the convention and primary, the distrct will elect all 3 dems no matter who they are.
District 37 is one of the most democratic and liberal districts in the state

01/26/07 7:04 pm

If Weinberg is to survive, she needs to primary the county ticke


If Weinberg is to survive, she needs to primary the county ticket.

Ferriero is positioning Zisa as Weinberg's successor and the only way to do that is to dump Huttle sooner than later.

But Zisa is a bad candidate who's now lost for sheriff and the senate.

This whole episode is a personal grudge match to dump Huttle...

Smart not to challenge Weinberg, and make the race about Huttle who isn't very popular either.

Ferriero and company are hardly popular in 36. Maybe in Wood-Ridge and Rutherford, but that's about it...38 is his real stronghold....

01/26/07 7:06 pm

Apparently, deal is that Wildes will do this favor for Ferriero


Apparently, deal is that Wildes will do this favor for Ferriero in return for endorsement in a primary against Rothman next time around.

01/26/07 8:07 pm

Apparently, deal is that Wildes will do this favor for Ferriero


Apparently, deal is that Wildes will do this favor for Ferriero in return for endorsement in a primary against Rothman next time around.

01/26/07 8:07 pm

*** Oh please...Rothman isn't getting primaried. We don't need


***
Oh please...Rothman isn't getting primaried. We don't need conspiracy theories.

Wildes will do whatever, whenever if it means moving up in the world. He hardly needs a good reason.

***

01/26/07 9:07 pm

Wildes is a real opportunist. But as 37th opportunists go, at le


Wildes is a real opportunist. But as 37th opportunists go, at least he can string a few intelligent sentences together, which is more than can be said for Ken Zisa.

Rothman would trounce anyone in a primary...that's the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a while. Not even Wildes is that unhinged to attempt something so futile and something that would alienate him even more with the Englewood Dems.

Loretta is such a force in the 37th, line or no line I think her candidates have the best shot at the primary victory.

01/26/07 9:21 pm

Is it just a coincidence or does Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes


Is it just a coincidence or does Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes look like the cartoon character Glen Quamire from the Family Guy?

Simply Uncanny!

http://forums.battle-forum.com/hosted/mcclaud/quagmire-3865.jpg

01/27/07 5:53 pm

Is it just a strange coincidence, Why does Englewood Mayor Micha


Is it just a strange coincidence, Why does Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes look so much like the cartoon character Glen Quagmire from the Family Guy?

It's Uncanny!

01/27/07 6:11 pm

My name is Joe Assisi and I am a candidate for assembly in Distr


My name is Joe Assisi and I am a candidate for assembly in District 38.

I also want to say that PulaskiSkywayConservative is a bad man. He has sent me personal emails and a letter in the regular mail disparaging me and my friends. He doesn't even have the guts to tell me who he is.

Please heed this warning.

01/28/07 9:01 pm

Duly noted, my friend [PulaskiSkyway Conservative could be Gordo


Duly noted, my friend [PulaskiSkyway Conservative could be Gordon Johnson, for all we know].

01/29/07 9:45 am

Joe, I don't know who or what you are talking about. I haven't s


Joe,
I don't know who or what you are talking about. I haven't sent you an e-mail nor do I have your e-mail address. Nor do I have anything to do with the District 37 Democrats. If you are Joe Assisi or not I'm really sorry someone would be so insanely delusional to say such a thing!

01/29/07 4:30 pm

My apologies to "PulaskiSkywayConservative", he is not a bad man


My apologies to "PulaskiSkywayConservative", he is not a bad man. My name is Joe Assisi and I am a candidate for assembly in District 38.

02/01/07 2:14 am