Dan Benson

Speculation that State Sen. Bill Baroni could become the next U.S. Attorney if John McCain wins the presidency has created some discussion among Democrats about who they would support in a 2009 special election to fill his seat.  If Baroni were to resign, Republicans would hold a special election convention to elect a new Senator - possibly former Hamilton Mayor Jack Rafferty - who could then (depending on the timing of the appointment) face a Democrat in a November 2009 special election.  One Mercer County Democratic leader said that former Hamilton Mayor Glen Gilmore could emerge as a serious contender, suggesting that his local popularity is on the upswing after narrowly losing last year to Republican John Bencivengo.

The problem for Gilmore, if he decides to pursue a political comeback as a State Senate candidate, is that the local Democratic bench is wide and deep.  Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein passed on a Senate bid 2007 (when Peter Inverso announced his retirement) after several key labor unions quickly endorsed Baroni.  Greenstein, the top vote getter in the '07 Assembly race and with a significant base in Middlesex County, is unlikely to back down from another Senate fight.

There's another statewide campaign in New Jersey next winter: the race to succeed Christopher Christie as the United States Attorney - a post that holds considerable power and visibility, and potentially a launching pad for higher public office.   By tradition, federal prosecutors submit their resignations to coincide with the inauguration of a new President. 

If John McCain wins, possible candidate for U.S. Attorney include McCain state campaign director Rick Mroz, a former Chief Counsel to Gov. Christine Todd Whitman; and State Sen. Bill Baroni, the Chairman of McCain's New Jersey campaign.  Mroz runs former Assemblyman/BPU Commissioner Edward Salmon's consulting firm, and is associated with former Cumberland County GOP Chairman Lawrence Pepper's law firm.  Baroni is a Seton Hall University law professor, and has been on Team McCain since 1999, when he worked on the national campaign staff as McCain's advanceman. 

McCain could also go with one of Christie's deputies, like First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra or Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown.

Josh Zeitz in Hamilton today: Politicker Photo

HAMILTON - At a Democratic National Committee fund-raiser in New York City on Thursday, Michelle Obama asked 4th Congressional District challenger Josh Zeitz if he thinks New Jersey will be a battleground for her husband.

Zeitz told the first lady prospect that New Jersey is safely Democratic territory. Then he added something specific about his own challenge of entrenched U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4).

"I told Michelle Obama we’re going to work hard, and yes, we’re going to win that race," he said of his longshot bid to upend the veteran Smith and help give Obama a solid majority in Congress.

As they listened to the story, a small crowd clapped in Zeitz’s Hamilton campaign headquarters, which the candidate opened today on South Olden Avenue, a few blocks from the congressman’s house.

Mercer County Republicans voted to postpone the endorsement of a U.S. Senate candidate tonight and will wait and see if biotech millionaire John Crowley decides to enter the race.

“We have two new candidates, one from Mercer County,” said Mercer County GOP Chairman Roy Wesley. “So it’s almost like we have one of our own who we need to give some consideration to.”

Crowley, 39, was a Bristol-Myers Squibb executive eleven years ago when he found out his 15-month-old daughter and four-month-old son had a rare and fatal neuromuscular disease. He wound up leaving to head up a series of biotech firms and has raised a reported $200 million for research of genetic diseases. Harrison Ford is expected to play Crowley in a film about his life.

In an informal vote, taken by a show of hands, Mercer Republicans overwhelmingly supported deferring a formal endorsement in the Senate race, and authorized the party’s executive committee to award the organization line sometime before the April 7 filing deadline.

State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio and Ramapo College Professor Murray Sabrin attended the convention. A third candidate, millionaire businessman Andy Unanue, is vacationing in Vail.

Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, left, and Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer, served as delegates at the party's convention. 

TRENTON - At their standing room only convention in the Masonic Temple on Saturday, Mercer County Democrats selected two full-term candidates for their county freeholder slate in November, and a third to fill the unexpired term of Freeholder Elizabeth Muio. 

The winners were incumbent Freeholder Lucy Walter of Ewing and banker John Cimino of Hamilton for the three-year term seats, and Dan Benson of Hamilton for the unexpired term.

Next month, two major Democratic county strongholds will see important internal party contests.

Mercer County is set to see a significant turnover during its March 15th county committee convention. Its Democratic Chairman, Richard McClellan, plans to step down shortly. Meanwhile, Freeholder Elizabeth Muoio will resign on March 1st, giving a number of Democratic hopefuls a chance to take over her seat. Failing to win Muoio’s seat, some of those candidates may challenge Democratic incumbents Tony Mack and Lucy Walter, whose terms expire this year.

In neighboring Middlesex County, Freeholder John Pulomena has resigned so that the board can appoint him to a position as county administrator, while Freeholder Camille Fernicola has said that she will not seek another term.

Conservatives are almost guaranteed a victory in the 14th district State Assembly race, because three of the four candidates have taken fairly conservative stands on key issues. Democrat Wayne D'Angelo is pro-life, supports the death penalty, and opposes Governor Jon Corzine's plan to lease the New Jersey Turnpike, according to an issue survey D'Angelo submitted to the non-partisan Project Vote Smart.

The new Hamilton Township Democratic Municipal Chair is Jill Moyer, the Executive Secretary to Mayor Glen Gilmore.  She replaces former Council President Daniel Benson, who stepped down last night.

Turnout was a factor for the Easter weekend Democratic convention to choose an Assembly candidate in the fourteenth district: about one-third of the elected Democratic County Committee did not participate.  The nomination of labor leader Wayne D'Angelo as the Democratic candidate for State Assembly in the fourteenth district represents a clear victory for three key supporters: Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, Hamilton Township Mayor Glen Gilmore and Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes.  The trio backed D'Angelo, viewed by Democrats involved in the upcoming legislative campaigns as the strongest candidate, in his 41 to 37 win over Hamilton Democratic Municipal Chairman Daniel Benson, a former Council President and an unsuccessful Assembly candidate in 2005.   Greenstein, gets the running mate she wanted after suffering through two previous campaigns with candidates she did not get along with.

The Democratic slate in the politically competitive 14th district will be Seema Singh for State Senate, and Linda Greenstein and Wayne D'Angelo for State Assembly

HAMILTON - Wayne D'Angelo bested Dan Benson in a Saturday morning Democratic Party match-up of prospective district 14 Assembly candidates in Hamilton Township.

With the victory, D'Angelo, an IBEW union leader and former Hamilton Township Council President, joins a Democratic Party district 14 Legislative ticket that includes attorney Seema Singh for State Senate, and veteran Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein.

"It's an honor and a privilege to stand before you," D'Angelo told party committee members after Mercer County Democratic Party Chairman Richard McClellan announced that D'Angelo had beaten Benson.

"Let's get campaigning," said D'Angelo.