Herbert Conaway

The retirements of Congressmen Jim Saxton and Mike Ferguson offers the potential for an interesting game of political musical chairs.

In District 3, if John Adler goes to Congress, look for Louis Greenwald to replace him in the State Senate.  That will open up a sixth district Assembly seat that Cherry Hill might claim, although that decision will be made by party leaders.  Most of the Cherry Hill Councilmembers are potential candidates, and one interesting replacement for Greenwald would be Councilwoman Shelley Adler, whose husband could be a Congressman.  This is a safe Democratic district, and legislators picked at a Special Election Convention would be virtual shoo-ins for the November 2009 elections.

CONAWAY/CONNERS PROPOSE RECYCLING, PHASE OUT
OF PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS
Assemblymen Say New Bill Would Conserve Energy, Protect Marine Life,
Safeguard Environment

(TRENTON) - Assemblymen Herb Conaway M.D., and Jack Conners today formally introduced legislation to crack down on the proliferation of non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags through mandatory in-store recycling programs for retail outlets with a minimum 10,000 square feet of space and a three-year phase out of plastic bags by New Jersey retailers.

Two daily newspapers that cover Burlington and Camden counties have declined to support Democratic Assemblyman Jack Conners for re-election to a sixth term.  The Courier-Post and the Burlington County Times instead endorsed GOP attorney Nancy Whatley-Griffin for the seventh district seat.

The Courier-Post has endorsed Republican Diane Allen for re-election to the State Senate in the 7th district, along with Democratic Assemblyman Herbert Conaway.  But Republican Nancy Griffin was endorsed over Democratic incumbent Jack Conners.  READ

Six of New Jersey’s forty legislative districts send both Democrats and Republicans to Trenton, and each of those six could do the same after the November midterm election.

In District 1, Republican State Senator Nicholas Asselta faces a challenge from Democratic Assemblyman Jefferson Van Drew in a district that split in 2001 and 2003.  Van Drew’s running mate, Nelson Albano (who ousted veteran GOP Assemblyman Jack Gibson two years ago) faces a tough race for re-election.  This district could split two different ways: a Senator from one party and two Assemblymen from the other, or each party could elect one Assemblyman.

Republicans in Burlington County admit that their hope of picking up two Assembly seats in the politically competitive seventh district are over, saying that five-term Democrats Herbery Conaway and Jack Conners will win re-election.  The Burlington County Republican organization, once among the most powerful GOP machines in the state, is stuggling to fund what they view as more important fights: three seats in the normally Republican eighth district, where Phil Haines is in a tough Senate race against party switcher Francis Bodine; and in the contest for Freeholder.

One of the best candidate recruitments for Assembly Republicans was in the seventh district, where former Philadelphia Flyers All-Star Brian Propp is challenging incumbents Herbert Conaway and Jack Conners. The Burlington-Camden district leans strongly to the Democratic side, but another celebrity candidate, former TV news anchorwoman Diane Allen, has won four elections there as a Republican by relatively comfortable margins. Republicans believed that Allen's coattails -- a spring GOP poll had her re-elect at a solid 55% -- could help Propp win.

But Propp may be the victim of limited GOP resources. One year after Democrats won the Burlington County Surrogate race, the Republicans are on the defensive: their main goal is hold their two Freeholder seats and re-elect Sheriff Jean Stanfield. And a party switch has made the normally Republican eighth district a little more competitive -- Assemblyman Francis Bodine, a Republican elected official for the last thirty years, switched parties earlier this year (after the GOP dumped him) and is now running for an open State Senate seat against County Clerk Phil Haines. That has also put the two open Assembly seats in play.

Brian Propp, 47, played in the NHL for fifteen seasons and is now a Philadelphia Flyers broadcaster.: Philadelphia Flyers PhotoSouth Jersey isn’t exactly Hollywood, but you might think it is based on the Republican legislative slate in the seventh district.

Ok, not really.

But in that district, two out of the three Republican candidates are at least local celebrities. In addition to incumbent state Senator Diane Allen, who was the face of Philadelphia’s Channel 10 news for many years, the Republicans are rolling out former Philadelphia Flyer All-Star Brian Propp.

ACTING GOVERNOR SIGNS CONAWAY/CONNERS BILL AUTHORIZING STATE SALE OF EDGEWATER PARK POLICE BARRACKS

(TRENTON) - Legislation sponsored by Assemblymen Herbert C. Conaway, Jr., MD, and Jack Conners that would allow the state treasurer to sell a former State Police barracks in Edgewater Park, Burlington County, to a private buyer was signed today by Acting Governor Richard Codey.

BILL PROHIBITING DONATION OF LEFTOVER CAMPAIGN FUNDS TO CANDIDATE-RUN CHARITY ADVANCES

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assemblymen Jack Conners, Dr. Herbert C. Conaway, Jr., and John F. McKeon sponsored to prohibit the distribution of election campaign funds to any charitable organization in which a candidate or an immediate family member is directly involved was released by an Assembly committee today.