James Whelan

Middlesex County Democrat Barbara Buono takes over one of the state's most powerful posts: Senate Appropriations ChairAs expected, Senate President Richard Codey has named Barbara Buono as Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, with Paul Sarlo as Vice Chair. Sarlo, who sought the post after losing a race for Majority Leader to Stephen Sweeney, will be the Labor Committee Chairman.

Freshman Senator Jim Whelan, the former Mayor of Atlantic City, will be the Chairman of the Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee.

Just days after losing one of the hardest fought legislative campaigns of 2007, outgoing Republican state Sen. James “Sonny” McCullough found himself on a flight to Myrtle Beach, S.C. with Democratic Assemblyman Jim Whelan, who had just ousted him from his state Senate seat by a 14 point margin.

Democrats had spent over $3 million to beat McCullough in one of the nastiest races in the state – succeeding in taking him out but not his Assembly running mates Vince Polistina and John Amodeo. But the two former opponents had, even by then, set aside their differences and were on friendly terms.

The new class of legislators isn’t even seated yet, but that won’t stop us from speculating about the Assembly election in 2009.

Granted, two years is a political eternity, and which party will hold an advantage in that time depends most heavily on who’s at the top of the ticket. But when the new Assemblymen and women take their places in Trenton early next year, there will be 25 freshmen – several from competitive districts. Those represent the best opportunity for each party to knock off some incumbents.

Right now, however, from this great distance, it doesn’t appear as though any new districts will come into the fold, or that control of either legislative body is likely to shift. Indeed, it’s more likely that 2009 will see a smaller number of districts in play.

2007 was a Republican year in New Jersey, thanks to some significant local gains, a well played game of defense, the defeat of two ballot referendums, and the growing insignificance of Governor Jon “Hold Me Accountable” Corzine. It is arguably the first Republican year in New Jersey, albeit marginally, since 1997.

Republicans ousted State Senator Ellen Karcher in the 12th, has a net gain of two Assembly seats – defeating two-term Democrat Michael Panter in Monmouth County and winning back the 8th district seat they lost earlier this year when Francis Bodine switched parties to run for the Senate. The GOP won both Assembly seats in District 2, holding Frank Blee’s seat and picking up the one Jim Whelan vacated.

Voting at Seton Hall Preperatory School in West Orange, Senate President Dick Codey was the center of attention, drawing a small media contingent to watch him enter and leave the booth.  Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance, on the other hand, didn’t get much attention. 

It was a contrast in celebrity.

“Tell Senator Codey I’m envious,” joked Lance.

But the two have one thing in common – there’s been speculation that they could lose their leadership positions in the Senate.

Team Whelan launched two websites in as many days against two of their opponents, state Sen. Sonny McCullough and Assembly candidate Vince Polistina.

In a press release, district 2 Democrats' campaign spokesman Raiyan Syed said of Polistina, "Beware the '$6 Million-Dollar Man' masquerading as a taxpayers' advocate in the state Assembly contest. The candidate scrambling to hide his record is Republican Vince Polistina, who has spent the last several years truly advocating for one lone taxpayer: himself. Using the political system in ways he'd rather the voters not know about, Polistina has pocketed nearly $6 million from 13 government entities, even wrangling multiple no-bid, pay-to-play government contracts."

Driving in the rain in Atlantic County, Democratic Assemblyman Jim Whelan says he knows it’s going to be close on Election Day when all these long months of arguing and talking and walking and pounding and fund-raising and driving come to a head in his challenge of GOP Sen. James "Sonny" McCullough.

"A win by one point is still a win," says Whelan. "Boston won the first game of the World Series the other night, 13-1. They won the second game, 2-1. The result of the second game is still the same as the first. They won."

Whelan has the strong arm reliever coming into the game in the form of Senate President Richard Codey, who’s got an $800,000 fast ball, and on Sunday, Gov. Jon Corzine will campaign with Whelan.

The Press of Atlantic City has endorsed Democrat James Whelan for State Senator in the second district.  Whelan, a one-term Assemblyman and former Mayor of Atlantic City, is challenging GOP incumbent Sonny McCullough, who went to the Senate last February after William Gormley retired. 

Assemblyman Jim Whelan is getting big money from the Democratic Party for his State Senate campaign, but the former Mayor of Atlantic City says he's never been bought, and won't be now.

Political reformers don't make many friends among their fellow elected officials in this state. The moment someone tries to stand above the fracas is when that person becomes a target of both parties - and the bosses behind both parties.

Sen. Ellen Karcher ousted Republican Co-Senate President John O. Bennett II, after beating George E. Norcross’ candidate in the Democratic primary, Oceanport Mayor Gordon Gemma.  Norcross tried to bring Karcher into his fold and she wouldn't budge. Instead she forged an alliance with Senate President Richard Codey.

This week, Karcher is in trouble in her re-election bid, with some polls showing her six to nine points behind Republican Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck. Despite the Karcher campaign's efforts to drag Beck's numbers down with New York market attack ads the campaign has run since October 15th, Beck's campaign isn't crumbling, or showing any signs of fissure.