Gov. Christopher Christie has tapped State Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Hamilton) as the new Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, setting up a November 2010 special election for the politically competitive 14th district Senate seat.
Baroni, who distinguished himself this year as marriage equality's standout stalwart in the GOP Senate caucus, will be missed. And the 14th District just got very interesting.
Promoted by Jason Springer: Acting Governor Codey signed this legislation creating the Silver Alert System earlier today. In the comments, Thurman gave additional thanks to to Acting Governor Codey and Assembly Democrats Wayne DeAngelo, Sandi Love, Paul Moriarty, Pamela R. Lampitt, Cary Rodriquez and Elease Evans.
I don't remember exactly when my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. As far back as I can remember, she had a shoddy memory. But things got progressively worse, and finally one of my cousins converted her garage into a bedroom so Grandma wouldn't be on her own. Of course, that meant leaving behind the house my grandfather built with his own hands - where she had given birth to two of her five kids. But Grandma was a strong woman and I can almost see her shrugging and folding her hands in front of her and saying, "Well, I reckon that it's time to be moving along."
My grandmother lived for more than a decade with my cousin. Most of those years were pretty good...as long as Grandma stayed on her regular schedule. For instance, she could remember that she walked her dog around the block at exactly 2:24 because it took twelve minutes and at 2:36 my cousin's children got home from school and then Grandma would meet them at the door, give them a hug, and take them inside for cookies and milk. It worked really well until the day that the kids got home and Grandma wasn't waiting. After a few minutes, they took a quick walk around the block and then called their mom when they couldn't find Grandma.
Baroni's base is Hamilton Township, the largest town in the 14th district and famous for its large number of state employees. With Democratic governors, the state senator has managed to avoid greatly antagonizing those workers by going along with the Democrats on occasion.
That just got much harder. We can expect Christie to take positions that are overwhelmingly hostile to civil servants. And to expect a certain degree of loyalty from Republican legislators. There may not be enough wiggle room for Baroni to stay on the good side of the state Republican party and also to get reelected in a Hamilton-based district.
Given the civil service factor and the Norcross/Sweeney machine's involvement with public employee unions, it would be a major disappointment, a dereliction of partisan duty, even, if the new Senate President fails to recurit a strong candidate to run against Baroni.
A complicating factor is that we don't know what towns will be in the Hamilton district after the 2010 census. Given the growth in the area, I doubt that we'll have a district that stretches all the way from Hamilton to South Brunswick (or beyond) as we have the past three decades. That makes it harder for those contemplating campaigns to get moving early. But the party bosses on both sides will have inside information during the bargaining process that will result in the new districts. That makes it all the more crucial for Sweeney to assist in at least letting potential candidates know that they may have an opportunity.
I'm not a fan of backroom dealing, even without the old-fashioned cigar smoke. But everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. The probability that the State Senate will become a beacon of openness in the next two years is approximately zero. So the 14th district seat gives Sweeney a chance to do what he does best and to show the merits of his style of politics.
As Gov. Jon Corzine prepares to for the gubernatorial debates, he has asked Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) to play his Republican opponent, former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie. That may cause some buzz among Democrats who have noticed that Corzine did not ask Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland), who was New Jersey's Governor from 2004 to 2006. Sweeney is expected to challenge Codey in a leadership fight set for after the general election.
Christie has picked State Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Hamilton) to play Corzine. Baroni has played Corzine in Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Franks' 2000 debate preparations, and played U.S. Senator Robert Menendez when Republican Tom Kean was preparing for his 2006 debate.
Corzine used Rob Andrews to prep in 2005. Something tells me that any time we see the names Steve Sweeney or Dick Codey for the next few months, it's going to be in the context of the pending contest for Senate President and which one benefits from that latest news. Do you think it's a distraction to have the talk about potential leadership elections or will they serve as a motivating factor for each side to show their influence and turn out voters in support of the Governor?
As the final weeks of the Republican primary unfold, Chris Christie and Steve Lonegan will be busy campaigning, trading criticisms of one another, and making the case on the air waves and the internet that they alone are best suited to take on Jon Corzine in this November's gubernatorial election.
Corzine, and whoever wins the GOP nomination on Primary Day, will also undertake the historic task of selecting an individual to run as their respective party's candidate to be the first Lieutenant Governor in New Jersey history. Below the fold is a list of ten possible Republican contenders. It is subjective and, more than anything, written to solicit the opinions of Blue Jersey readers on the strengths and weaknesses of each potential pick.
Please click the headline, read on, comment away, and look out this Thursday for an analysis of potential Democratic choices for Lieutenant Governor.
Denial, apparently, is the river upon whose banks the NJ GOP has set up shop.
"The phoenix is rising," said state Republican chairman Tom Wilson. "Right now, I would suggest that people in New Jersey are not embracing Democratic ideas. They're rejecting the Democrats and their policies."
Nutjob Fever is apparently spreading, too:
"There is an absolute feeling that our party has an extraordinary amount of energy right now, in New Jersey specifically," state Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Mercer), the chairman of McCain's campaign in the Garden State and the delegation leader. "We feel very good. The big question in politics is who's got the momentum. We do. There's an old line: would you rather be us or them? Well, I'd rather be us."
Reality tells a different story. Two years ago, New Jersey Democrats had 260,066 more voters registered than the NJ GOP. Now that advantage has grown to 652,210.
Let me put that into context for you. While Republicans were out registering people, Democrats matched them in new registrations - and then went out and registered as many new Democrats as the total population of Passaic and Salem Counties (as of the last census). In fact, only three New Jersey counties have populations greater than 652,210 - Bergen, Essex, and Middlesex.
And it gets no better if they are specifically talking about the McCain campaign. As of August 13, McCain was trailing by ten points in New Jersey - and new voters are always under represented in polling. By way of comparison, Tom Kean, Jr was slightly ahead of Sen. Robert Menendez around this time in 2006. Forrester was down by only four points in 2005. And Forrester was actually four points ahead of Robert Torricelli in 2002.
It doesn't matter how you interpret the story - tripping on drugs, blown-up on the launch, or a space-case that never belonged on earth, Major Tom Wilson is plumb OUT OF THIS WORLD if he believes the tripe he's busy serving up.
"We are the party of younger people," Baroni said. "New Jersey's Republican Party is diverse. It is youth-driven."
The Republicans are "the party of younger people?" Tell that to Tom Kean, who lost 18-29 year olds more than 2 to 1 to Bob Menendez in 2006. Or George W. Bush, who lost the same group 64-35 to John Kerry in 2004.
The youngest member of New Jersey's delegation to the Republican National Convention is 25-year-old Ryan Peene. Five Democratic delegates and alternates are as young as or younger than Peene: Justin Woska, Alessandra Norcross, Brian McGinnis, David Smith, and Richard Locklear. Granted, the Democratic delegation is larger than the Republican delegation, but not five times larger.
And if the New Jersey GOP is as "diverse" as Bill Baroni says it is, why is there not a single African-American Republican delegate?
McCain opened his New York/New Jersey regional headquarters in Woodbridge today, and a group of prominent New Jersey Republicans did some trash talking to commemorate the occasion. First, there's this from Bill Baroni, who is usually a pretty lucid guy:
New Jersey is McCain country.
Then Leonard Lance took the bravado a step further:
It's clear Sen. McCain is going to carry both New Jersey and New York.
Here's a quick reality check for the state senators. In the two most recent polls in the state, Obama has led outside the margin of error. Even Quinnipiac, which generally underestimates support for Democratic candidates, has Obama up 6 points. Advertising in New Jersey-which straddles the New York and Philadelphia media markets-is notoriously expensive, and McCain will face a severe cash disadvantage in the general election.
However, the Obama campaign isn't taking New Jersey for granted. A press release sent out this morning by Rep. Steve Rothman made it clear that New Jersey would recieve plenty of attention from the campaign:
The Obama campaign in New Jersey is up and running. There are 10 paid Obama staffers currently in the state working on voter outreach and registration efforts. There is leased office space in Trenton, Cherry Hill and Hackensack. There are also 95 Obama Fellows operating in New Jersey today. ...In the weeks to come the campaign will be opening additional offices, bringing in more staff and appointing a New Jersey State Director. Senator Obama will compete vigorously for New Jersey's 15 electoral votes and be a full partner with Senator Frank Lautenberg's campaign and our other important races across the state.
The folks over in the McCain camp are beating their chests because they are sending five staffers to their regional office. Let me offer my advice to New Jersey Republicans: if you're going to bring a knife to a gun fight, it's probably a good idea to keep your mouth closed.
(Trenton) -- I wanted to share some of the flavor from today's Inaugural festivities.Kinda like the Assembly itself, our latest Vlog is a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.Enjoy!
I had a major video crash today and lost some great footage. Apologies to Grace Spencer and Wayne DeAngelo who were so kind to say hello.
(Note to self: when it comes to video you're NOBODY unless you've had your first painful crash.)
(Trenton)-- *Update* The vote just took place and it was 44-36 in favor of abolishing the Death Penalty in NJ. The bill now heads to the Governor's desk where he has already said he intends to sign it.
*Update* 4pm Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow: Let's keep the death penalty because "monsters" are "mean."
*Update* 3:45p. On and on it goes. Back and forth. Nice that most arguments are heartfelt and thoughtful. Now if only they could wrap it us since no one is adding anything new to the debate at this point. Thankfully I was just paid a visit from the Snickers fairy. Packed with peanuts, it can satisfy the hunger of even the crankiest of liberal bloggers.
*Update 7* 3:15p Sen-elect O'Toole just rose to offer a sound and thoughtful perspective. I don't agree with his point, but at least he doesn't feel the need to make it personal. People of good conscience can disagree. Can we live with that?
*Update 6*Assemblyman Carroll is quoting Antonin Scalia, chapter and verse to hammer home that liberals are crazy. Note to Carroll: if you come across as crazy chracterizing others as crazy, then the argument is lost. Just a thought.
OMG OMG!! Did Carroll just quote Lord of the Rings? From Scalia to Froddo and back . Wow. Well, at least the dude has some range!
Update 5 GOP Asm. Dave Wolfe just stepped up to prove that you can make a honest well meaning argument without sounding panic alarms all over the place. He shared an anecdote: recently at a cafe, we polled 10 constituents. Four were against- , four were pro-, and two others didn't know.
*Update 4* Bateman is being grilled by the death penalty fetishists in his party. Assemblyman Merck is leading the charge. To hear him talk, you might judge him a bit of a douchbag fear mongerer.
*Update 3*GOP Assemblyman Bateman is the bill's co-sponsor. Bateman: "When I joined this body 14 years ago, I never dreamed I would rise to make this pitch."
He is telling the story of a constituent (and crime victim) who was the catalyst of his change of heart on this issue. Like many of us, he used to feel differenty on this topic. But "we have an opportunity to day to chart a new course."
*Update 2* 2:35pm: Assemblyman Caraballo opens. This is his bill and his legacy.
*Update 1* It's 2:30p and we are finally underway. The first order of business: Senator -elect Bill Baroni's motion to remember "fellow Hamiltonian" Dr. David Rebovich who passed away recently. It was a nice gesture that also managed to dial back the intensity in the room. Clearly Rebovich is still much beloved under this roof.
The Death Penalty repeal is the big item on the docket today, but the most exquisite tension in Trenton centers around the Family Leave battle.
At this writing (1:45p) the Assembly is sitting for official portraits prior to votes.
I dare say that the Assembly Dems are squeezing a lot in today with votes and pix. All this after a long afternoon in caucus where family leave was the main course.
Last month, I published a diary expressing my support for Bill Baroni in the 14th District due to his clear and unequivocal support for immediate ethics reform in the face of a stubborn, slow-moving Democratic majority
But this was before "Common Sense America" happened to the 14th District. And tonight, Loretta Weinberg's comments really got me thinking.
If Common Sense America were true to its word and its true to its agenda, it would be targeting me and my outspoken record of gay tolerance. But they won't and the reason is because they get their marching orders from the Republican Party.
As much as I want to see some Republicans go to Trenton to keep the bad Democrats out and the good Democrats honest, I cannot vote that way this year. And it's all because of Common Sense America.
I cannot in good conscience vote for Bill Baroni, Adam Bushman, Tom Goodwin or any of the 14th district Republicans knowing that Common Sense America will use their victory to claim credit for their "values." It would be much better to have to shame the Democratic majority in Trenton than to have Republicans beholden to the naked emperor that is Common Sense America -- no matter how much they profess not to be.
It's a dilemma for sure. Tom Moran wrote recently that New Jersey is faced with the unfortunate choice of putting the state in worse financial disrepair or handing a victory to those who are anti-stem cell and anti-open space. It's sort of the same choice we face in the 14th.
Seema Singh has been questioned on her ethics, been derided as an inept campaigner, and repeatedly criticized for her comparisons of Baroni to George W. Bush. The first two points are valid. The third, well ...
The unions have come out swinging for Baroni at every opportunity. But I recently had a discussion with one typically nonpartisan, politically ambivalent union member whose local endorsed Baroni over Singh. She told me that when she received a call from her union reminding her to vote Baroni, she told them they should be ashamed of themselves. That sometimes you must look beyond your own pocketbook. That Baroni continues to support this President and an endless war in Iraq and that there are more important things than a going the right way on a few union votes.
Which touches on Singh's current (albeit too late) campaign theme of 'Baroni: Bush Lite,' and the broader point of my protest vote against this group that tacitly supports Baroni. Sure, people like Bill Baroni and he votes favorably on certain issues. But some things are more important, like, say, Iraq to that particular union member.
And so it is with me and Common Sense America. Beating them is more important to me right now than beating a Democratic majority that is too slow on ethics reform. And so I will vote for Singh, Greenstein and DeAngelo this Tuesday.
This article is one more reason why Dan Benson should have been given the opportunity to run alongside Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein in the LD14 Assembly race instead of Wayne D'Angelo.
Echoing General Anthony Clement McAuliffe, Mercer County Democratic chair Rich McClellan today responded to Assemblyman Merkt's call for 14th district Senate candidate Seema Singh to drop out.
FROM: Rich McClellan, Mercer County Democratic Chair
TO: Republican Senate candidate Bill Baroni and his henchman Assemblyman Dick Merkt
RE: Your suggestion that Seema Singh drop out of the race for Senate in the 14th Legislative District
My family located in the 14th district received two pieces of mail this afternoon. One from Republicans and the other from the Assembly Democrats ticket (they're running separately from Senate candidate Seema Singh). I've used my new scanner to put them online. Check them out.
An article Tuesday said pharmacists would be legally obligated to set aside their moral and religious beliefs and fill any prescription under a bill approved by the Assembly. The amended bill makes the pharmacy, not the individual pharmacists, responsible for filling prescriptions.
We can infer that the legal prescription in question is emergency contraception. It is disconcerting to believe that pharmacists don't know that the mechanism of action is primarily prevention of ovulation or the production of an ovum which is more resistant to fertilization. Perhaps there is another reason?
Published evidence clearly indicates that Plan B can interfere with sperm migration by altering the cervical and uterine environment, and that preovulatory use of Plan B usually suppresses the LH surge either completely or partially, which in turn either prevents ovulation or leads to the release of ova that are resistant to fertilization. Epidemiological evidence rules strongly against interruption of fallopian tube function by Plan B. Evidence that would support direct involvement of endometrial damage or luteal dysfunction in Plan B's contraceptive mechanism is either weak or lacking altogether. Both epidemiologic and clinical studies of Plan B's efficacy in relation to the timing of ovulation are inconsistent with the hypothesis that Plan B acts to prevent implantation.
Slippery slope, what's next? Refuse to stock HIV meds (then I won't have to deal with teh gays)? Bring your wife and your marriage license to the pharmacy to fill your viagra prescription? No hormones for the transgendered?
"A potentially problematic issue is pharmacies that prohibit the sale of emergency contraception, even when they sell ordinary birth control pills," says Cynthia Dailard, senior public policy associate at the Guttmacher Institute. "There is no rational reason to single out emergency contraception for less favorable treatment than other contraceptive pills. Both types of pills work in the same way to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, and how they work depends more on when in a woman's menstrual cycle the pills are taken than on when the woman last had sexual intercourse."
Among the anti-choice Republicans to vote NO to making pharmacies fill legal prescriptions, was my Assemblyman and State Senate candidate Bill Baroni, which, for me, settles the claim as to whether he can be counted among progressives in the legislature.
I wonder what he would tell Suzanne?
By the time Suzanne Richards, 21, finally got another pharmacy to fill her morning-after pill prescription -- after being rejected by a drive-through Brooks Pharmacy in Laconia, N.H., one late Saturday night in September -- the 72 hours had long passed.
"When he told me he wouldn't fill it, I just pulled over in the parking lot and started crying," said Richards, a single mother of a 3-year-old who runs her own cleaning service. "I just couldn't believe it. I was just trying to be responsible."
New Jersey's 14th legislative district is one of those rare places where the delegation is split, with long-time Republican Senator Peter Inverso, Democratic Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, and Republican Assemblyman Bill Baroni. Our ticket-splitting habit goes back several elections, but 2007 may change that.
Despite registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans in this district, the Republican was the top vote-getter in 2005. While local Republican Doug Forrester's run for governor might explain part of this, the 14th could very well elect an all-Republican slate in 2007.
UFCW #152 is hosting a Statehouse rally in a few minutes to highlight the plight of heathcare workers in the wake of recent Medicaid cuts in Washington. Total cuts for NJ over the past two years is around $46m. Or about a $2 cut, per Medicaid patient, per visit. And that is for the poorest of the poor.
OUCH! No wonder the state's budget is in shambles, with all the wacky (unfunded) mandates and penny-penching out of the Whitehouse.
Claire Galiano, of UFCW's healthcare division says that medical workers (especially nurses and nursing home staff) are increasingly called upon to do more with less.
"With less" meaning less supplies (!), less flexibility, less support staff, less job security, less benefits and so on.
Ms. Galiano: "We are here to get the attention of our legislators to re-examine the Medicaid cuts from the past several years.
The rally -- complete with a band, refreshments, and a massive crowd -- is set to begin shortly. But the feeling of solidarity is paplable and very very exciting.
So I'm gonna go absorb the atmosphere a bit and take some photos which I'll share shortly.
In the meantime, POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
Update 1:30pm The reggae band is still jammin' away. I LOVE THIS! A few legislators took time to come out and stand with the workers. I spotted Weinberg, Baroni and Huttle. Asw. Huttle, fresh off a primary win, said her presence was about showing "compassion and sensitivity. As this generation gets older we have to give back."
She went on: "we have a moral issue to protect seniors and a legal obligation to not leave the healthcare workers understaffed. They certainly don't deserve to be shortchanged."
The Clean Elections District Selection Committee met today to decide between the 12th and 14th legislative districts as the split district to participate in the clean election system. Republican leadership had wanted the 12th, while Democrats and Assemblyman Bill Baroni preferred the 14th. The AARP also supported choosing the 14th. The debate today was contentious, but ultimately the 14th district was selected by the panel.
Assemblyman Bill Baroni (R) and former Rate Counsel Seema Singh (D) will run for the Senate seat being vacated by Peter Inverso (R). Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D) will run with IBEW union leader Wayne D'Angelo (D) for the Assembly against Jamesburg Councilman Adam Bushman (R) and Hamilton Councilman Tom Goodwin (R).
