|
In yesterday's Star Ledger, Jeffery C. Mays and Jonathan Casiano tell the story of Cory Booker's statehouse showdowns, coming this June. In the 28th and 29th districts, Booker is eyeing four incumbents, which is making a lot of people unhappy.
U.S. Rep. Donald Payne thinks Booker doesn't understand the historical role of Essex county mayors. "There's always been an accommodation made for the mayor of a person or two after working with the party ... but no mayor has ever come in and in just six months dictated an entirely new line, ever," Payne said. Booker says he wants to work with Payne and others to find "consensus candidates." But it's not looking so good.
It seems Senator Sharpe James (LD-29) might retire this year, and Booker would like to replace him with Newark Councilman Anibal Ramos. But Assemblyman Bill Payne has already announced that he is running whether James retires or not.
Meanwhile, Ron Rice, Sr., (LD-28) is definitely running for re-election and Booker is supporting Bilal Beasley, an Essex County freeholder and Irvington councilman. And here, Booker is opposed by Steve Adubato and Rahaman Muhammad, president of the Service Employees International Union Local 617, in "an effort to prevent Booker from taking over county politics."
And in the Assembly, Booker is pushing his former deputy campaign manager Grace Spencer over Wilfredo Caraballo in the 29th, and Essex Freeholder Ralph Caputo over Oadline Truitt in the 28th. Truitt has strong backing from the Payne family.
Will consensus candidates emerge? Will there be a hard fought three-way primary in the 29th's Senate race? Only time will tell ... oh, and of course you, Blue Jersey. What do you think?
|
Update 3 (A big one, so I'm posting it up top): There WILL be two Democratic challengers to Frank LoBiondo in NJ-2. Fairfield Township councilwoman 
