NEWARK – Longtime rivals former Governor Dick Codey and Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo stood in close proximity this morning in an absolutely crammed small crawl space that doubles as campaign headquarters for the Phil Murphy for Governor Campaign.

“I told you Essex County was number one,” DiVincenzo told InsiderNJ.

But it was Codey – a Murphy Governor backer from the beginning – who made the ceremonial march out to cheers with the guv candidate’s inner circle, that now included Speaker Emeritus Sheila Oliver, his candidate for lieutenant governor.

There was no where to move, and the pair of antagonists twisted visibly in a mutual effort to keep from falling utterly into each other’s arms as the crowd settled in the heat. Then a brave woman squeezed between the pair of fierce Democratic Party enemies, and they drifted into separate areas. It was Jacqueline Jones, wife of Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman Leroy Jones.