Bad blood from last year’s pre-primary season lingers between Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) and Democratic State Party Chairman John Currie, exposed now as Currie seeks the clerkship in Passaic County and Sweeney appears less than vibrant with the prospect of giving him an assist.

Sources say Sweeney was irritated when Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop dropped out of the race in the fall of 2016 and Currie led the charge to immediately back former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Phil Murphy. Fearing the saturation of South Jersey Democratic Pooh-bah George Norcross III, Currie and company quickly grabbed the nearest alternative to a South Jerseyean. The sudden swarm of northern chairs around Murphy stunned and deoxygenated Sweeney, who had hoped for consideration, especially from Currie.

Now Currie wants to run this year for the clerkship of Passaic County (reported FIRST By InsiderNJ). But first he needs his old pal Sweeney to swear in Passaic County Clerk Kristin Corrado to the senate seat state Senator Kevin O’Toole (R-4) vacated to helm the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.  Corrado won a bloody primary and stands green lighted by LD40 Republicans to stand in for O’Toole and leave behind her clerkship, which would in turn require a special election in Passaic.

Currie’s waiting for Sweeney to seat Corrado so he can press the Currie for Clerk campaign signs.

But Sweeney’s being coy.

Why should he rush-deliver Corrado when Currie was far less than enthusiastic about the prospect of Governor Sweeney?

People are talking, sources told InsiderNJ. They have until October to craft this, under the provisions governing seats vacated by constitutional officers, but Currie wants the senate called in to get this done sooner rather than later so he can get on that ballot this year. Sweeney, for his part, appears to be more of a wait and see mind.