Brendan Gill told InsiderNJ two weeks ago that Phil Murphy plans to stay out of the legislative leadership fight, a point amplified this week in a Politico piece written by Matt Friedman.

“We are going to focus on one election at a time,” said Gill.

This afternoon, a Democrat put his head in his hands when prodded with the remark, and – on condition of anonymity – offered the opinion that if Murphy – leading his Republican rival 55-26% in the first poll taken since the primaries – intends to let others determine legislative leadership “he should just leave now.”

The source offered the view that if Murphy stays out of the deal that restores Steve Sweeney to the senate presidency and makes Assemblyman Craig Coughlin speaker, he will have spent $16 plus million of his own money “to be a lapdog for regional interests,” namely the interests of South Jersey.

InsiderNJ pointed out that Middlesex – particularly those allies around County Party Chairman Kevin McCabe – backed Murphy for governor early. Why would he want to trip up the advantage of some of his most vital backers, in order to wholly reward North Jersey – arguably merely another regional power?

Middlesex Democrats, incidentally, unanimously returned McCabe to the chairmanship of his party just last night.

“This is not about relationships, this is about Phil Murphy being governor, and if he allows that deal to stay in place, he will not be able to initiate his own agenda,” the source said gloomily.

The conversation occurred against the backdrop of Team Murphy considering the submitted candidacies of lieutenant governor candidates, among them presumably Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-35), Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-34), and Camden Mayor Dana Redd, as previously reported by InsiderNJ. Sumter has the edge, based on her close relationship to Democratic State Party Chairman John Currie, whom most sources say coalesced the north for Murphy – in a critical, indeed game-changing pre-primary move on behalf of the candidacy of the former Ambassador to Germany.

“But Essex wants something,” the source told InsiderNJ.

Oliver’s from Essex.

“Essex County Democratic Chairman Leroy Jones is pushing,” the source added.

Presumably for Oliver over Sumter.

A second party source complained about the small pickings of LG as a consolation prize for Northern New Jersey, which contains the biggest population of Democrats.

“Why can’t Redd get LG, and North Jersey get senate president?” the source – frustrated – demanded, eager to relegate South Jersey to the least powerful sphere of influence – Murphy running mate – in the interest of a rearranged legislative leadership model.

One possibility, the source offered, almost in desperation, includes giving Senator M. Teresa Ruiz (D-29) the senate presidency to restore Essex to its former glory, and thereby blunting any objections by Hispanics that Prieto’s party tomahawking has any racial overtones, then either leaving Coughlin in place or bumping up someone else from Midldesex as a friendly show of loyalty to McCabe. Or there’s always that red snapper option of Senator Joe Vitale (D-19) – a McCabe loyalist – for senate president, and Sumter as speaker.

South Jersey’s reward in either scenario?

Redd as LG.

And maybe a leg up on talks when and if a U.S. Senate seat becomes available.

But most sources InsiderNJ discuses such options with dismiss such suggestions as parlor game nonsense, wishful thinking considerations that needed to occur months ago, not now, and not within the framework of this particular Democratic Party, in which South Jersey’s powerful tentacles surface suddenly in all corners of the state.

Of course, people will read what they will in Gill’s quote – “one election at a time,” as though Murphy could play a larger role at some future date. But whether that would be a Woodrow Wilson-sized role – the only New Jersey governor to become president got elected by the bosses then trampled over them once he became governor; or follow the model of Governor Chris Christie, which ultimately empowered the South, is at present unknown.