TRENTON – Speaker Craig Coughlin’s (D-19) caucus might have been the rowdiest of his tenure this afternoon in the lead up to his meeting with Governor Phil Murphy and fellow legislative pooh-bah Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3).

Bar brawl rowdy?

Hardly.

But people spoke up.

People in the caucus like Coughlin, so they don’t want to ding him.

But more than a handful of members told him an override wouldn’t be a good look for the party.

Others laughed.

Good look for the party?

The time for that had long passed.

Some cries of “Are we Democrats here?” cracked in the caucus room.

Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle went off.

Assemblyman John McKeon said enough is enough.

Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker piped up.

Assemblyman Tom Giblin went in.

There was some blame cast in Sweeney’s direction.

The speaker was in a bit of a bind.

He depends on the South.

Yes, the discussion admitted some of the old geographical fault lines.

If 26 Republicans showed up and backed an override along with the South Jersey contingent and Middlesex, the votes would be there to buck Governor Phil Murphy.