You guys deserved to wake up to a delicious, dishy snow-day roundup Wednesday and I shoulda been the one to give it to you. But I built a fire and fell back to sleep in the couch instead. Please do that sort of thing from time to time if you’re able! So Now it’s Friday morning and I’m ready to give y’all what you deserve: a New Jersey political roundup worth waking up to!

Yaasssssss Queen!

So Bernie Sanders is running for president and he just picked NJ-native Analilia Mejia to be his national political director. Leading the Sanders campaign into battle in a talented and crowded field is an extraordinary opportunity for  Mejia, a daughter of Union County, and a challenge for which she is uniquely qualified to thrive. Analilia Mejia has for years championed things like family leave and a $15 minimum wage that are now nonnegotiable article of faith in a democratic primary race for president.

“It’s significant for New Jersey to have a prominent and viable candidate who’s looking at our state for talent and ideas,” Mejia told InsiderNJ. This is a victory for grassroots organizing. I met with Bernie when $15 was about to get a vote in New Jersey. It’s incredible because what we’re doing here in New Jersey gets noticed. What New Jersey is doing is affecting the national discourse.”

Yes We Cannabis!

We’ve been so thisclose to a deal on recreational cannabis for so long that I’ll believe it when I see it. But, this time does feel different.

Dara Servis is executive director of the New Jersey Cannabis Industry Association. She’s too busy whipping votes to count any chickens.

“The news of a potential brokered deal is a promising sign, but we need to see concrete plans before we celebrate.,” Servis told InsiderNJ. “After all, we have been here before. Lawmakers and advocates still have a ways to go as we tally the votes and workout the specifics of this brokered deal. I am pleased to see both sides compromising for the common goal of New Jersey (because) we shouldn’t let perfect be the enemy of good. We need to adopt the best practices of other states and demonstrate that we’ve learned from their mistakes. It is the only way forward for New Jersey to become a true leader in the industry.”

There’s still no appetite whatsoever for home cultivation provisions for medical- or recreational purposes in NJ. Which means the black market will thrive as NJ cannabis consumers shell out $400 for an ounce of crappy, legal weed.

Sorry for the buzzkill, but I trust your capacity to handle some truth-telling on this issue.

NJDSC-LGBTQI

Lauren Albrecht is the new executive director of the NJ State Democratic Committee’s LGBT caucus. She threw a party at the Tides Hotel in Asbury Park Thursday night (see pic) and honey if the goal was a crazy good time she nailed it. Her actual mission was “connecting everyone together who’s united in the mission of lgbtqi+ representation, visibility and inclusion in government and legislature,” Albrecht told InsiderNJ.

We call NJ “the Most Heterosexual State Legislature in America” because it is. There are no LGBTs serving under the gold dome at present.

“We hope to make connections with members of the community who are considering a run for office, members of the community who hold office, and members of the community who would like to support campaign efforts and help inform policy,” Albrecht added.