It’s not done yet, and anything might derail it, including discussions about a “mystery candidate” who could clear an ever growing LD15 field, but a powerful wing of the Mercer Democratic Party sees a pathway to pacify at least some key people (and towns – and one powerful labor organization).

It, of course, hinges on Mercer Freeholder Tony Verrelli replacing Treasurer-elect Liz Muoio as the assemblyperson, and for some – that’s too heavy a lift.

Two sources told InsiderNJ that a Verrelli promotion on the strength of his membership in the Carpenters – after just eight or nine months on the freeholder board – would be an insult to the political legacy of the four families that make up the Mercer Democratic Power Grid: Watson Coleman, Hughes, Cimono and Sollami. They also fear an expansion of Middlesex and Burlington power into Mercer under the auspices of the Carpenters.

It wasn’t the only handwringing going on in the wake of an assemblywoman preparing to go to the Murphy Administration.

Even as Bergen ran the name of family-connected Clinton Calabrese up the LD36 flagpole as a replacement for Assemblywoman Marlene Caride (Murphy’s pick to head the Department of Banking and Insurance), party sources worried about the lack of gravitas and deep preparation on the resume of a 31-year old political family scion.

“There’s a history in Bergen of real political pedigree, where people advance up through the ranks: council, freeholder, assembly, senate, and Clinton simply doesn’t have that,” the source worried.

But that’s another story.

In Mercer, if indeed Verrelli is able to withstand the mounting grumbling about his quick ascent, and if he can keep at bay what one source described as an exciting alternative who may have an interest in the Muoio seat, power players are examining a deal that would include Verrelli – a Hopewell resident – for Assembly, empowering the Ewing Democratic chair to become county chair, and promoting Trenton Councilwoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson to replace Verrelli as freeholder.