WHO’S UP

NJ Airport Workers

Pending a 60-day review, 10,000 employees at Newark Airport will get a nine dollar an hour raise incrementally phased in over the next five years – double the salary of what they now receive.

Kevin Brown

The SEIU 32BJ chief labored on the airport wage raise front for five years, and could rightfully enjoy celebrating with the workers at Port Authority headquarters on Thursday following a unanimous wage hike vote by the board. This was a big win for Brown, who lost his fellow airport worker-advocating political director Julie Diaz – and partner in the airport worker cause – to the Murphy Administration earlier this year.

Phil Murphy

In the hunt for a win amid the early palace intrigue of Trenton and arguably a less than stellar budget roll-out, the Governor of New Jersey got one. Murphy had leaned on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to raise the wages of New Jersey airport workers, and they complied – unanimously – on Thursday. This was a campaign trail promise the Governor delivered on, and the unions who backed him presumably won’t forget.

Kevin O’Toole

Appointed by Governor Chris Christie to serve as chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, O’Toole was a critical prime mover on the board to get wage raises for airport workers in concert with the new Governor’s wishes. The move proved O’Toole’s political dexterity, as he maintains good relations with old pal Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) and Murphy.

Robert Turkavage

It’s not every day an FBI special agent surfaces in New Jersey politics – as a candidate. They’re a dime a dozen in the undertow of the game here. Every third person you meet at a pigs in a blanket political event might be one. But getting a G man as an actual congressional hopeful is special. And that’s what Republicans have in CD2. A sedate moderate who gave a well modulated speech Tuesday night in Vineland, “Turk,” as they call him, picked up his first GOP Primary win by landing the support of the Cumberland County GOP.

Leslie Vizcaino

The 23-year old this week became the first Latina appointed to Lodi’s Board of Education.

WHO’S DOWN

John McCann

Look, it’s tough to ascribe terms like “up” and “down” to the mangled mosh pit of the current Bergen Republican Party. It’s like trying to root through and affix dunce caps or raise the arms of multiple kayo victims. But the CD5 GOP challenger took a hit this week when former Chairman Bob Yudin excoriated him for consenting to a fundraiser with Sebastian Gorka, who once wore a medal associated with a Hungarian group that collaborated with Nazi Germany. Matt Friedman of Politico has the story here.

Sam Fiocchi

With Cape May already on his side, the former Assemblyman from the 1st Legislative District wanted to win his home county of Cumberland to gather some momentum heading into Atlantic County tomorrow. It didn’t happen. The good news for Fiocchi is neither did main rival Hirsh Singh get the victory that would have given him a total of three counties in his corner.

Frank Gilliam

The embattled Mayor of Atlantic City endured a criminal complaint filed against him by the Atlantic City Democratic Committee. The committee says Gilliam committed theft when he deposited a check meant for the committee in his own campaign account.

Darlene R. Barber

The state Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) this week filed a complaint against the Cumberland County Freeholder Director and her treasurer stemming from an alleged 2013 campaign late filing.

Todd M. Genty

The Seaside Heights Parking Director was suspended without pay after getting charged with hitting a bicyclist and then allegedly covering up the accident.

Luis Velez

The Paterson Council Vice President rents a house from the power broker developer who may well be the fledgling George Norcross III of Silk City, a story that Jayed Roman of the Paterson Times broke this week, which uncomfortably saddles Velez with the allegation of being beholden to big developer.