WHO’S UP

Phil Murphy

The Democratic nominee for Governor leads his Republican rival by 25 percentage points and captained a largely successful conference of Democrats in Atlantic City.

Anthony Romano

A judge this week ruled that the Hudson County Freeholder can appear on the ballot twice – as a freeholder candidate and as a mayoral candidate in his hometown of Hoboken.

The Carpenters

The Democrats’ Borgata-based party really came alive on Thursday night under the auspices of organization efforts by labor top dog John Ballantyne and his loyal ally, Lizette Delgado Polanco, vice chair of the Democratic State Party.

Joe Vitale

In the end, no Republican filed to challenge the incumbent senator in LD19.

Down-Ballot Democrats in Battleground Districts

As first reported by InsiderNJ, Assemblyman Craig Coughlin is all set to fundraise for Vin Gopal and company in LD11, and Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker in LD16, among others. At this point, while state Senator Jen Beck (R-11) is a very tough out, one must consider the down-ballot implications of a blowout Murphy win over Guadagno.

WHO’S DOWN

Kim Guadagno

Her allies this week badmouthed polls and polling, but Quinnipiac University has a pretty good record. The polling institution puts Murphy ahead of her by 25 percentage points in the NOv. 7th showdown for governor.

The NJEA

At the urging of Senate President Steve Sweeney’s (D-3) key inner circle allies, 16 Democratic senators signed a letter telling New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) to back off its funding of the opponent of the Democratic Senate President.

Steve Sweeney

He received the public, NJEA-excoriating support of 16 senate allies, which is a good thing and speaks to the senate president’s strength in his caucus, but in the words of a veteran source, “Bosses don’t kneecapped” in New Jersey politics. The fact that the perennially politically muscled Sweeney sees fits to call on his fellow senators means he’s in a real race with well-funded neophyte Fran Grenier.

Bob Menendez

A poll this week showed that half of New Jersey voters oppose the reelection of the embattled senior Senator from New Jersey. Fifty-percent of voters feel New Jersey’s senior senator does not deserve to be reelected next year, according to the Quinnipiac University. Twenty percent said he should be re-elected and 30 percent were undecided. Having said that, most observers continue to have a hard time seeing a clear case of quid pro quo in his corruption trial.

Chris Christie

A radio ad on behalf of the senate candidacy of Assemblyman Chris Brown, who’s running in the 2nd District, makes the case that the candidate, an “Independent” Republican, according to the ad, opposed GOP Governor “Christie’s” proposal to take over at Atlantic City.