A dreadful General Majority PAC mailer in LD1 brought both Governor Phil Murphy and Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver out of their chairs to issue a statement of condemnation (see below).

But there was more, too, this week, with 40 days until Judgement Day…

WHO’S UP

Tony Vauss

“I’m not running against the mayor,” Irvington South Ward challenger Al-Tariq Ibn Shabazz told InsiderNJ, referring to the local chief executive of a challenging Essex County town, reelected last year after running unopposed. Although he lost some key allies this year, the mayor has worked hard on the governmental and political sides of the equation to build consensus in his beloved Irvington. Just ask the always-hard-to-please state Senator Ronald l. Rice (D-28), who this week told InsiderNJ, “You can question the mayor [Tony Vauss] on his point of view, on politics, on anything – but you cannot question his commitment to the Township of Irvington. That township is moving in the right direction, and when you see that kind of rhythm, you don’t run against it.”

Jamillah Beasley

Confronted with a credible and integrated challenger, the Irvington South Ward Councilwoman this week collected the endorsement of perennial loose cannon on deck state Senator Ronald L. Rice (D-28). The veteran senator himself notes that the positioning on the ballot of his LD28 running mates give him little choice but to back  Line A, but Rice also went out of his way to compliment Beasley, daughter of his late rival.

Matt Moench

Running for mayor of Bridgewater in a battleground county this year, the veteran Councilman (pictured, top) provided a text book example of how to advocate for the interests of a NIMBY crowd at the Monday night Planning Board meeting.

Mike Testa and his Team

A widely derided racist mailer dispatched by the General Majority PAC (see below) into the 1st Legislative District unleashed a torrent of criticism and gave a boost of sympathy to Testa and his team, including the subject of the mail piece, Ocean City Councilman Antwan McClellan.

Democrats in LD25

He just lost his father, and cannot have been easy, given who the late Senator Tony Bucco was, but Assemblyman Tony Bucco’s widely disparaged decision to be named to the senate seat while simultaneously running for his assembly seat may give a boost to the challengers in a district already eyeballed by the allies of rock star Mikie Sherrill.

Andrew Musick

The New Jersey Apartment Association (NJAA) announced that the Mercer Monmouth University grad has joined the organization’s government affairs team. As Vice President of Government Affairs, Musick will be responsible for managing legislative and regulatory issues that impact the multifamily apartment industry in New Jersey.

WHO’S DOWN

The General Majority PAC

Two rivals for leadership in the Democratic Party, one on the throne now and another at the edge of it, this week denounced as racist a mail piece issued by the shadowy PAC, which is affiliated with South Jersey Democratic Power Broker George Norcross III, who raises money for the group.

George Norcross III

For one, see above. And two, the FBI is investigating the Economic Development Authority Tax Incentive Program that benefited businesses connected to the South Jersey Power Broker.

Mike Jackson

Apparently feeling sorry for himself after the world came crashing down on his despicable antisemitic comment, the Ward One Councilman posted a self-pitying noose on his Facebook page.

Cory Booker

The junior senator from New Jersey hit his fundraising goal after a gimmicky panic-stricken tweet, but still shows moribund numbers in New Hampshire, where U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is on the rise.

Jeana Sager

After making parking lot comments caught on video, the Democratic candidate for Middletown Township Committee brought the state Police Benevolent Association (PBA) down on her candidacy and drove away her running mate. She counter-punched here, but will it be enough in time for election day?