WHO’S UP

Jim Tedesco

At a packed Hackensack event orchestrated earlier this week by Democratic Committee Party Chairman Lou Stellato, the Governor and two U.S. Senators boosted the incumbent Bergen County Executive, even as a frayed GOP attempts to springboard Bergenfield Mayor Norman Schmeltz as a countywide alternative.

Jay Webber

Having launched his candidacy for the CD11 seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, the Assemblyman could celebrate a decision by former New York Jets center Nick Mangold to stay out of the race, and a full week’s-worth as the only “all-in” candidate in the fast-developing Republican Primary.

Jeff Van Drew

The LD1 Democratic state senator running for Congress in the 2nd District – who has a longstanding rep as a voracious campaigner –still has no discernible strongly-footed opponent as Van Drew prepares to go after the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-2). The Cook Report this week upgraded the plus-1 Republican CD2 to “leans Dem.”

Steve Lonegan 

The CD5 Republican contender has $1 million in his warchest, alongside the significantly more modest coffers of GOP Primary rival John McCann, who’s stacked $128K and lacks what should organizational advantages as a consequence of the Bergen GOP festering in disrepair.

Tom Malinowski

The Democratic contender for a CD7 seat could strut atop the pedestal in solitary euphoria, as he trounced Linda Weber and the rest of the Democratic field at an open convention last Sunday in Hunterdon County.

Joan Quigley

Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19) this week reached into Hudson County to recruit the classy former Assemblywoman as his choice to sit on the Joint Legislative Commission on Ethical Standards.

Janice Kovach

Herself a former doomed CD7 candidate, the Mayor of Clinton Twp. got behind Malinowski in time for the former Assistant Secretary of State to win the support of hay bale-tossed Hunterdon.

WHO’S DOWN

Lisa Mandelblatt

Lacking support, the Westfield community activist this week opted out of the Democratic Primary in CD7, folding what at the outset had looked to her local supporters like a districtwide effort of considerable promise. Mandelblatt’s exit leaves Weber as the last woman standing in the CD7 Democratic Primary tilt.

New Jersey

As the state twists in dysfunction, Governor Phil Murphy and Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) aren’t talking to each other, Sweeney now says a Murphy policy cornerstone – the millionaire’s tax – is only “a last resort,” and Republican elected officials in Monmouth at the 11th hour on Friday morning – reportedly on orders by Monmouth GOP Chairman Shaun Golden – aborted a bipartisan appearance in Marlboro with the Governor lest someone mistake them for his allies.

Carnell Baskerville

The Linden man pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares to an information charging him with intentionally conspiring with a former commissioner with the Paterson MUA to commit extortion under color of official right and conspiring with Robert E. Mays, the former Executive Director of the JCCDC, to embezzle and obtain by fraud funds that were under the care and control of the JCCDC, an organization that received more than $10,000 in federal program benefits annually.

The CD2 GOP

The former mayor of Atlantic City and former Assemblyman Vince Polistina (R-2) have both opted out of congressional runs for the seat being vacated by LoBo. While Van Drew to date has not demonstrated scary fundraising numbers with the FEC (around $80K in the bank), his existing challengers don’t have a penny between them. Camden School Administrator Sean Thom of Cumberland, former FBI guy Robert Turkavage – a failed 2014 statewide hopeful – (both in) and a few others are making the rounds, but no one looks muscular early.

Sam Goow

In response to a law enforcement probe, the City of Paterson this week suspended – without pay – the city’s insurance risk manager.