WHO’S UP

Barbara Plumeri 

The Hamilton Democratic Committee chair pulled together Freeholder John Cimino, Assemblyman Dan Benson and Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo to unite behind Nina Melker for freeholder (see below) in a big win for Hamilton.

Amy DeGise

The chair of the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) presided over a successful fall gala in honor of  U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), who’s in the election of his lifetime this fall.

Mikie Sherrill

Running to succeed U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen in CD11, the Democrat maintained a large fundraising edge over Republican rival Assemblyman Jay Webber as she this week welcomed former Vice President Joe Biden to both a rally and another fundraiser.

Nina Melker

The community banker from Hamilton scored a Mercer County Freeholder seat on Wednesday night. She’ll fill the vacancy caused when Anthony Verrelli moved up to claim Reed Gusciora’s former Assembly seat.

Julia Fahl

Running unopposed for the mayoralty in Lambertville, Democrat Fahl in the meantime landed a job with Tonio Burgos.

NO MAN’S LAND

Cory Booker

He somewhat fell on his face with this one (remember, Mike [The Pentagon Papers] Gravel’s presidential aspirations didn’t amount to much). But if the test was a head to head with fellow prez hopeful Senator Kamala Harris, while jabbing President Donald J. Trump and the GOP, Booker initially looked to have gained an edge in the media circus war. But his claim of a defining “I’m Spartacus” moment looked to have turned more into a Canada at Dunkirk bore snore. Here’s a pretty good take on the situation.

WHO’S DOWN

The Catholic Church

Sure, it’s an easy target. But now Attorney General Gurbir Grewal wants answers, on the heels of a widely-read and shared InsiderNJ column by Tom Barrett.

Fred Gattuso

They’re piling on now, clergy among them (no, not those Catholic clergy), putting pressure on the Republican candidate to pull the plug on his racist social media-mired mayoral campaign.

Brian Brady

In ordering the former Sparta Mayor be resentenced, a state appeals panel last week deemed one year of unsupervised probation too lenient.  The New Jersey Herald has the full story here.

Archange Antoine 

Citing lack of attendance, the Roselle Board of Education last week expelled civil rights activist Antoine from the local board. The former School Board member bewailed the action as pure politics.

Fran Grenier

A superior Court judge ordered the Salem County GOP (then led by failed LD3 senate candidate Fran Grenier) to pay back more than $200,000 to the estate of the late James Farish, a Penns Grove businessman.  Politico has the story here.