Senator Joe Kyrillos addresses the Monmouth County Lincoln Day dinner. Photo Credit: Rhoda Chodosh
The Abraham Lincoln impersonator played second fiddle to U.S. Senate candidate Joe Kyrillos at the Monmouth County Lincoln Day Dinner last night in Atlantic Highlands.
The annual dinner is named for Lincoln. Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno was the keynote speaker. The night belonged to Kyrillos. The name of Monmouth County’s favorite son who is challenging Bob Menendez for one of New Jersey’s seats in the United States Senate was stuck on most lapels and his photograph was prominently projected on the wall behind the stage.
The Republican faithful who had not already signed Kyrillos’ nominating petitions at his campaign kickoff were lining up to do so.
The enthusiasm for Kyrillos, who is on the verge of exceeding the required 1000 signatures required to get on the primary ballot stood in stark contrast to the reception that his potential primary opponent, former Highlands Mayor Anna Little, received while working the Lincoln Day crowd.
Working the very same room where she defiantly refused to concede defeat in 2010, but rather declared a 2012 rematch against Congressman Frank Pallone, Little and her manager, Larry Cirigano, struggled to get signatures on her U.S. Senate nominating petition. Little resorted to erroneously telling polite Kyrillos supporters that it was OK to sign more than one nominating petition for the same race.
Any signatures that appear on more than one nominating petition will be invalidated should the petitions be challenged.
Little received polite applause during the ritual roll call acknowledgement of present and former elected officials. Kyrillos received a standing ovation during his introduction of Guadagno.
Posted: February 13th, 2012 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2012 U.S. Senate Race | Tags: Anna Little, Bob Menendez, Joe Kyrillos, Kim Guadagno, Monmouth County Lincoln Day Dinner | 6 Comments »
The filing deadline is April 2.
With all the attention and excitement being paid to Joe Kyrillo’s U.S. Senate candidacy and a new map that most think makes Frank Pallone even harder to beat, there is little if any talk about a GOP candidate in the 6th Congressional District.
So let’s throw some names out there and have then have a poll. I start with names that come to mind. Please add names in the comments. Over the weekend I’ll create a poll.
Former Highlands Mayor Anna Little
Selika Josiah Gore, Marlboro
Matawan Councilwoman Toni Marie Angelini
Matawan Councilman Tom Fitzsimmons
Assemblywoman Amy Handlin
Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle
Keyport Mayor Bob McLeod
Former Middletown Committeeman Tom Wilkens
Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore
Hazlet Committeeman Scott Aagre
James Hogan of Long Branch
Oceanport Councilman Joe Irace
Former Freeholder Bill Barham
Former Assemblyman, triCityNews Publisher Dan Jacobson
Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno
Freeholder Director John Curley
Who else?
Posted: February 2nd, 2012 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2012 Congressional Races, Congress, Congressional Redistricting | Tags: Amy Handlin, Anna Little, Bill Barham, Bob McLeod, Dan Jacobson, Frank Pallone, Jim Hogan, Joe Irace, John Curley, Kim Guadagno, NJ CD 6, Peter Doyle, Scott Aagre, Selika Joshua Gore, Tom Fitzsimmons, Tom Wilkens, Toni Marie Angelini, Tony Fiore | 38 Comments »
By Bob English
With the Presidential primary season well under way, we are now being treated to candidates going from state to state almost every week in an effort or convince voters that they are the right person to lead the country. If you are wondering when the candidate train stops in New Jersey, well I have some bad news. Last September, the Lieutenant Governor signed a bill approved by the Legislature, which moved the New Jersey 2012 Presidential Primary from February (when it had been held in 2008 on the 5th of February aka “Super Tuesday” ) to June 5, 2012. In 2005, the Legislature had voted to move the 2008 primary which had normally been held in June, to February in an effort to try to give New Jersey voters more influence in picking their party’s Presidential candidates. In 2008, despite the fact that New Jersey’s primary was held on the same day as those in over 20 other states, several candidates did campaign in New Jersey despite it not getting as much of a national focus as had been hoped for. Over 1.1 million residents voted in the 2008 New Jersey Democratic Primary which was won by Hilary Clinton over Barack Obama. In the Republican contest, over 500,000 people went to the polls in an election that saw the party’s eventual nominee John McCain almost doubling the amount of votes received by the 2nd place finisher Mitt Romney. It was estimated that the cost of moving the primary from June to February was $12 million.
What makes the participation numbers interesting is when you weigh them against the number of voters taking part in the first two caucuses or primaries this year. Roughly 122,000 people voted in the Iowa Republican caucuses with approximately 250,000 people voting in the New Hampshire GOP Primary. Although there was a Democratic caucus in Iowa and a primary in New Hampshire, they were not competitive races with President Obama virtually unopposed for his party’s nomination. With several Republicans dropping out of their party’s contest just before, during or right after these races, the amount of influence these states have in choosing a party’s nominee is hugely out of proportion to the numbers of voters who take part. Contrast these participation numbers with those of the 2008 general election where close to 130 million voters went to the polls.
So the questions that beg for answers are 1) How can New Jersey residents become more influential in the process of picking their party’s candidate (besides moving to Iowa or New Hampshire for a few months every four years)? 2) What can be done to make the choice of each party’s nominee less dependent on voters in one or two states where they clearly have to much power and contain voters whose views are not always representative of the majority of voters in other states. Note that major issues in Iowa where farm subsidies, ethanol, religion/faith and social issues. One thing is for sure, none of those three would be the top issues for the majority of New Jersey voters. There are no easy answers to question #1. The major party’s threatened loss of convention delegates to States which were going to hold their primaries too early in the 2012 process. One idea for 2016 would be for the state to revert to the 2008 model and possibly schedule its primary in mid/late February or early March of 2016 (This also depends on party scheduling rules that can change.) As mentioned above, this change does come with additional cost ($12 million) and there is no guarantee that the nomination for one or both parties would not have been secured by that date.
The other idea which has been debated for several years, is holding a series (4-6) of regional primaries in the early March to early June time-frame. The order of these would rotate every four years. This would give more states greater influence in picking the eventual nominees. Even if Iowa and New Hampshire kept their traditional places at the starting gate, they would not have the same importance or as great a focus on by candidates.
Since 1976, only 3 of the 18 nominating contests were so close that almost every delegate mattered to the eventual nominee. A couple of interesting historical facts about New Jersey Presidential Primaries are:
In 1972, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm won the states Democratic Primary. Rep. Chisholm was the first woman to run for the Democratic Presidential nomination and the first major party African American Presidential candidate.
In 1976, in an unsuccessful effort to stop Jimmy Carter from obtaining the Democratic nomination, a slate of uncommitted delegates backing Senator Hubert Humphrey and then (and current) California Governor Jerry Brown, defeated Carter by a wide margin. Carter’s primary win in Ohio the same day however, cinched the nomination for him. I attended a campaign rally for Governor Brown the day before the election at Airport Plaza in Hazlet on June 7, 1976. The story was the lead in the next days Red Bank Register and can be viewed here:
http://209.212.22.88/DATA/RBR/1970-1979/1976/1976.06.08.pdf
Posted: January 30th, 2012 | Author: admin | Filed under: 2012 Presidential Politics, New Jersey | Tags: Bob English, Hubert Humphrey, Iowa, Jerry Brown, Jimmy Carter, John McCain, Kim Guadagno, Mitt Romney, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Jersey Presidential Primary, Presidential primary, primaries, Shirley Chisholm | 8 Comments »
Governor Chris Christie and Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno will hold a press conference this morning at 11am.
View it live here:
Posted: January 25th, 2012 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Chris Christie | Tags: Chris Christie, Chris Christie Press Conference, Kim Guadagno | Comments Off on Governor Christie’s Press Conference
As is customary, April started with a joke. This year the month of April ended with two jokes; the school board elections and the President of the United States of America released his long form birth certificate.
After three years of study, Hopewell Township passed an ordinance regulating chicken sex.
A tongue in cheek post about who the Democrats could get to challenge Senator Joe Kyrillos when their endorsed candidate failed to submit his nominating petitions, generated more calls from Trenton than any other post of the year.
The worst joke of the month has consequences that will last at least a decade. “Continuity of representation,” a political value in the mind of Rutgers professor Alan Rosenthal, trumped competitiveness and the state constitution in determining the lines of the new gerrymandered legislative map.
The stakes were so high that Governor Christie got personally involved in the negotiations regarding the map. But Rosenthal’s was the only vote that counted. The professor was not persuaded by the governor.
The map was so gerrymandered for the Democrats that Christie and the Republicans did not even try to win control of the legislature. The governor, who came into office vowing to “turn Trenton upside down” transformed into the “compromiser in chief” in order to salvage what he could of his reform agenda.
While Rosenthal preserved the status quo for the Trenton trough swilling class, he unwittingly contributed to the creatation of a national Republican rock star, as Christie, freed up from having to work to win control of the legislature transferred his political attentions to the national stage.
The new map was no joke for many in Monmouth County.
Senator Sean Kean of Wall was put into the same district as his friend, Senator Robert Singer of Lakewood. After a few days of saber rattling about a primary for the seat, cooler heads prevailed as Kean agreed to go back to the Assembly to represent the safely Republican 30th district.
Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore told MMM that the Democrats put Singer and Kean in the same district in the hopes that the GOP would waste resources on a contentious primary in a safe district. The real reason was that the Democrats were horrified at the prospect of Dan Jacobson returning to the legislature in the upper house.
Jacobson was preparing a fanatasy Republican primary challenge to Kean for Senate should Wall and Asbury Park remain in the same district. The Democrats, who have never understood Monmouth County, didn’t realize the futility of such an endeavor. But they knew Jacobson and they weren’t taking any chances. So they put Senator Jennifer Beck in the same district as Jacobson, knowing that he would never challenge her in a primary. Jacobson, through his newspaper, created Jennifer Beck. Just ask him.
The new 11th district would be represented by Beck in the Senate and Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande in the Assembly. A district represented by three women. A historic first.
Assemblyman Dave Rible, formerly of the 11th, was now in the 30th with Singer and Kean.
The new 12th district provided brief drama due to the fact that the lines created a senate vacancy. Sam Thompson of Middlesex County and Ronald Dancer of Ocean County were the incumbent Assemblymen in the predominently Western Monmouth district. The Monmouth GOP wanted to keep three senators. Thompson wanted to move up. Freeholder Director Rob Clifton had long eyed Thompson’s seat in the assembly, but the senate vacancy presented an unexpected opportunity. Always level headed and not one to needlessly rock the boat, Clifton let the Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex and Burlington chairmen figure it out. Thompson got the senate nod and Clifton joined the ticket with Dancer running for assembly.
The 13th district became even safer for Senator Joe Kyrillos. Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon of Little Silver joined Kyrillos and Assemblywoman Amy Handlon in representing the district. Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornick, a Democrat, had his ambitions put on hold by the map makers who put Marlboro into the 13th.
The Democrats did the best they could, but only put up nominal opposition in the Monmouth legislative districts and on the county level.
Former Howell Chair Norine Kelly passed away in April.
Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno threw Carl Lewis off the 8th legislative district ballot for Senate.
A team of six Red Bank Regional High School students won the national Cyber Patriot III competition in applied defense technology.
The Monmouth County Freeholders established term limits for boards and commissions.
Posted: December 28th, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2011 Year in review | Tags: Alan Rosenthal, Amy Handlon, Anna Little, April Fools, Barack Obama, Birth Certificate, Carl Lewis, Caroline Casagrande, Chicken Sex, Chris Christie, continuity of representation, Dan Jacobson, Dave Rible, Declan O'Scanlon, George Gilmore, Hopewell Township, Jennifer Beck, Joe Kyrillos, Kim Guadagno, Legislative Reapportionment, Mary Pat Angelini, New Map, Norine Kelly, Red Bank Regional High School, Robert Singer, Ronald Dancer, Sam Thompson, School Board Elections, Sean Kean, Term Limits, trough swillers | 1 Comment »
Performance is One of Dozens Organized by the Non-Profit Organization this Holiday Season
Trenton, NJ – Highlighting the importance of volunteerism during the Christie Administration’s statewide “Season of Service,” Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno today visited the Hawkswood School in Eatontown to participate in its annual Christmas program for special needs children and young adults. The event was part of the 19th season of giving organized by Holiday Express, a Monmouth County-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
“Over 1.5 million residents of New Jersey volunteer their time and energy to a range of important causes and charitable organizations annually, and these efforts take on heightened meaning during the holiday season,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno. “The state is fortunate to have so many fine non-profit organizations like Holiday Express that offer opportunities for civic-minded people to make a positive impact in their communities at this hopeful and joyous time of year.”
The Hawkswood School, formerly the School for Children, is a leading provider of high-quality educational services for children and young people, ages 3 to 21, with autism and other complex disabilities. Since its opening in 1976, its services have helped support and enrich the lives of over 3,000 students. As part of its 19th season of charitable programming, it is one of 55 unique events Holiday Express has scheduled across the area between November 15 and December 24.
“Lt. Governor Guadagno has been a long-time volunteer and supporter of Holiday Express,” said founder Tim McLoone. “It’s no surprise that she found time to volunteer today and give back to those in need.”
Founded in 1993, Holiday Express is comprised of more than 1,600 volunteers and professional musicians whose mission it is to offer music, food, gifts, financial support, and friendship to those less fortunate, during the holiday season and throughout the year. Their “interactive, free private parties” come complete with a rock n’ roll band, costumed characters, parodies, and of course a visit from Santa. Holiday Express visits the homeless and elderly, those with life-threatening illnesses, children and adults with mental or physical disabilities, and countless others in need across the tri-state area. For its work, Holiday Express appeared on a segment of the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams titled “Making a Difference.”
“As events of this year clearly demonstrated, the work of our volunteers is more important than ever,” added Lt. Governor Guadagno. “Moreover, these needs are ongoing and require attention 365 days a year across a wide range of areas. Thanks to the continued spirit of our civic-minded residents and organizations like Holiday Express, I’m confident that New Jerseyans will continue to answer the call to service in 2012 and beyond.”
Through the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism, residents can find volunteer opportunities, as well as recognize individuals and groups that enhance New Jersey’s communities through service, by visiting volunteerism.nj.gov.
To learn more about Holiday Express and its work, visit www.holidayexpress.org.
Posted: December 6th, 2011 | Author: admin | Filed under: Kim Guadagno, New Jersey, Press Release | Tags: Hawkswood School, Holiday Express, Kim Guadagno, Press Release, Season of Service, Tim McLoone | 1 Comment »
Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie today announced that the State of New Jersey has been approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury for $33.8 million in funding through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), part of the federal Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, to encourage small business lending and job creation in the state. The intent of the SSBCI, which is to create jobs and strengthen state lending programs, mirrors New Jersey’s recent efforts to enhance its support of the state’s small business community.”Small businesses are the job creating engines of New Jersey’s economy and we’ve made support for small business a top priority through targeted tax cuts, regulatory relief and lending programs,” said Governor Christie. “This funding being made available through the State Small Business Credit Initiative will strengthen our ongoing efforts to help small businesses succeed and grow in our state and create good paying, lasting jobs for New Jersey families.”
Governor Christie has made economic development a top priority by ensuring that New Jersey becomes a business-friendly state. Through the New Jersey Partnership for Action, under the direction of Lt. Governor Guadagno, the Christie Administration has implemented an aggressive economic development agenda, including overhauling state government’s regulatory system and reducing the red tape that stifles economic growth and imposes costs on businesses and citizens. The Governor’s Fiscal Year 2012 Budget provided for $185 million in targeted, job creating business tax relief and incentives to spur growth. When fully phased in over 5 years, the Governor’s tax policy changes will provide $2.35 billion in job creating tax relief. By implementing these policies, Governor Christie has ensured that New Jersey will once again be “Open for Business.”
The funds from SSBCI will be received by the New Jersey Department of Treasury in three tranches over two years, based upon at least an 80-percent commitment of the first and then second distributions. Through a Memorandum of Understanding, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) will use the funds to deploy loans, credit guarantees and loan participations through its existing small business lending programs, and to make a venture capital investment. Funds will be targeted to small businesses, small manufacturers, and women and minority-owned enterprises, with a particular focus on businesses that are located in underserved communities throughout New Jersey.
As part of this effort, the EDA Board today took action to enhance its portfolio by expanding access to capital for small businesses. The Board approved an increase in the funding available through the EDA’s Fund for Community Economic Development (FCED) to support micro lenders, Community Development Financial Institutions and Urban Enterprise Zones that have a successful lending track record in their local communities. Under the “Loan to Lenders” component of the FCED, organizations with a successful EDA history will now be able to qualify for up to $750,000, an increase of $250,000 from what was previously available; new customers may qualify for up to $500,000. The loan term has been extended to up to 15 years, with interest-only payments for up to five years. Previously, terms were available for up to ten years, with interest-only payments for up to three years. Additionally, the use of funds has been expanded to also include lines of credit.
“As the state’s ‘bank for business,’ the EDA has a successful history of partnering with financial institutions to leverage its resources and ensure small businesses have access to the capital they need to remain and grow in New Jersey,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno. “By utilizing EDA’s existing partnerships within the lending community, New Jersey will be able to strengthen its current portfolio of assistance and help our small businesses secure the funds they need to expand and create jobs.”
For information on EDA’s small business programs, visit http://businesslending.njeda.com. To learn more about opportunities for business growth throughout New Jersey, visit the state’s business portal at www.NewJerseyBusiness.gov or call the Business Action Center at (866) 534-7789.
Posted: October 12th, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Chris Christie, Economy, EDA, Kim Guadagno | Tags: Chris Christie, Kim Guadagno, NJEDA, Press Release | 6 Comments »
New York Republican State Chairman Ed Cox, son-in-law of the late President Richard M. Nixon, told Ben Smith at Politico that Governor Chris Christie should run a “modern front porch campaign” for president:
As Chris Christie weighs the obvious appetite for his candidacy against the tremendous logistical impediments and political risks, a prominent Christie admirer is offering a path forward: A campaign run largely from New Jersey, its television campaign waged by an independent Super PAC.
New York Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox, an old Republican hand who is formally neutral, outlined the suggestion in an interview today.
“He just can not desert his job in New Jersey. He’s a recently-elected governor with a Democratic legislature on which he’s trying hard to impose fiscal discipline,” Cox said. “That’s the success on which his campaign rests.”
“The only way I can see him doing it,” he said, is a “modern front-porch campaign,” consisting of large-scale policy addresses like his speech at the Reagan Library last week, of participation in debates, and of a basic ground organization — but none of the immersive early-state retail campaigning that’s widely seen as a necessity.
“The air game would be [Home Depot founder] Ken Langone and others doing a completely independent committee,” he said.
Cox suggested Christie make a “Christie-like” declaration: “I’m governor of New Jersey, I’ve got a job to do here. If financial supporters want to go out and do an independent Super PAC, they can do it. I will register to run for president. But my duties as governor come first.”
Cox said his post prevents him from endorsing a candidate, but said Christie “should get into the race. His views are views that should be heard.”
An intriguing idea, even if it hasn’t worked since 1920 when Warren Harding did it.
I know, mentioning Nixon and Harding in the same post is not exactly showing my Republican love. Still, it is an intriguing idea.
Christie continuing to do his job as Governor full time while campaigning for president part time would not be all that different a schedule than he has kept for much of this year.
The worst case scenairo for Christie in a presidential campaign is that the loses the nomination race and also loses his standing with the voters of New Jersey. Should he start campaigning for president full time now, spending most of his time out of state and ultimately lose the nomination, he might come back to governing New Jersey full time with approval ratings in the 30’s and an New Jersey electorate that resents him for abandoning his post before the job was done.
But, if he spends the next several months primarily in New Jersey forwarding his reform agenda, education reform in particular, his New Jersey agenda becomes part of the national conversation. Instead of witnessing him live on the stump, voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida will be witnessing him on the job via television and youtube.
Television and youtube is why Christie is tied with Obama in the polls now.
If it doesn’t work, Christie is no worse for the wear in New Jersey because he kept doing the job we elected him to. He’s still a front runner for 2016 or 2020 nationally because he wasn’t “really running.”
If it does work and he wins the GOP nomination, he was drafted, not just by the party elite elders and the big money donors, but drafted by the rank and file Republican voters.
We probably won’t know Christie’s decision tomorrow. He has no public schedule.
Lt. Governor Kim Guadango will be making company visits in Ocean County tomorrow. Gaspari Nutrition will receive Guadagno at 1:30, KOMO Machine at 3:00. Both companies are in Lakewood.
Posted: October 3rd, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2012 Presidential Politics, Chris Smith | Tags: Ben Smith, Chris Christie, Ed Cox, Kim Guadagno, Poltico | 9 Comments »
Governor Christie’s public schedule for Monday has just been released. His only public appearance scheduled is the swearing in ceremony of Judge Donna Gallucio in Passaic County.
On Friday, Gannet’s Bob Jordan told me that the Statehouse Press Corps was preparing for Monday to be “the biggest day since McGreevey resigned.” That will have to wait.
Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno will be visiting SGS North America Inc and American Fittings Corporation, both of Bergen County, tomorrow afternoon.
Posted: October 2nd, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2012 Presidential Politics, Chris Christie | Tags: 2012 Presidential Politics, Chris Christie, Kim Guadagno | 2 Comments »
Damage Assessment Supports Request Submitted to President Obama to Obtain Assistance for Hunterdon, Mercer, Passaic, Sussex and Warren
Trenton, NJ – Acting Governor Kim Guadagno today announced that the State is seeking a Major Disaster Declaration, including a request for Public Assistance, for five New Jersey counties most impacted by heavy rain storms and flooding associated with Tropical Storm Lee. The storm conditions arose on September 6 in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Irene, included heavy rainfall in areas around the state, and resulted in significant flooding along parts of the Passaic, Pompton and Delaware Rivers. In response to the situation, the Christie Administration took action under state law, including the issuance of a Statewide Emergency declaration on August 25 for Hurricane Irene that remained in effect through Tropical Storm Lee and the Christie Administration continued to coordinate sheltering efforts, resource requests and evacuation efforts throughout the state.
“I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that an effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and the affected local governments and that supplementary federal assistance is necessary. This series of rain related events commencing on August 14, 2011 followed by Hurricane Irene and culminating in Tropical Storm Lee have put a severe strain on state, county and local budgets,” wrote Acting Governor Guadagno.
Immediately following this storm and continuing through yesterday, a joint preliminary damage assessment (PDA) was undertaken between FEMA and state and local emergency management officials to establish that the state and counties had qualified for disaster assistance. The PDA indicated that the most severely impacted areas of the state, which qualify under Federal standards for a Major Disaster Declaration, are: Hunterdon, Mercer, Passaic, Sussex and Warren Counties. This request revises a September 9, 2011 request for a statewide Major Disaster Declaration, following the specific findings of the PDA. “Therefore, I respectively request at this time a Major Disaster Declaration for the counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Passaic, Sussex and Warren Counties,” wrote Acting Governor Guadagno.
A letter outlining the State’s Public Assistance request was sent to President Barack Obama through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. A copy of the letter is attached to the release.
Posted: September 29th, 2011 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Kim Guadagno | Tags: Kim Guadagno, Press Release | 1 Comment »
