We have no notable Dem replacements for Corzine

[brentspeak]

Let alone for Frank Lautenberg (when his term ends in 2008). This worries me, as the GOP has a ton of young candidates that they are working hard in advance to promote in the public's mind: Tom Kean Jr., Bret Schundler...

[rfranklin]

1. How about Thom Jackson?

He's running against Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Loony) for Assembly.

[Kire]

7. I like him so much.

I hope everyone gets to hear him speech. He's so inspirational.

I really hope he wins his race for Assembly. Everyone should support him in any way they can.

If he runs for Senate, he could really be like a Barack Obama figure.

He needs to win his race for Assembly first, though. He's never run for any other political office as far as I know.

Edit: Nobody who runs with a quote from his mother as his slogan, should ever lose!

[gmsage]

22. There's no way I want to have "god" dictating public policy in NJ...

...No Thanks!

So, let's see if I've got this straight. If we run religious fanatics for public office, NJ will be more "democratic"? Thom Jackson's claim to fame is that he kept a liquor store from opening "across from a church".

Assemblyman Craig Stanley is bad enough. His big, important initiative is to get the NJ Devils to change their name and logo because he's afraid of the fictional Satan. Hey maybe they can turn the Statehouse into a prayer closet.

Covenant my ass! All I can say is, BOO! No more friggin' politicians who talk to ghosts.

We are doomed if this is the best you can come up with.

[Kire]

25. you're nuts

or, in the words of Dr. King, deranged

I hope Thom Jackson doesn't sneeze.

[mcscajun]

26. Thom Jackson has a few more 'claims to fame'

Than you give him credit for...

And that liquor store story is a bit more detailed than you indicate.

http://www.thomjackson.com/bio.html

In 1986, while living in Chicago, Thom served on the Board of the Rogers Park Tenant’s Committee, and helped to build a coalition of community and business organizations which convinced the City Council to adopt a Tenant’s Bill of Rights.

In 2004, Thom’s coalition building skills were significantly tested when he was asked to help prevent local business owner from locating a liquor store across from a church. Thom reached out to both the business owner and the community leaders, and helped to create a “win win.” Today, the business owner’s dream of a liquor store has been replaced with the reality of a convenience store. The community will support the convenience store.

Budget Advisory Panel
On December 14, 2004, Thom was appointed by Acting Governor Richard Codey to serve on a three-member Budget Advisory Panel. The panel was charged with providing commercial, business-oriented solutions to New Jersey’s $4 - $5 Billion budget deficit. The panel listened to ideas and concerns from representatives on both sides of the political aisle (Democrats and Republicans), with business and labor, and with education and public policy.qualified to address the tough decisions associated with balancing the budget.

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. I commented on this at the time Corzine made his announcement.

This was dumb, dumb, dumb. When you're down 55-45 in the senate you don't encourage someone who "feels he's not accomplishing" everything he wants to give up a safe seat in a state that often goes republican.

So where are the party strategists and poohbahs who said nothing or encouraged Corzine in this megalomaniacal quest for an already democratic statehouse?

[Rowdyboy]

3. I'm not from NJ but from my standpoint, you NJ guys have a great bench...

Outgoing governor Codey
Bob Menendez
Frank Pallone
Rush Holt
Rob Andrews
Bill Pascrell

and thats just congress. Damn, I wish we had "problems" like that down here in Mississippi

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. None of these 6 white guys has what Corzine can bring to the...

... table : $$$$$$$

[FogerRox]

5. Corzine has it worked out dont you worry

TO thikn that Corzine will leave us in the lurch is just not thinking it thru

[NJ Democrats]

6. Bob Menendez

I thinking Corzine will put him in the senate. He seems pretty good from what I've heard, but I'm over in Republican Sussex County.

[Kire]

9. welcome NJ Democrats

:hi:

send me a PM, I might know you

Kire
Wolfe West Field Organizer, 2004

[Kire]

8. Menendez is not white.

Don Payne ain't too shabby, either.

[NJ Democrats]

10. Thanks!

I've never heard of Payne.

[Kire]

11. here's a thread all about him

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=167x1904

[NJ Democrats]

12. Thanks again.

[gmsage]

20. If you support medical use of marijuana in New Jersey, then.....

....Corzine ain't your man. He was against it in 2000 and 2001. As Governor he might veto any MMJ legislation. Believe it or not, even Forrester said that he was inclined to support S 2200, the NJ Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, and Michael Patrick Carroll is co-sponsor of the Assembly version due to be introduced by Asm. Reed Gusciora.

Corzine still hasn't gotten back to me with a recent opinion. More Democrats should think seriously about adopting this issue as their own. AARP poll shows that 72% of adults over the age of 45 support the medical use of marijuana.

IMHO, the best Senatorial candidate on this issue is:

Rob Andrews (also see) because he met with Jim and Cheryl Miller, even though they were not his constituents and changed his mind after being presented with new information. He had previously held a negative view of medical marijuana. This, if you ask me is the mark of a thoughtful legislator, and makes him more deserving of a shot at the U.S. Senate than anyone else.

But these guys are good too:

Bill Pascrell
Donald Payne
Rush Holt


Pallone and Menendez are anti-medical marijuana and vote with the Repubs more often than not except on a few environmental issues.

BTW, there will be a rally tomorrow hosted by the NJ Coalition for Medical Marijuana at 12:00 PM till 1:00 in front of the Statehouse (State Street, Trenton)in support of Sen. Scutari's recently introduced NJ Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act (S 2200).

For info about Cheryl Miller, please visit:
www.cherylheart.org

[gmsage]

21. What, no medical marijuana friendly democrats in this forum???

I remember Pallone telling me that if WE elected a Dem majority in the house that "maybe things would change for medical marijuana", then he went and voted against Barney Frank's MMJ bill as well as Hinchey-Rohrbacher. Pallone's chief of staff Mike Beeson told me in 2000 that Frank Jr. was afraid of appearing "too liberal".

Great friggin' Senator he'll make huh? Besides, he's got a limp handshake.

[iwantmycountryback]

13. How about just about every Dem member of Congress?

Bob Menendez is the 3rd ranking House Dem, I'd say that's pretty notable. Not to mention Frank Pallone, Rush Holt, and the others. Who do the Republicans have that's "notable?"

[NJ Democrats]

14. Kean

Thomas Kean Jr, the former governor's son. But your right about our state's Dem's.

[DawnneOBTS]

15. I think that everyone is worrying...

way, way too much about this whole thing. I think that announcing that Fort Monmouth would be on the base closing list by Dickhead Dumsfeld takes care of any near-future and thereafter Repuke victories in this state. This is what they think of us. We have a lot of strong candidates in New Jersey for the senate-they've all been mentioned, like Holt, Menendez, etc. There is no lack of qualified Democrats to fill either Lautenberg or Corzine's shoes. We do need a good "businessman" like Corzine for NJ to clean up the Whitman mess that Jim McGreevey couldn't fix. The asshole Mel Martinez (Hispanic) got to be a senator (how is beyond me-there are many posts about this worthless piece of crap on DU) in Florida-a Democratic Hispanic senator like Menendez in NJ would be great. Kean Jr. is just a name, that's all, and not good enough-what the hell else is he than "his father's son?" It's great to hear all of the Repuke candidates bashing each other in commercials right now, BTW.

[NJ Democrats]

16. Yeah

The was a Forrester commercial, then a Shundler one right after another. Its so funny to watch.

[brentspeak]

17. Nope, been there, done that

The "don't worry, it's in the bag" mantra was chanted by Kerry spokespeople enough times to actually dissuade people from being involved in the campaign. And look where it got us. Not going to make that mistake again. We should take NOTHING for granted.

Thomas Kean Jr. has a very good chance at winning Corzine's vacated Senate seat. That is a fact. The same goes for NJ Attorney General Chris Christie. It is our responsibility to make sure that the Democratic leadership of NJ finds a candidate who is capable of defeating either one. I don't see anything about Holt or Menendez that would capture the public's imagination.

[Kire]

18. agreed

"Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more, or fill the wall up with our English dead."

[TreasonousBastard]

19. Schundler's a putz...

he's not going anywhere. Forrester might run if he blows this governor's race. Whitman is always rumored to be interested. There's name recognition over there, but we've got time to boost our own. Even the Kean name isn't going to automatically bring Joisey votes.

Not to worry for the time being, though. We'll get a democrat appointed by Cody or Corzine, and it's looking good for Pallone or Menendez. Either one should be able to keep his seat.

Corzine's money is running the NJ party, and every one of the bosses owes him. When Lautenberg retires, somebody should be ready and waiting to jump in. Corzine's far from the fool, and I have no doubt he has plans afoot.

[AX10]

29. I agree.

Corzine knows how to run a tight ship. Corzine will NOT let us down.

[DawnneOBTS]

23. Robert Andrews!

He had to guts to stop the toxic waste garbage coming from Indiana to New Jersey to be treated at Du Pont in Deepwater and put into the Delaware River as final effluent. Why can't Indiana keep it? They seem to like garbage-they voted for the chimp.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

24. Andrews is awesome

I met with Rob in the mid 90's with a Lyme Disease group. We were expressing the Insurance industry's failure to provide benefits that would accurately diagnose the disease. He brought up the fact that a woman who had a mastectomy (sp?), would not get breast augmentation, deemed as elective plastic surgery to be whole, as an insult to women.

He is a really decent person. I noticed during Clinton's last term he was covered constantly on the local news. I thought, is he running for President?

He is a moral person, who really cares about everyone. I hope the Dem's want him to be our NJ Senate replacement for Corzine.

[AmyJCNJ]

27. Robert Menendez

of District 13, (Jersey City and Hoboken mostly).
I think he's vying for the position. He is keeping a low profile, trying not to get caught in the crossfire. I think he doesn't want to make too many waves, but he's moderately progressive.

[AmyJCNJ]

28. and

personally I think he's a good guy in general. I've been watching his votes because he's my rep. he;s been voting with the Dems most of the time. There were a few controversial votes where he didn't vote at all. like I said I think hes trying to keep it cool and playing it down the middle by New Jersey standards.