News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Remember the lame duck?

Monday, November 8, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Remember the lame duck?

Nov 08, 2021

Good Monday morning!

Welcome to the first committee day of the lame duck session!

Did you forget about the lame duck? Well, if you did, that's probably because you've been a bit preoccupied with all of the news coming out of Trenton politics in the last week.

So let's recap: Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy declared victory over his opponent Republican Jack Ciattarell. Murphy is now up by more than 2.5 points, per the AP, which called the race for Murphy last week. But Ciattarelli is still awaiting the final results before deciding whether to concede or call for a recount.

On the legislative side, Senate President Steve Sweeney still hasn't conceded to Trenton newcomer, Republican Ed Durr. But the jockeying over who will become the next Senate President has already begun. It looks like Sen. Nick Scutari is poised to assume the role, as first reported by the New Jersey Globe. Over the weekend, Sen. Nia Gill also threw her hat into the ring.

Last week's news of Sweeney's out-of-nowhere defeat sent shockwaves through Trenton. Not only will the lawmaker's exit recalibrate the balance of power in the statehouse, but it will surely make the lame duck session very interesting.

There were already some weighty bills on tap for this session, like the Reproductive Freedom Act . But with Sweeney on his way out, will he make a harder push for some of his priorities, and resume his more adversarial relationship with Murphy?

I'd love to know any and all guesses (or informed guesses!) Will unexpected bills be moving in lame duck? Will politics in Trenton be uglier than ever? Will Craig re-open his cafe? Email me your thoughts: klandergan@politico.com.

WHERE'S MURPHY? At a coronavirus briefing in Trenton at 1 p.m

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Sister Pat Codey. Missed Sunday: Newark PIO David Lippman

TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

NORCROSS INTERVIEW — Norcross: Election Day was a 'tsunami' and New Jersey Democrats are in trouble, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton: New Jersey's kingmaker didn't see it coming. George Norcross, the South Jersey insurance executive who leads one of the most powerful Democratic organizations in the country, had no idea Gov. Phil Murphy's victory over Republican Jack Ciattarelli would come down to just a couple of percentage points. He didn't see Democrats losing a half-dozen legislative seats to a Republican party that's been in decline since Gov. Chris Christie left the Statehouse four years ago. He certainly didn't see his close friend and political ally, state Senate President Steve Sweeney, losing an election to an unknown truck driver with a campaign war chest that would barely cover the cost of a few tickets to a New Jersey Democratic State Committee fundraising event. "It was just a tsunami," Norcross said in a 30-minute phone interview with POLITICO late Friday afternoon. "Nobody saw this coming. Nobody. Including me, and I like to think I'm pretty astute about this."

…."Steve Sweeney was knocked down by a political 'tsunami.' What does it mean for South Jersey?," by the Inky's Allison Steele, Andrew Seidman, and Jonathan Tamari: "In an interview Friday, Norcross said he still hoped Sweeney would run for governor in 2025. 'Because he's the only Democrat in the last 15 years who's been able to connect properly with working-class men and women of all colors,' he said."

DURR V SWEENEY — Murphy 'stunned' by Sweeney's defeat, by Sam: Gov. Phil Murphy will enter his second term without his biggest intraparty rival, who also happens to be the architect of a legislative strategy that got the governor's policy agenda through the state Senate… "I'm stunned," Murphy said during an unrelated press conference in New Brunswick Friday afternoon. "Steve has been a great partner, particularly over the past sort of two, two-and-a-half years. But at every step of the way, we've gotten a ton done together."

— Durr apologizes for anti-Muslim social media posts, by POLITICO's Katherine Landergan and Carly Sitrin: Republican Edward Durr, who shocked the political world by defeating New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney in Tuesday's election, apologized Friday for anti-Muslim and xenophobic comments he posted to social media. "I'm a passionate guy and I sometimes say things in the heat of the moment," Durr, a truck driver from Gloucester County, said in a statement. "If I said things in the past that hurt anybody's feelings, I sincerely apologize. I support everybody's right to worship in any manner they choose and to worship the God of their choice. I support all people and I support everybody's rights. That's what I am here to do, work for the people and support their rights." ...In September 2019, Durr tweeted, "Mohammad was a pedophile! Islam is a false religion! Only fools follow Muslim teachings! It is a cult of hate!"

SATDURRDAY NIGHT LIVE — The Durr-Sweeney shocker got a shoutout on Saturday Night Live, on weekend update. Watch that here.

— As Steve Sweeney departs the state Senate, where do Democrats go? | Stile

THE POST-ELECTION ANALYSIS — Burzichelli: 'We are Collateral Damage to a Moment in Time', by InsiderNJ's Max Pizzaro: "A 22-year veteran of the Legislature, Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-3) responded stoically to his loss on Tuesday night, as the Democrat fell with his slate mates Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro. A former Paulsboro mayor and engaging, down to earth presence in Trenton who distinguished himself as a state budget expert, Burzichelli said he and his LD3 allies got caught in the political crossfire, succumbing to an environment dominated by public reaction to Governor Phil Murphy's pandemic policies and the stalled debate in Washington, D.C. around President Joe Biden's agenda. 'There was a lack of enthusiasm in South Jersey to support the Governor, and so Democrats stayed home,' Burzichelli told InsiderNJ. 'Legislative races don't excite anyone and there was no political activity in this cycle working from the ground up to help drive people to the polls. It is so clear to me that people's thinking in this election was dominated by the soap opera going on in Washington, D.C.'"

— "Did new election law cause vote reporting delays in Murphy-Ciattarelli race? Yes, experts say ," by NJ Advance Media's Karin Price Mueller and Larry Higgs: "Whether voters cast their in-person ballots early or on Election Day, they had to deal with new technology, including electronic poll tablets instead of voter registration books. In some cases, voters cast their ballots on new electronic voting machines, too. And behind the scenes, poll workers faced a host of changes as to how they carried out the election. It all combined, experts and election officials across the state say, to create a situation where voters and candidates went to bed Tuesday not knowing who won, including the two candidates running for governor."

— "Mail-in ballots are catching on. What does that mean for future elections?," by The Record's Katie Sobko: "As polls closed Tuesday night and early results started to trickle in, many observers were shocked by what they were seeing: A red wave of epic proportions in areas of the state viewed as blue strongholds. In Bergen County, the tallies showed Republicans with wide leads in races at every level of government. As the night wore on and more machine tallies were made available, the gaps widened. Republican Jack Ciattarelli was leading Gov. Phil Murphy, and Republican Robert Kugler, despite being under indictment, was ahead of Anthony Cureton in the sheriff's race. Then the vote-by-mail ballot numbers were announced, and the tides turned."

— NJ Advance Media: "Here's our list of winners and losers from those wild N.J. elections."

— POLITICO: "'There's a lot of hurt out there,' N.J. governor says of close reelection."

— New Jersey Globe: "Murphy Will Need To Go Through Red Wall Of Courtesy To Get Nominations Confirmed."

BIDEN TIME

2022 — "Top Republicans bullish on 2022 prospects after Virginia win," by the AP's Jill Covin: "The Republican strength in Virginia and New Jersey last week was fueled by candidates who deliberately kept Trump at arm's length and successfully turned out rural conservatives who make up the former president's base, while also appealing to suburban voters who had abandoned the party in recent years. That could provide a model for GOP success in future elections. But Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor who may run for president again in 2024, warned that would only happen if GOP leaders, including Trump, focus on the future instead of re-litigating the past, including the former president's lie that last year's election was stolen. Republicans have 'extraordinary opportunities over the next few years,' Christie said, but only if they offer voters 'a plan for tomorrow, not a grievance about yesterday.' 'We can no longer talk about the past and the past elections, no matter where you stand on that issue — no matter where you stand — it is over. And every minute that we spend talking about 2020,' he said, was 'wasting time.' The party needs to 'take our eyes off the rearview mirror and start looking through the windshield again.'"

SALT CAP — SALT Plan Would Mean Tax Cut for New Jersey, Democrat Says, by Bloomberg's Laura Davison: The House's version of the President Joe Biden's economic agenda would increase the cap on the state and local tax, or SALT, write-off to $80,000, up from the $10,000 limit imposed in the 2017. Senators including Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, and Bob Menendez of New Jersey, have criticized that idea and say they want to restrict the tax break to those making less than about $400,000 to prevent the wealthiest Americans from benefiting from the deduction. Gottheimer says that geographic differences -- lower taxes and costs of living in other states -- mean that the SALT deduction cap could affect those taxpayers less.

LOCAL

NEWARK — "After drinking water crisis, Newark is winning war on lead," by the AP's David Porter: "On a recent sun-drenched morning, the staccato rhythms of a jackhammer ricocheted off buildings as a work crew dug into a Newark street to remove an aging pipe that carried water — and potentially a poison — to a small apartment building. The new pipe is copper. The old one was lined with lead, which can be harmful to human health even at minute levels. The water service line was one of more than 20,000 made with the toxic metal the city began replacing in 2019 amid public outrage over revelations about high lead levels in the tap water in schools and homes across the city. Less than three years after the work began, the replacement project, initially projected to take up to 10 years, is nearly complete. City residents who switched to bottled water during the crisis are breathing — and drinking — easier. Newark, once castigated and sued over its sluggish response to the problem, is being held up as a potential national model."

SUSSEX — "Feds seek 44-month sentence for Sussex man who admitted assaulting cop during Capitol riot ," by the New Jersey Herald's Liam Quinn: "Federal prosecutors are seeking a nearly four-year sentence for the Sussex County man who pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, according to a court document. Scott Fairlamb, of Hardyston, pleaded guilty in August. The 44-month jail sentence plus three years of supervised release proposed by prosecutors would be the biggest punishment levied in a case relating to the Capitol storming yet. 'After exiting the U.S. Capitol, Fairlamb aggressively followed a line of dramatically out-numbered Metropolitan Police Department officers, screaming vitriol at them as they attempted to traverse the over-run Terrace,' the government said in its sentencing memo. 'After isolating an MPD officer from his fellow officers, Fairlamb shoved the officer and then punched his face shield.'"

OCEAN COUNTY GOP — "Is a chairman's battle looming between Frank Holman and George Gilmore?," by the Asbury Park Press' Erik Larsen: Just days after Ocean County delivered a stunning 75,972-vote plurality for Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, county GOP chairman Frank B. Holman III said he plans to seek reelection as the organization's leader in June. Holman's decision sets up a potential battle with former GOP leader and kingmaker George R. Gilmore, who many GOP insiders expect will challenge Holman for his old job next year. When reached Thursday, Gilmore said he had no announcement to make. If realized, the chairman's fight would be the culmination of what has been an ongoing proxy war between the two men within the county Republican Party, where a growing rift is dividing it between the Holman and Gilmore camps.

UNION COUNTY — "Pay Bumps Proposed for Union County's Top Administrators, Elected Officials," by TapINTO Westfield's Matt Kadosh: The Board of County Commissioners has proposed pay raises for itself and its top administrators in the coming year — a measure anticipated to get a formal public hearing next month. The salary bumps introduced Thursday include an 18.8% pay hike for County Manager Ed Oatman, an 11.1% raise for Human Services Director Debbie Ann-Anderson, a 9.1% raise for Administrative Services Director Laura Scutari and an 8.9% raise for Public Safety Director Andrew Moran, the board's approval shows. Finance Director Bibi Taylor and Economic Development Director Amy Wagner, who also serves as deputy county manager, are both slated to receive 8% pay hikes under the measure setting salaries for 2022.

JERSEY CITY — Jersey City Ward C runoff: Bing and Boggiano hit the campaign trail again, by The Jersey Journal's Joshua Rosario: Jersey City Journal Square city council candidate Kevin Bing is looking to double his efforts and lure more supporters to his side. Richard Boggiano, the incumbent seeking a third term, will rely on a supporter base that earned him 600 more voters than the challenger on Nov. 2 when the two square off in the Ward C runoff election on Dec. 7. The runoff became necessary when none of the three candidates, including third-place finisher Tom Zuppa, garnered more than 50% of the vote.

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