WINNERS
Jay Webber
The state Republican chairman has long been known as an up-and-comer in GOP circles, but with his listing this week in Time Magazine’s “40 under 40 – Rising Stars of U.S. Politics,” the assemblyman from Morris Plains has arrived.
Mike DuHaime
DuHaime was also honored by Time this week, which lands him on our list, but calling him a rising star may be a misnomer. The chief strategist for Gov. Chris Christie has long been thought of as a political star. We hear he is a hell of a hockey player as well.
Scott Sipprelle
The Republican challenger in the 12th District scored a nice get this week when a Monmouth University poll put him within spitting distance of incumbent Democrat Rush Holt. With less than three weeks to go, Sipprelle trails by just five points and a strong debate performance Thursday won’t hurt him. Still, his evident frustration with the political process gave rise to a post debate discussion among attendees that began with the question: “Why is he so angry?”
Assemblywoman Valerie Vanieri Huttle
The Democrat from Englewood has had a nice spate of recognition for her efforts on behalf of children, senior citizens and the disabled. Huttle received awards as the Child Advocate of the Year from the New Jersey Alliance for Children and from the Bright Side Manor geriatric facility. She is due to be honored later in the month by ARC of New Jersey as its legislator of the year.
State Sen. Phil Haines
The Republican from Mount Holly received rave reviews from both sides of the aisle on the way to a unanimous approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee of his appointment as a Superior Court Judge.
LOSERS
Hudson County Sheriff Juan Perez
Perez is under siege from his party and his employees and is refusing press interviews with less than three weeks to go until Election Day. To top off his week, Perez finds himself on the wrong end of a campaign finance complaint filed by his opponent for allegedly using too many accounts to fund his race.
Peter DeStefano
Either he is a plant by Democratic opponent John Adler in which case people will view his candidacy as a joke and steer clear of him, or he’s not a plant as he maintains but everyone thinks he is, in which case people will view his candidacy as a joke and steer clear of him. In either case, he has a problem. It’s likely when DeStefano signed up for his run, he didn’t anticipate becoming a national story.
Lydell Sherrer
The Department of Corrections assistant commissioner was arrested on bribery charges Tuesday and suspended from his $130,000 per year job. Sherrer was arrested in Princeton after allegedly receiving a $2,000 bribe from another corrections employee. Officials say he solicited bribes from two separate employees, offering to use his position to help both find new jobs or file suit against the state. He allegedly received $9,000 in bribes before he was arrested.
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