WINNERS
Sam Raia
In office to do two things: keep his mouth shut and raise money, the Republican State Committee chairman showed he’s not just excelled at the former since replacing Jay Webber, as the party committee raised $1.15 million in the second quarter and outpaced the Democrats more than 3-1.
Brian P. Stack
Derided as a Christie drone, the Union City political animal took the lead publicly in getting Gov. Chris Christie to restore $139 million in Transitional Aid, which the governor did this week.
Linda Greenstein
The 14th District state senator, a Democrat, issued a condemnation of a newly formed, shadowy Democratic Party fundraising arm, calling on One New Jersey to be transparent. “I think it’s important that they not try to circumvent campaign finance laws and that they say where their funding comes from so we know a little bit about the group,” Greenstein said.
John Currie
With $373,974, the chairman’s Passaic County Democratic Committee (PCDC) had the most cash on hand of all county party organizations as of June 30th.
Al Gaburo
Somerset County Republicans proved the richest county party committee on the Republican side, with the chairman overseeing an operation that has $101,710 cash on hand, according to ELEC.
LOSERS
The Democratic Party
With their fundraising numbers sagging in part due to the absence of millionaire Jon Corzine and in part due to the refusal of public unions to back a party they see as largely complicit in public health and pension benefit refrom, the once proud Democratic Party machine continues to find itself on slippery footing.
One New Jersey
The 501 (C)(4) launched this week by progressives to serve as a watchdog over elected officials has no plans to disclose its donor list, effectively leaving it open to ridicule by Gov. Chris Christie.
James P. King
The former candidate for Jersey City Council admitted in federal court this week to defrauding his campaign committees in connection with money provided to him by disgraced developer Solomon Dwek.
Jon Corzine
The former governor’s official portrait was unveiled in the chief executive’s outer office this week, and with no setting in the painting itself – the work succeeded only in making a politician who often found it hard to connect – look disconnected.
Donnie Evans
The Paterson schools superintendent had to look on while Gov. Chris Christie brought in Harlem superstar Geoffrey Canada to tell the Silk City how to run its public schools system.
New Jersey
The state added 6,400 private sector jobs, but cut 4,700 public worker jobs, producing a net gain of 1,700 jobs in June, according to employment figures released by the Labor Department on Thursday.
