Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan has raised enough campaign cash to receive matching funds from the state, according to his strategist, Rick Shaftan.

Shaftan didn’t have the exact numbers, but he said that Lonegan has raised over $340,000 – the threshold to receive two dollars for every dollar he raises beyond the $109,000 deductible.

If the contributions are verified, Lonegan will start out with about $802,000.

“The last six to eight weeks has been all fundraising,” said Shaftan.

Hunterdon County Freeholder Matt Holt will run for the assembly, not the state senate

The three way race for senate in the 23rd Legislative District has been narrowed down to two.

Hunterdon County Freeholder Matt Holt, who had already declared his candidacy for state senate, has opted instead to run for one of the two possible assembly seats that will soon open up.  Both incumbents, Assembly members Marcia Karrow (R-Flemington) and Mike Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) are running to replace Congressman-elect Leonard Lance in the state Senate. 

"My mission to represent the 23rd District in the Legislature will not change.  I repeat my pledge to run a campaign based on issues, and to be a unifying force that all Republicans can rally around to further the goals of the party,” said Holt in a statement.  “Low taxes, responsible government, transparency, and impeccable integrity can be the hallmarks of New Jersey governance.  I continue my total commitment to these principles.” 

Nutley Commissioner Joe Scarpelli

In a legislative district where some Republicans sense opportunity, Nutley Commissioner Joseph Scarpelli says he does not intend to run for the Assembly this year in the 36th.

“You can rule it out, I’m not interested,” the Republican commissioner told PolitickerNJ.com. “I’m happy doing what I’m doing.

Scarpelli earned a seat on the commission last year, taking over for his father, former Mayor Peter Scarpelli, who retired from elected office.

Sources say Nutley Mayor Joanne Cocchiola likewise does not intend to pursue a run for the Assembly, while Nutley businessman Carmen Pio Costa remains interested but has not yet formally declared his intentions.

State Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-Montville) is not satisfied with the response to his OPRA requests to the Treasury Department, claiming that any substantive discussion about why the state invested in the troubled Lehman Brothers financial firm was blacked out in the documents provided to him. 

Pennacchio is investigating how the government lost hundreds of millions in pension funds by investing in Lehman Brothers before its collapse.  He had previously complained that his requests were ignored. 

State Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth)

An old ally today sent up a trumpet blast of support for former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie. 

State Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), who swore Christie into office when he served as a Morris County Freeholder, says Christie looks and sounds like a Republican candidate for governor. 

“I spent time over the weekend with my good friend… and I am very encouraged by what I heard,” Kyrillos said in an email he sent today to friends. 

“Chris is being urged to run for governor by Republicans, Independents, and even some prominent Democrats,” Kyrillos wrote. “They've read what the newspapers wrote about what Chris achieved as our state's U.S. Attorney, and they're telling Chris that he can provide the leadership and make the tough decisions needed to fix our broken state."

Hudson County Freeholder Jeffrey Dublin is trying to hold on to his post as Freeholder Chairman, even though the board has rotated the chairmanship among members one year at a time since eight-year chairman Silverio "Sal" Vega left the board in 2006.

The board will hold its reorganization meeting tomorrow, where members will vote on who will lead it.  According to the rotation order, Vice-Chair Doreen DeDomenico is next in line.

"Being a chairman for only one year doesn't give the board any continuity at all, and it doesn't help as far as dealing with the executive branch of government, because they feel that they have to deal with different chairmen each year," said Dublin.  "Sal Vega was the chairman for eight years.  He gave continuity and respect for the board. I'm not looking to be a party basher, but just to talk and see what we can do with respect to keeping continuity for the board."

Dublin said that he plans to meet with his supporters today, followed by a meeting with DeDomenico.

"I'll be making my decision later on today on whether I'm going to move forward or just support the rotation," said Dublin.

Jersey City mayoral candidate Lou Manzo has filled in most of his council slate and plans to start rolling out names next week.

“We will have the majority of the known candidates that are seeking office. It is so tough to find people who want to run, and out of the people who want to run I think I’m going to get the lion’s share of them,” said Manzo, a former assemblyman who’s embarking on his fifth try for the office on Grove Street.

Manzo said that finding quality council candidates has been especially difficult this year. He’s still working on recruiting Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop, who has entertained a number of offers from mayoral candidates to join their slate.

“Everybody’s still fishing for Fulop. He hasn’t made a decision yet. We’re in that race too,” said Manzo.

Morris County political insiders say the race for the vacated assembly seat in District 25 will come down to Tony Bucco and Morris County Freeholder Doug Cabana, both of Boonton Township. 

Bucco, son of state Sen. Anthony Bucco (R-Morris), officially entered the race late last year, and his brother-in-law, Cabana, is set to kick-off his own campaign on Jan. 13th. 

But Randolph Councilman Gary Algeier, who three years ago pursued an unsucessful run for freeholder, says don’t count him out of the assembly contest. 

“A lot of people have asked me but I haven’t made a decision yet,” he told PolitickerNJ.com. “At the moment, I’m keeping my options open. With Rick Merkt stepping down, it opens a lot of possibilities.”

Brian P. Stack won 77% of the vote in his bid to succeed Bernard Kenny in the State Senate
Three Hudson County mayors won last night, one of them posthumously.

And in the minds of voters, the legacy of the late Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham abides, with his wife triumphing in her district 31 State Senate contest.

As expected, the Middlesex County Democratic Organization on Sunday picked South Brunswick Councilwoman Carol Barrett to succeed the late David B. Crabiel as county freeholder, according to party chairman Joe Spicuzzo. 

“We had 611 people from the county committee who voted,” said Spicuzzo. “Carol Barrett won with 58 percent of the vote.” 

Barrett defeated former Edison Councilman Charles Tomaro and Amy Papi of East Brunswick. She is scheduled to take the oath of office tomorrow at the freeholders’ reorganization meeting at Middlesex County College.