Thomas Giblin

Assemblywoman Grace Spencer (D-Newark): Politicker photo 

Assemblywoman Grace Spencer (D-Newark) officially opened her district office on Hawthorne Avenue in the South Ward on Friday in a well-attended event.

U.S. Rep. William Payne (D-Newark), Essex county Party chairman Phil Thigpen, Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex), Assemblyman Thomas Giblin (D-Montclair), Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark), Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Newark), and local elected officials were among the 150 people who joined Spencer for the kick-off.

"I plan to have a larger event in September," said Spencer.

The office opening comes in the wake of a suggestion by former Assemblyman William Payne (D-Newark) that he wouldn't rule out a primary run against Spencer. Although he bucked the system last year and ran off the line, Payne remains in a powerful inner sanctum. He serves as deputy chief of staff to Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, a job title shared by Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz, who in 2007 topped the ticket with Spencer. 

Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) won't vote "yes" for budget unless he can get passed $3.9 billion for schools construction. 

TRENTON - The vote on the budget today is expected to go along party lines in the Assembly, which means Democrats have the numbers to pass a $32.9 billion document over the objections of a Republican minority.

For at least one key legislator on the Senate side, however, his "aye" vote for the budget hinges on whether the governing body approves $3.9 in borrowing for schools construction in mostly poor school districts.

Gov. Jon Corzine in Newark today 

NEWARK - Gov. Jon Corzine stood with Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Newark), Assemblywoman L. Grace Spencer (D-Newark) and other lawmakers in the East Ward today and promised to back legislation to pay for new urban schools construction.

"We need action before June 30th, so that we can fulfill our Constitutional obligation to provide our children with a thorough and efficient education," said the governor, moments after taking a tour of the Oliver Street Elementary School.

Coutinho, an Ironbound native who cosponsored the legislation with Spencer, described dilapidated and overcrowded conditions in the facility.

Labor leader Assemblyman Thomas Giblin (D-Essex) said no Assemblyman Thomas Giblincomment today in response to a question about who he plans to back in the U.S. Senate primary between fellow Democrats Sen. Frank Lautenberg and Rep. Rob Andrews.

It was Giblin in 1997 who as chairman of the Essex County Democratic Party decided to support Woodbridge Mayor James McGreevey over Andrews after first lining up to support the Camden congressman for governor.

Now Andrews is heading into a primary battle with U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg and at this point Giblin is staying out of the party's public fray.

But he has only good things to say about the underdog senate canddiate. 

"He is a bright and articulate congressman whom I have a great deal of respect for," Giblin said of Andrews. "I have high regard for him personally and he has made a good contribution to our state."

Robert Kennedy, Jr. in Passaic on Monday night, flanked by U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, left, and Assemblyman Thomas Giblin.

Arguing that his presidential candidate possesses a unique combination of toughness and persuasive power, Robert Kennedy, Jr. electrified a tent-ful of fellow Hillary Clinton supporters on Monday night at a private home in Passaic.

"I was very skeptical at first because I knew she was coming in under the same charges as my father did, which were that she was a carpetbagger," Kennedy, a Westchester, N.Y. resident, said of Clinton’s appeal to him when she first prepared to run for his father’s old Senate seat.

Kennedy said Clinton faced tremendous hostility, especially in traditionally Republican upstate New York - where a Senate candidate must win if he or she is to win the state, in Kennedy’s words.

Assemblyman Joseph CryanWith a few hours to go before the end of the New Hampshire primary, Sen. Hillary Clinton’s statehouse supporters went into full-bore Rudy Giuliani campaign strategy mode, downplaying New Hampshire, and emphasizing the importance of the Feb. 5th primary in New Jersey and 21 other states.

Lagging behind Sen. Barack Obama in Iowa and likely New Hampshire, Clinton's supporters also found a comforting target in the former senator from North Carolina, whom Clinton had excoriated in in self-defense during Saturday's ABC debate.

Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, New Jersey spokesman for the Clinton campaign, said of tonight's primary, "It doesn’t matter whether she wins or loses. What’s going to happen in New Hampshire tonight is you’re going to see John Edwards eliminated. Then it’s going to be Barack and Hillary straight up."

Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney said he doesn’t believe Edwards - a second place finisher in Iowa after Clinton - is done after tonight. "I think they can go to South Carolina (Edwards' birthplace) and he can compete," said Sweeney.

Some candidates will admit they’re long shots, that the odds are stacked against them. But they don’t consider themselves “kamikaze candidates.”

Rev. Clenard Childress switched parties in January and is the GOP Assembly candidate against Tom Giblin and Sheila OliverTake Rev. Clenard H. Childress, Jr. who’s running for the State Assembly as a Republican in the 34th District. Talk to him about his campaign, and you can tell he’s a man of faith.

“Most of what I do is long shots, trust me. But I believe our message resonates with the community, and we’re looking forward to a spirited debate,” said Childress, a Montclair resident who is running with Robert Bianco; there is no Republican state Senate candidate.