Chuck Schumer

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken) in Paterson this afternoon.

PATERSON – There’s an old boast in Hudson County that if you take a politician out of there and put him anywhere else in the country, he’ll soon be running the place.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Hoboken) didn’t gloat today as he faced the cameras and took questions on the day Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) named him to succeed U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).

But the former mayor of Union City was Hudson County-cryptic when asked how his helmsman-ship would differ from that of his predecessor across the river.

“In terms of style, he has his, and I have mine, and that’s it,” Menendez said.

Speaking at a press conference in Paterson City Hall on the issue of federal foreclosure aid with Gov. Jon Corzine, who served in the U.S. Senate as DSCC chairman when President-elect Barack Obama’s came of age as a statewide candidate, Menendez later fielded several questions about his new role.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), right, with his predecessor as Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.)

It’s official.  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this morning turned over the reigns of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to New Jersey’s Bob Menendez, the group’s vice-chair (D-Hoboken). 

“Our Caucus will be well-served by Bob Menendez, whose mastery of policy is matched only by his mastery of politics,” said Reid in a statement.

Schumer departs with a successful track record, presiding over the Democrats’ takeover of the Senate in 2006 and further gains this year.  Menendez said he hopes to build on that. 

Check back next week to view my Convention Sketchpads from the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez might not have received a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention, but apparently he’s still poised to enhance his clout in the Senate over the next few years. As Vice Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), Menendez is expected to move up to the chairmanship next year when incumbent Charles Schumer moves on after two cycles on the job. That puts the junior Senator from New Jersey into a nationally visible role for the 2010 elections – when (based on historical precedent) Menendez will either be defending seats in Barack Obama’s mid-term election, or looking to pick some up in John McCain’s.

WASHINGTON -- Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair Chuck Schumer reaffirmed his support for incumbent U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg this afternoon – and took something of a shot at Lautenberg primary challenger U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews.

“We believe that Frank will win the primary. His numbers are good, his popularity among Democrats in a poll we just made public is very high. In the northern part of the state, the northern counties, Frank is ahead, I think, 75 - 11. The Andrews people had thought they could get a few of those northern counties, but they don’t have a one. All 14 are with Frank,” Schumer said.

“So, you know, I think Frank will win,” Schumer added. “Frank has, you know, about double the money in the bank that Andrews has. We support our incumbents. Frank has done a very good job in the Senate, he’s active, he’s strong, and we think we will win. And New Jersey is blue. We don’t think the field of their candidates is as strong as ours. But we think Frank is the stronger candidate in both the primary and the general.”