Embattled Sussex County Commissioner Bill Hayden will refund a $100 campaign contribution after a donor sued him for allegedly lying about his military service record. Gail Just-Cornelius, the first woman to serve as a New Jersey State Trooper, filed a lawsuit in small claims court in March alleging that Hayden, the central player in a Stolen Valor scandal, convinced her to contribute to his 2022 campaign because he was a veteran.  But it appears that Hayden made it up and never served. “I have known Hayden for many years.  He has always bragged about military service.  When he ..read more

Two influential labor unions have endorsed Rep. Robert J. Menendez (D-Jersey City) for re-election in New Jersey’s 8th district. Menendez has the support of the International Longshoremen’s Association and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 164.  Both unions come with financial resources and boots on the ground to turnout voters for the Democratic primary. “From his current Congressional posts including serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to his previous experience as a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey ..read more

Hudson County Executive Craig Guy today made his much-anticipated formal announcement that he would run for Democratic county chairman.  The incumbent, Anthony Vainieri, is not expected to run again but has not yet publicly stated his intentions.   Guy appears to have the votes to win even if Vainieri were to seek re-election. Speculation that Guy would take over the county Democratic organization post began last year, before he had been sworn in as county executive. At a memorial service this week for Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-Newark), it was Guy — and not Vainieri — who rep ..read more

The congressional seat in Newark’s 10th district is one of the most heavily Democratic in the nation.  Democrats have held the seat since Peter Rodino won it in 1948 and the winner of the July 16, and Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-Newark) was re-elected by 57.5 percentage points in 2022. Essex County Democrats want the seat to remain in Newark. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has already taken himself out of the race; he’s seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2025. Here’s a quick look at the six leading candidates to replace Payne, who died last week at age 65,  in a July 16 special ..read more

Congress returned this week after a brief recess, and for the first time in a long while, there wasn’t a colossal, contentious issue looming over their heads that they needed to resolve immediately. (Well, there is the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization, but that didn’t come up much this week.) Instead, New Jersey’s senators and representatives were able to focus on their own legislation: one bill to ban hair discrimination, another to broaden the scope of antisemitism investigations, and a third to decriminalize cannabis nationwide. Here’s some of what New Jersey’s 13 members of ..read more

Gov. Phil Murphy will call a July special primary election and a September special general election to fill the seat of the late Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-Newark), meaning that the residents of the solidly Democratic 10th congressional district will not have to wait until November to regain representation in the House. Murphy’s writ of special election, which will be issued later today, orders as fast of a schedule as New Jersey election law allows: a special primary election on Tuesday, July 16 and a special general election on Wednesday, September 18, with the new member presumably taking off ..read more

New Jerseyans aren’t always civil, but it’s still possible for a liberal Democrat and a conservative Republican to have a rational and pleasant conversation about politics in the state.  Dan Bryan is a former senior advisor to Gov. Phil Murphy and is now the owner of his own public affairs firm, and Alex Wilkes is an attorney and former executive director of America Rising PAC who advises Republican candidates in New Jersey and across the nation, including the New Jersey GOP.  She is currently the campaign manager for Curtis Bashaw’s U.S. Senate race.  Dan and Alex are both exp ..read more

U.S. Senator Cory Booker is taking sides in the Passaic County Democratic war, endorsing Thomas Adamo for sheriff and incumbent county commissioners Sandi Lazzara and John Bartlett and their running mate, Rodney DeVore. “Chief Thomas Adamo, Commissioner Sandi Lazzara, Commissioner John Bartlett and Rodney De Vore are dedicated public servants who will lead Passaic County toward a brighter, more inclusive future,” Booker stated. Passaic County Democrats have their most lively primary in a generation, with former Sheriff Jerry Speziale leading a rival slate in a bid to return to his old job.&nbs ..read more

Nate Howard, a rising senior at Princeton University, was elected as the new chair of the College Democrats of New Jersey (CDNJ) this week. “Young voters will be a pivotal part of the Democratic coalition in 2024,” Howard said in a statement. “This past year, we’ve stood up for our values within the party so that young voters are given the respect and input they deserve. By leading with our values, the Democratic party can earn the votes of young voters who are looking for leaders that will combat the climate crisis, protect our freedoms, defend human rights, support organized labor, and fight ..read more

The national environmentalist group Sierra Club announced today that it is supporting Democrat Sue Altman’s campaign for the 7th congressional district, which is set to host a highly competitive race this year. “We are excited to endorse Sue Altman in a critical race that will help determine our nation’s response to the existential climate crisis we face,” Allen Swanson, the Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter’s Loantaka Group chair, said in a statement. “Sue is a champion for a clean energy future and will fight for strong environmental protections, preserve open spaces across New Jersey, and ensu ..read more