There will be a new legislator in the 4th district

by: Jason Springer

Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 12:30:00 AM EST

Assemblywoman Sandi Love announced yesterday that she would not seek another term in office because of health reasons.

I am very grateful for the opportunity the voters gave me to represent them in Trenton," said Love. "It has been a wonderful and challenging experience, and there is still a great deal I want to accomplish in the year remaining in my term."
Love, 63, said she did not want to get into specifics about her condition, but assured it's "nothing that's life-threatening."
"There are other people who I'm sure would like to have a chance to serve," she said. "Whoever is chosen, I am willing to work with them and share my ideas to help them in any way that I can."

Love took the seat in 2007, when then Assemblyman Dave Mayer decided not to run for re-election. The move certainly makes things more interesting in the fourth legislative district. The district is split between Gloucester and Camden counties, with one seat typically representing each. With Paul Moriarty from Washington Township in Gloucester County, PolitickerNJ speculated about potential candidates from Camden County:

A long list of possible candidates to succeed Love include: Camden County Freeholder Rodney Greco (D-Gloucester Township); former Gloucester Township mayoral candidate Bill Collins; former Acting Camden County Sheriff William Fontanez; Lindenwold Mayor Frank DeLucca; and Gloucester Township Councilmembers Glen Bianchini, Orlando Mercado, Crystal Evans and Ken Garbowski. Sources say that the four local officials are not likely contenders for the Assembly.
If Democrats pick Greco, it would open up a seat on the Board of Freeholders. Greco is up for re-election this year.

Basically, this is just a list of all the potential Democrats. Depending on who the Democrats go with, the domino's could continue to fall. Let's not forget that they are already seeking a new Clerk in Camden County, with the departure of now Senator Jim Beach taking the former Adler seat in the sixth district. Choosing Greco would mean a new Freeholder and Clerk would be running with current Freeholders Nash and Ripa in November.

The fourth district has been one of the more competitive districts in the past with Senator Fred Madden winning his election in 2003 by just 63 votes. The Senate however isn't on the ballot again this year leaving the Assembly seats and the Governor at the top of the ticket in an off year election. Another factor in the race, with a potential candidate joining the ticket from Gloucester Township will be the local election for mayor, where will be that former Assemblyman Dave Mayer is running for the office. A competitive local election could help to drive turnout in Gloucester Township and Mayer is very well known in town. He will take on the current Mayor, Republican Cindy Rau Hatton. This will be a district that gets more attention now than it would have gotten yesterday for sure.

Jason Springer :: There will be a new legislator in the 4th district