With the swearing in of Dana Redd as the Mayor of Camden, the political changes continue. Her departure created the need for a new Senator and that choice has opened the door for another new member of the Assembly. South Jersey leaders put out a release this afternoon announcing support for Don Norcross to move up to the Senate, instead of the Assembly seat he was recently elected to and Camden City Councilman Gilbert "Whip" Wilson to be the next Assemblyman:Among the supporters are U.S. Rep. Robert E. Andrews, Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts, Camden Mayor Dana Redd and State Sen. President Stephen Sweeney. Also rallying behind Norcross and Wilson are Lloyd Henderson Esq., a prominent African-American leader; the Rev. Reginald Jackson, executive-director of the Black Ministers Council of New Jersey; Bishop David Evans of Bethany Baptist Church; Logan Township Mayor Frank Minor, chairman of the South Jersey Political Black Caucus; Camden Mayor Gwendolyn Faison; and Jeannine LaRue, vice-president of Rutgers University and former deputy chief-of-staff to Gov. Jon Corzine. Wilson is a former police lieutenant who currently serves on the Camden Council. The list of supporters included elected officials, labor leaders, county chairs, municipal chairmen and religious leaders. Norcross was elected to the Assembly in November along with Angel Fuentes. PNJ says that Norcross will be sworn into the Assembly, but won't be there very long:Norcross will serve in the state assembly for four days before Democratic committee members from the district hold a special election on Jan. 16 that will almost certainly send him on to the state senate. I'll put the full list of supporters from the release below the fold. While it all appears to be a done deal, there is no doubt questions will continue to be asked about the process of selecting those new leaders. You will have a completely new slate of elected officials in the Legislature from the 5th as what was Redd, Roberts and Cruz-Perez, will now apparently be Norcross, Fuentes and Wilson. |
U.S. Rep. Robert E. Andrews, Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts, Camden Mayor Dana Redd and State Sen. President-elect Stephen Sweeney. Lloyd Henderson Esq., a prominent African-American leader; the Rev. Reginald Jackson, executive-director of the Black Ministers Council of New Jersey; Bishop David Evans of Bethany Baptist Church; Logan Township Mayor Frank Minor, chairman of the South Jersey Political Black Caucus; Camden Mayor Gwendolyn Faison; and Jeannine LaRue, vice-president of Rutgers University and former deputy chief-of-staff to Gov. Jon Corzine; State Sen. James Beach, the co-chairman of the Camden County Democratic Party; Gloucester County Democratic chairman Michael Angelini; Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz-Perez, Assemblyman-Elect Angel Fuentes, Camden County freeholders
Louis Cappelli, Riletta Cream, Jeff Nash, Carmen Rodriguez, Ed McDonnell, Ian Leonard, and Rod Greco; County clerk Joe Ripa; Sheriff Chuck Billingham; Surrogate Pat Jones; Gloucester County Freeholders Rob Damminger, Joe Chila, Frank DiMarco, Joe Brigandi, Jean DuBois, and Warren Wallace; county clerk James Hogan, Sheriff Carmel Morina, and Surrogate Helene Reed.Rev. Carl Styles, president of LIUNA Local 222; Marcus King, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 331.
The Democratic Municipal Chairs of Audubon, Kurt Pechmann; Barrington, Maureen Bergeron; Bellmawr, David Duncan; Brooklawn, Thomas MacAdams; Camden, Dana Redd; Deptford, John Vinci; Gloucester City, Jay Brophy; Haddon Heights, Jay Jones; Hi-Nella, Gary Tomar; Lawnside, Rhonda Wardlow-Hurley; Magnolia, Mary Martz; Mount Mphraim, Bruce Greenwald; Runnemede, David Vinella; Somerdale, James Perry; Stratford, Terry Armbruster; Westville, William Knight; Woodbury, Chuck Rose; Woodbury Heights, Lou Deeck; Woodlynne, Jeraldo Fuentes; and Barbara Holcomb, vice-chairwoman of the Camden County Democratic Committee and former Winslow Township committeewoman.
The mayors of Audubon, John Ward; Barrington, John Rink; Bellmawr, Frank Filipek; Brooklawn, John Soubasis; Camden, Dana Redd; Gloucester City, William James; Hi-Nella, Meredith Dobbs; Lawnside, Mark Bryant; Logan Township, Frank Minor; Magnolia, Betty Ann Cowling-Carson; Mount Ephraim, Joe Wolk; Pennsauken, Ric Taylor; Runnemede, Virginia "Ginny" Betteridge; Somerdale, Gary Passanante; Woodlynne, Jeraldo Fuentes; Deptford, Paul Medany; Westville, Russell Welsh; Woodbury City, Robert Curtis; and Woodbury Heights, Harry Elton.
Camden Council Members Curtis Jenkins; Francisco Moran; Marilyn Torres; Dana Burley; William Spearman; Deptford Councilman Wayne Love; Lawnside Council Members Stephen Moore; Christopher Raines; Mary Ann Wardlow; and Clifford Still; Somerdale Councilwoman Carol Jenkins-Mitchell; Stratford Councilman Michael Perez; Woodbury Council Members Patrick Pottillo and Gwendolyn J. Brown; and Woodlynne Councilman Ricardo Hernandez Sr. |
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