I have been informed that a link in the previous post on Bill Baroni’s death penalty amendment didn’t work. I’ve fixed it, but here is the link again: Bill ACR235.
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I missed this bill (ACR235) — as did most of the rest of the state’s press. Assemblyman Bill Baroni has introduced a constitutional amendment that would strip the Legislature of its authority to repeal the death penalty.
We’ll be asking him about this as the campaign wears on, but it appears that the Assemblyman — and candidate for state Senate — is on the wrong side of the death penalty debate.
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Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein will not be seeking the 14th District state Senate seat being vacated by state Sen. Peter Inverso. Ms. Greenstein, a Demcorat, will instead seek re-election to her fifth Assembly term leaving South Brunswick resident Seema Singh to battle Assemblyman Bill Baroni for the soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat.
The 14th District includes Cranbury, Jamesburg, Monroe and South Brunswick, as well as Hamilton, Plainsboro and West Windsor.
Ms. Singh had won the Democratic nomination last month with endorsements from both the Mercer and Middlesex County party organizations. Those endorsements were issued before Sen. Inverso, a Republican, announced last week that he would not seek re-election.
Mr. Baroni had originally planned to seek re-election to a third term in the Assembly, but opted for the Senate run when Sen. Inverso announced his retirement. He has been endorsed for the seat by Sen. Inverso and by numerous organizations, including the South Brunswick PBA.
Because of speculation that Sen. Iverso might retire, Ms. Greenstein and Ms. Singh had agreed that the pair might switch ticket positions.
In a telephone interview at about 2 p.m. today with South Brunswick Post reporter Paul Koepp, Ms. Greenstein said that friends and colleagues had encouraged her to run for the Senate seat, but that she opted to seek Assembly re-election because she felt she could be more effective in the lower house.
In addition to Assemblyman Baroni, the Republican ticket includes two Assembly candidates — former Jamesburg Borough Councilman Adam Bushman and Hamilton Township Councilman Thomas Goodwin.
The Democrats are expected to select a candidate for the second Assembly seat on Saturday. Politics NJ is reporting that the choice has been narrowed to former Hamilton Council President Daniel Benson and former Hamilton Councilman/labor leader Wayne D’Angelo.
She is expected to issue a formal announcement this afternoon.
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Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein may be running out of time.
Another group has come out for Assemblyman Bill Baroni in his campaign to replace state Sen. Peter Inverso, who is retiring from his senate perch this year.
Baroni snatched several major labor endorsements from state public employee unions and laborers. Today, it won the endorsement of a South Brunswick union, according to Politics NJ.
PBA Local 1066, which represents police officers in South Brunswick, has endorsed Bill Baroni for State Senate. “We work hard at protecting our communities and Bill works hard at protecting our future from corruption and abuse”, said PBA Delegate James Ryan. “Bill has been one of New Jersey’s hardest working legislators and we have maintained an open dialogue since his election to the Assembly.”
Greenstein had an uphill climb to begin with against Baroni and as the endorsements mount that climb becomes even more steep.
On a related note, some readers of the paper the last few weeks may have noticed that we have spent time covering the legislative races. That represents a change — one our readers seemed interested in. We will be covering the race this year by focusing on those issues that have a direct and indirect impact on Cranbury, Jamesburg, Monroe and South Brunswick.
And we plan to endorse.
The Dayton papers — the South Brunswick Post and The Cranbury Press — cover towns with a total population of about 80,000, meaning we represent about 40 percent of the district. Add the two Packet towns — Plainsboro and West Windsor — and we have a majority.
I’ll pass along more lateras we develop our coverage guidelines.
South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
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Dispatches is up and ready for a read. It’s on the turmoil that has come in the wake of state Sen. Peter Inverso’s retirement.
South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
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Hank Kalet 