7/12/2015

1of1DOCUMENT

TheStarLedger(Newark,NewJersey)
November12,2006Sunday
FINALEDITION

THEAUDITOR
SECTION:PERSPECTIVEPg.3
LENGTH:990words

Nowthatthatelectionisover,it'stimetotalkaboutthenextone.
All120seatsintheDemocratcontrolledstateLegislaturewillbeupforgrabsnextNovemberinwhatwillbeGov.
JonCorzine'smidtermtest.TheAuditoristoldtherewillbelotsofturnoverbeforeonevoteiscastespeciallyin
the40memberSenate,whereupto40percentofthemembersmaynotbeontheballotnextNovember.
TheRepublicansarelikelytohandgoldwatchestoanumberintheircaucus.Sen.RobertMartin(RMorris),a22
yearlawmaker,hassaidhewon'tseekreelection.Othersmullingretirementinclude79yearoldSen.Joseph
Palaia(RMonmouth)70yearoldSen.RobertLittell(RSussex),thelongestservinglawmakerinTrentonand73
yearoldSen.WalterKavanaugh(RSomerset).Iftheyoptagainstretirement,allthreewouldlikelyfaceprimary
challenges.
OntheDemocraticside,Sen.BernardKenny(DHudson)isconsideredunlikelytoruninthefaceofachallenge
fromAssemblymanBrianStack(DHudson),whoisalsomayorofUnionCity.FewexpectSen.SharpeJames(D
Essex)torunafterbailingonareelectionbidasNewarkmayor.AndNewarkMayorCoryBookerisexpectedto
findachallengertoSen.RonRice(DEssex),whomBookersoundlydefeatedinMay.
Othersfacepotentiallegalproblemsthatcouldthreatentheircandidacies.Sen.WayneBryant(DCamden)is
understateandfederalinvestigationsintowhetherheprofitedfromhisgovernmentconnections.Sen.MarthaBark
(RBurlington)facesastateinvestigationofherparttimeconsultinggigwiththePalmyraCoveNaturePark.
Anotherhalfdozen,includingSen.WilliamGormley(RAtlantic),mayalsoexit.Butinpolitics,fewthingsare
certain.OneRepublicanstaffersaidsomeolderincumbentsmightrunonelasttimeiftheybelievetheGOPcan
overcomethe2218Democraticmajority."Wehavealotofmaybes,"thestaffersaid.
Guru'sgoodguess
OnElectionDay,RepublicanssworeTomKeanJr.stillhadachancetoupsetU.S.Sen.RobertMenendezand
manyanalystssaidtheracewastooclosetocall.
ButMenendezwasconfidentofvictorywhenhestrodeintothevotingbooth.Why?Hispollsterandkeystrategist,
JoelBenenson,wroteanemailmessagethatmorningpredictinga7percentagepointwin,52to45.Benenson
hadconductedthousandsofinterviewsduringtheprevioustwoweeksandusedacomplexformulatoarriveathis
forecast.
WhenearlyexitpollsshowedBenensonwasdeadon,herecalledMenendeztoldhim,"I'mhopingthewinisjusta
littlebigger,becauseifit'srightthere,you'regoingtobeimpossibletolivewith."
Thesenatorgothiswishjustbarely.Hewon,53.2to44.6percent.
Benenson'scolleagueswerenotsurprisedbyhisprescience.Theyhadcoinedaphraseduringthecampaign:"In
https://www.nexis.com/delivery/PrintDoc.do?fromCartFullDoc=false&fileSize=5000&dnldFilePath=%2Fl-n%2Fshared%2Fprod%2Fdiscus%2Fqds%2Frepository%

1/3

7/12/2015

JoelWeTrust."
Benenson'sfirm,theNewYorkbasedBenensonStrategyGroup,alsoguidedJimWebb,whoserazorthinvictory
inVirginiahelpedgiveDemocratstheSenate,aswellasHaroldFord,whofellshortofahistoricSenateupsetin
Tennessee.ThefirmalsopolledforDemocrats'nationalcommitteesfortheHouseandSenateraces.
"ItwasexhilaratingandexhaustingandobviouslyagreatyearforDemocratsandagreatnightforthefirm,"said
Benenson,aMontclairresidentandformerDailyNewsreporter.
Familyhonor
U.S.AttorneyChrisChristieoversawtheefforttoprosecutewealthyLivingstondeveloperCharlesKushnerand
ultimatelyledtohisdownfall.Theprosecutionwasprecipitatedbyalawsuitandcomplaintsmadetofederal
electionregulatorsbyKushner'sbrother,Murray.
ChristiewillbehonoredNov.30withtheannualTreeofLifeawardbytheJewishNationalFundandamongthe
sponsorsoftheLivingstongalaareMurrayKushner'stwosons,JonathanandAryeh.
JonathanKushnersaidhesupportedthegalainthepast,andunderstoodheishelpinghonorthemanwhosent
hisuncletoprison."Ontheironyofit,itiswhatitis,"hesaid.
ChristiesaidthegroupapproachedhimandheagreedtobeitshonoreeafterclearingitwiththeJustice
DepartmentinWashington.Christie,whonowlivesinMendhamBorough,grewupinLivingstonandsaidhisfamily
hasbeenactiveinthecommunitythere.
"Idon'trecognizetheironyasmuchbecauseIknowmylifeisalotlongerthanthepastfiveyears,"hesaid.
CharlesKushnerisnowoutofprison.
Iswear,I'mbusy
Manyofthestate'sbrightestlegalmindswereinattendanceattheswearinginofChiefJusticeJamesZazzalilast
week.
Christiewasthere,aswereformerjusticesPeterVernieroandDeborahPoritzAttorneyGeneralStuartRabner
Corzine'schiefcounsel,KennethZimmermanU.S.DistrictCourtChiefJudgeGarrettBrown,andFrankAskin,
headoftheconstitutionallawclinicatRutgersUniversitySchoolofLaw.
ButtwomembersofZazzali'scourtwereabsent:JusticesRobertoRiveraSotoandBarryAlbin.
AlbinstoppedbytheWarMemorialinTrentonjustbeforetheceremonytowishZazzaliwellbeforezippingoffto
judgetheannualPaulsenMootCourtCompetitionatBenjaminN.CardozoSchoolofLawinNewYork,a
commitmenthemademonthsago.
RiveraSotowasinItaly,wheretheNewJerseyStateBarAssociationhelditsmidyearmeetingandthejustice
wasamongthepresenters.HisseminarontrendsinNewJerseyemploymentlawwastitled"TheGood,TheBad
andTheUglyASpaghettiWestern."
ScarletFever
AssemblySpeakerJosephRobertsandSenatePresidentRichardCodeyarerevelingintheRutgersfootball
team'supsetwinoverthirdrankedLouisville.RobertsisawaitingacountryhamhewoninabetwithKentucky
HouseSpeakerJodyRichards.AndCodeynotonlypredictedvictory,hegotthespread.OnWFANradio,Codey
saidRutgerswouldtriumphbythreepoints.TheScarletKnightswon,2825.
LOADDATE:April19,2007
LANGUAGE:ENGLISH
https://www.nexis.com/delivery/PrintDoc.do?fromCartFullDoc=false&fileSize=5000&dnldFilePath=%2Fl-n%2Fshared%2Fprod%2Fdiscus%2Fqds%2Frepository%

2/3

7/12/2015

PUBLICATIONTYPE:Newspaper
JOURNALCODE:nsl

Copyright2006NewarkMorningLedgerCo.
AllRightsReserved

https://www.nexis.com/delivery/PrintDoc.do?fromCartFullDoc=false&fileSize=5000&dnldFilePath=%2Fl-n%2Fshared%2Fprod%2Fdiscus%2Fqds%2Frepository%

3/3