Watson Coleman drops speaker bid

By Matt Friedman | November 19th, 2009 - 2:51pm
| More

Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) told The Star-Ledger today that Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Trenton) has dropped her campaign to become assembly speaker.

Oliver, who is expected to ascend to the speakership as part of a deal between north and south Jersey Democrats to install state Sen. Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) as senate president, claimed the votes for the position in September.  Watson Coleman, however, continued to campaign for it until this week.

If she is voted to lead the lower legislative house, Oliver will replace retiring Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden).    

Tags:

Good news

Submitted by Teedyuscung on November 21, 2009 - 1:02pm.

With the pending departure of her brother, "J" Watson, as DEP Deputy Commissioner, hopefully with all his clueless minions, what will become of "Versailles on the Delaware," the so-called new Urban State Park behind the Statehouse? Hopefully they will restore the public parking for the Trenton War Memorial rather than award millions of dollars in contracts for a new park while the public is subjected to deteriorating parks and closed historic sites.

Wake-Up Call

Morning News Digest: March 9, 2010

Stile: Partisan politics on the public dime There is an early scene in "The Godfather" where Don Vito Corleone scolds Santino, his intemperate son, for talking out of turn during a tense meeting. "What’s the matter with you?" the Don fumes. "Never tell anybody outside the family what you’re thinking...

Wally Edge

Can the GOP win in Gloucester?
Gloucester County Republicans have not won a Freeholder race since 1995, but a strong showing in the last election gives the GOP some hope in the battle to reverse their losing streak.  This year, two incumbent Democratic Freeholders are...
GOP pollster says Holt's re-elect number has dropped ten points in six years
A recent poll conducted by Gov. Chris Christie’s pollster, Adam Geller of National Research, shows that U.S. Rep. Rush Holt’s hard re-elect numbers have gone down.  A recent poll shows that 39% of twelfth district voters believe Holt deserves...
Kominsky joins Trenton firm
Karen Kominsky, a veteran Democratic strategist who served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. James E. McGreevey and as N.J. state director for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, has joined Cozen O’Connor as a member of its Trenton-based Public...
Stalin moves to Jersey City
Jersey City Councilman Steven Fulop, a reformer who insiders increasingly view as a leading candidate for mayor in 2013 (or earlier), last week proposed: the elimination of health benefits for part-time political appointees in the Incinerator...
Will Mr. Potato head use his part-time government salaries to pay the court costs generated by his mistake?
A do-over of a slip-and-fall jury trial necessitated by the arrogance of Mr. Potato Head – former State Sen. Robert Martin (R-Morris Plains) –has been settled.  In 2006, Martin served as foreman of a Morris County jury that awarded $876,000 to...
MORE >

Contributors

Robert
Torricelli
Everybody needs to start a new job with a list of priorities and Chris Christie is no exception. There might be a thousand things that need to get done... more »
Jeff
Michaels
Trivia Question --- A Democrat Chief Executive elected by an overwhelming margin cannot convince overwhelming Democrat Majorities in the Legislative Branch to enact his agenda, and faces increasing public... more »
Joseph
Vitale
As part of his solution to New Jersey’s current budget deficit, Gov. Chris Christie announced that, effective yesterday, he will not allow any additional parents to enroll in FamilyCare,... more »
Raymond
Lesniak
The First BankAmericano was started in Elizabeth with a mission to serve the traditionally underserved Hispanic population by bringing them into the financial system through savings and checking accounts... more »
Steve
Adubato, Jr.
Let me get this straight.  The state has a “cap” or limit on how much municipalities can increase their annual budget every year—four percent.  The goal is to keep... more »
Alan
Steinberg
My New Jersey Mort Zuckerman Story Both national and local media have been reporting about the possibility of New York Daily News publisher Mort Zuckerman seeking the Republican nomination... more »
Carla
Katz
You’ve got to hand it to Christie; he calls it as he sees it.  I don’t mean the newly crowned Governor, Chris Christie, but his nine-year-old son, Patrick.  ... more »
Joseph
N. DiVincenzo, Jr.
Anyone involved in governing and administrating a town or county in New Jersey understands the economic problems outlined in The Star-Ledger editorials of February 28 and March 1.  The... more »
Gina
Genovese
It is widely anticipated that Gov. Chris Christie’s first budget message, to be delivered on March 16, will show the harsh reality of New Jersey’s bleak financial outlook. No... more »
Donald
Norcross
As you know, the state is facing a very serious budget problem – and we are moving quickly to take the steps necessary to meet this challenge. The initial... more »
Michael
W. Kempner
Republican Playbook:  Fear, Scorn & Partisanship -- Instill fear.  Sow uncertainty.   Create doubt.  Demonize.   These tactics may be the unfortunate norm for campaigning, but they are bad – if not... more »
Michael
Patrick Carroll
Our new Governor suffers from no lack of advice.  Much of it, contained in the transition reports, deserves prompt attention.  Obviously, economic prosperity benefits everyone, and – as... more »
Richard
J. LaRossa
I have to genuinely wonder if this legislature will go down as the most taxing legislature in the history of the state of New Jersey surpassing the legislative actions... more »
Dr.
Joseph R. Marbach
Now that  the dust has finally settled after the grueling campaign for governor, there are a number of lessons that we can draw from this election. First and... more »
Joey
Novick
3.9.10   With the First Lady away for a few days, the President is asleep by himself in the White House. He is restless, as he struggles with... more »
Murray
Sabrin
Sheriff Larkin must go:  no ifs ands or buts.According to published reports, Mercer County Sheriff Kevin Larkin entered the Political Science class of associate professor Michael Glass at Mercer... more »
Anthony
M. Bucco
On January 11th New Jersey’s 213th Legislature ended its session, followed the next day by the commencement of the 214th Legislature, with newly elected officials being sworn into office,... more »
Julio
Tavarez
On January 6, 2010, several newspapers published articles with titles like “no more aid for struggling cities”, “Christie will cut state aid” and the like; furthermore, in the body... more »
Rafael
Román Martel
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, you target teachers. That’s not a positive note to start your tenure. You forget that the Teachers’ Union makes decisions on its own, such... more »
Brian
Valentino
On the day of his inauguration, Governor Christopher Christie inherited a gaping $2 billion hole in the state’s budget and swiftly set about the people’s business in meeting our... more »