the POWER LIST2015 DAVID JONES/FLICKRDAVID POLITICKER_2015_PowerList_Cover.indd 7 11/12/15 4:40 PM NORTHEAST CARPENTERS POLITICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE DEDICATED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR THE HARD WORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK STATE NORTHEAST CARPENTERS POLITICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE DEDICATED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR THE HARD WORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK STATE AS TRADE UNIONISTS AND CITIZENS, WE ARE FOCUSED ON IMPROVING INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNION CARPENTERS AND THE SMALL AND LARGE BUSINESSES THAT EMPLOY THEM. OUR ADVOCACY IS CENTERED ON A SIMPLE AND ABIDING MOTTO: AS TRADE UNIONISTS“WHEN CARPENTERSAND CITIZENS, WORK, WE ARE NEW FOCUSED JERSE YON AND IMPROVING NEW YORK INDUSTRY WORK.” STANDARDS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNION CARPENTERS AND THE SMALL AND LARGE BUSINESSES THAT EMPLOY THEM. OUR ADVOCACY IS CENTERED ON A SIMPLE AND ABIDING MOTTO: “WHEN CARPENTERS WORK, NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK WORK.” FIELDCREST AVENUE, RARITAN PLAZA II, SUITE A18, EDISON NJ 08837 • 732-417-9229 FIELDCREST AVENUE, RARITAN PLAZA II, SUITE A18, EDISON NJ 08837 • 732-417-9229 Paid for byby thethe NortheastNortheast RegionalRegional CouncilCouncil of of Carpenters Carpenters Poltical Poltical Education Education Committee Committee A_POLITICKER_2015_ads.indd 1 11/11/15 10:21 AM A_POLITICKER_2015_ads.indd 1 11/11/15 11:02 AM PolitickerNJ.com POWER LIST 2015 Editor’s Note elcome to the PolitickerNJ 2015 Power List, where Readers will note the zoom up on the list of Phil Murphy, the once again we soothe the fragile egos, lost souls and former U.S. Ambassador to Germany and a Goldman Sachs boss high school tough guy acts run amok masquerading who wants to be governor. Murphy this year defined himself as a as grounded, psychologically balanced leaders. retail politician to be reckoned with while simultaneously using his WEach year as we compose this list we consider those millions to get his face up on television – even during Monday Night personalities whose work puts them at the vanguard of power in Football. By comparison, the other candidates appear to be middle this much maligned and misunderstood state, and what emerges is a class “on a good day.” narrative of the shifting centers of power. But Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop remains the frontrunner in Let’s start with a few important observations. the view of most Democratic Party insiders by virtue of his regional Gov. Chris Christie’s quixotic 2016 presidential campaign has position as a strong northern mayor with good access to those party diminished his power in his home state. As a consequence, we don’t allies who can give him the line in critical counties. And don’t forget see on this list as many Christie kitchen cabinet types as we have Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3), another 2017 gubernatorial in years past. Many of the operatives around the governor have hopeful for the Democrats who this year demonstrated a flexing of made their mark and moved on as New Jersey careens toward the power when he overrode the governor’s veto on a much-debated 2017 gubernatorial contest. Having said that, it’s still New Jersey, gun bill. home on paper to the strongest governor in the country; and it’s still Finally, a word about 2015’s campaigns and elections as a power Christie, who as much as his opponents want to believe he’ll be a measurement. toothless tiger when he returns to New Jersey, knows how to wield The first time in 16 years that the assembly topped the ticket in power as a weapon better than nearly all of his home state rivals. a general election, Nov. 3rd gave us little comparative fodder in the So you’ll still see handfuls of Christie loyalists, albeit dropped on way of reducing or augmenting anyone’s power. But the election this year’s power list. did notably prove that South Jersey Democrats remain strong, the The developing 2016 presidential race re-engages several Bergen County Democratic Committee Chairman Lou Stellato is key power players, including Democratic State Party Chairman here to stay, and the Republicans have to regroup if they want to John Currie; and the emerging 2017 contest puts those central compete convincingly statewide in the post Christie era. Democratic Party figures in Essex and Bergen counties on stronger Max Pizarro footing. Editor, PolitickerNJ 2 POLITICKERNJ POLITICKER_2015_PowerList_1-100.indd 2 11/12/15 3:36 PM Everyday, the healthcare workers of 1199SEIU care for our seniors and advocate for quality care, compassionate staffing levels, and good jobs in New Jersey’s nursing homes. Milly Silva Executive Vice President 1199SEIU.org/newjersey @1199SEIU_NJ 1199SEIUNJ Everyday, the healthcare workers of 1199SEIU care for our seniors and advocate for quality care, compassionate staffing levels, and good jobs in New Jersey’s nursing homes. Milly Silva Executive Vice President 1199SEIU.org/newjersey @1199SEIU_NJ 1199SEIUNJ A_POLITICKER_2015_ads.indd 1 11/10/15 11:00 AM PolitickerNJ.com POWER LIST 2015 The 2015 PolitickerNJ Power List 1. Michael Aron Chief Political Correspondent, NJTV News The Statehouse Press Corps brings to mind the image of two dozen cats in various postures of agony as they dig in their nails to a peaked roof while sliding in vain to certain doom. Amid such unrest, the one constant is the dean of the New Jersey Press Corps, Aron, who stays – through cancer, bypass surgery and anything else thrown at him - at the apex of his trade: the face of New Jersey public television for over three decades. The most institutionally knowledgeable political reporter in the state, Aron stays great because he works hard at his craft every day. He’s the guy at the Statehouse most likely to get down on all fours to get the best camera angle on a breaking story. Part of his effectiveness stems from his innate sense of fairness. Aron has the ability to build sources on all sides of an issue and maintain emotional distance from his subjects. He’s the best we’ve got. Paul George 2.Fishman 3.Norcross U.S. Attorney South Jersey Democratic for New Jersey Leader/CEO Cooper As long as New Jersey’s top Hospital lawman remains in quiet, fact-gathering mode around the The party pit boss maintains circumstances of Bridgegate and the single largest unified front the United Airlines scandal he of legislators in the State of will continue to keep all of New New Jersey, which means that Jersey’s political classes in a state Democrats and Republicans of unknowing, expectation, and/ have to go through him and or jittery agitation. his empire to get anything accomplished. As the 2017 gubernatorial contest develops next year, Norcross will advance the interests of his old pal, Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3). 4 POLITICKERNJ POLITICKER_2015_PowerList_1-100.indd 4 11/12/15 3:39 PM A_POLITICKER_2015_ads.indd 1 11/11/15 10:39 AM PolitickerNJ.com POWER LIST 2015 4. Leroy Jones Essex County Democratic Party Chairman Consider this: If Sweeney has South Jersey on lockdown, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop – arguably - has Hudson, Bergen and Passaic in his corner, and Union and Middlesex counties are jump ball territory in the 2017 gubernatorial sweepstakes, the mighty Essex will essentially hand the governorship – or at least the Democratic nomination - to whomever it awards the line. That puts the elegant and mysterious Jones – who doubles as a principal at government affairs firm 1868, at the center of power-play decision-making in the state of New Jersey. Lou John 5.Stellato 6.Currie Bergen County Democratic State Party Democratic Committee Chairman Chairman Currie heads into his reelection bid next year looking strong. When Stellato assisted James As chairman of the Passaic Tedesco into the county County Democratic Committee executive’s chair in 2014 and in addition to his statewide protected his Democratic duties, his participation in the majority in 2015, he put on full Northern Quad County Alliance display power amassed in his could pit him against South home county as a consequence Jersey. But the classy Currie has of years of political building. engendered goodwill statewide, The former mayor of Lyndhurst reinforced in October by a who once took a college course very successful fall gala that in politics from the late Hubert netted the party organization Humphrey, Stellato employs $200,000. relentless old school tactics. He’s a little like the Bill Pascrell of county party-building. In a world of BlackBerry fixation and email and text message contact, the chairman insists on eyeball to eyeball hand-shaking. Any Democrat who wants to be governor will have to go through Stellato. 6 POLITICKERNJ POLITICKER_2015_PowerList_1-100.indd 6 11/12/15 3:39 PM At the intersection of law, government and business. We are proud to support PolitickerNJ's 2015 L ST Congratulations to Angelo J. Genova, Chairman for making the list www.genovaburns.com 494 Broad Street • Newark NJ 07102 • 973.533.0777 New York, NY Red Bank, NJ Camden, NJ Philadelphia, PA Jersey City, NJ Washington, D.C. 212.566.7188 732.758.6595 856.968.0680 215.564.0444 201.469.0100 202.441.0072 A_POLITICKER_2015_ads.indd 1 11/11/15 10:59 AM At the intersection of law, government and business. We are proud to support PolitickerNJ's 2015 L ST Congratulations to Angelo J. Genova, Chairman for making the list www.genovaburns.com 494 Broad Street • Newark NJ 07102 • 973.533.0777 New York, NY Red Bank, NJ Camden, NJ Philadelphia, PA Jersey City, NJ Washington, D.C. 212.566.7188 732.758.6595 856.968.0680 215.564.0444 201.469.0100 202.441.0072 PolitickerNJ.com POWER LIST 2015 Michael Bill 7.