Yes...Complete nightmare if Sandy gets in....For Me it's Steve all the way!

More importantly...who is that hot chick selling insurance in the banner at the top of the page?

She looks like a porn star...is she suggesting that I'll get Bona-fide coverage? I don't get the point....how can you make flood insurance sexy?...Am I missing something here?...Did I miss the boat?

Mayor sandy Cunningham.....

God help us.

What exactly qualifies her for ANY political job?

Politicial Insider:

What'll it take to get Cunningham what she wants?

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

W hat is annoying is the buzz going around Trenton that state Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham, D-Jersey City, is considering a run for Mayor Jerramiah Healy's Grove Street seat.

Hey, hello! What has The Insider been telling you for months now? Oh wait, they can't hear anyone in Trenton. Their constituents know already know this.

The "problem" is that no one can get a "yes" or "no" from Cunningham. Ask and there's that Cheshire Cat grin. It's not as if you can find a new campaign bank account - like in the case of Bayonne Police Director Mark "It's not a secret anymore" Smith, who's waiting for the right moment to make it public that he's running for mayor in his city. Cunningham already has an account as senator.

While Cunningham is contemplating a run (her advisor Joe Cardwell must already have made up his mind for her to run), it hasn't stopped her camp from considering scenarios on how to best win a mayoral contest.

Number one is how to create a coalition, and this may mean teaming up with some people out of necessity. The fun part for this columnist is determining if the parties can trust each other.

A coalition marriage would have to be with someone who could run for mayor and have a shot of winning. First eliminate the threat by offering an alternative and incorporate those resources into her campaign. Obviously, her biggest chip to play is her seat in the Senate - a gift from Healy.

Her possible opponents in a mayoral race are Councilman Steve Fulop, former City Council President L. Harvey Smith, former Assemblyman Lou Manzo, and even former Mayor Bret Schundler. Yeah, others may pop up, but let's be serious.

OK, eliminate Schundler because the state Senate ain't what he's about. What Smith brings to the table is what she can do herself, attract black voters, and she doesn't like him.

And that leaves Fulop and Manzo. The latter is also not a favorite of Cunningham. Yet, Hudson politics means being practical. The trick here is whether Manzo, who sees the Mayor's Office as a birthright, can be talked into the Senate seat?

Who knows what elected office Fulop really wants. Let's presume the obvious - mayor. What is Fulop's price to not run? Does he get city support for a shot at Albio Sires' congressional seat? A chance to be City Council president and a future mayoral run? This will clear up during the summer.

Which of the two men would bring the most to the table?

The thing to remember here is that you have to get enough votes at least to reach a runoff election.

It is this columnist's opinion that, right now, Cunningham is a sure bet to at least reach the runoff. Healy may have a million in his war chest, but the moment she announces her candidacy, you can bet that she can raise the same amount from around the state with contributors falling over themselves to help elect the first black female mayor of a major city in the state.

Healy and all the other potential candidates will be scrambling to be that other candidate in the runoff - if there is one.

All that is needed is for Cunningham to publicly announce her candidacy - and if she doesn't, we'll tackle that too, because then it gets very messy - hopefully.

IT'S BEEN NICE KNOWING YOU

Vin Gopal has always attached himself to some interesting characters, er, politicians. He was with Perth Amboy Mayor and Assemblyman Joe Vas' unsuccessful bid to win U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez's old congressional seat, losing to Albio Sires of West New York.

The Hudson County news is that Gopal has announced he has "cut ties" with Fulop.

In a press statement, the campaign money man said he hosted 2007 fund-raisers where he had Fulop as the guest speaker and honorary host.

As he leaves Fulop, Gopal said that as of the last ELEC report, the Downtown councilman had under $10,000 in his campaign bank account. Gopal said that when Vas lost to Sires, the Perth Amboy mayor raised close to $1 million.

What is Gopal trying to say - that Fulop is not a magnet for contributions? I thought that was Vin's job?

Fulop's people were surprised that a press release was issued.

"The guy was never on any of our payrolls, he was a volunteer and we never paid him a nickel," said one Fulop advisor. "Steven just didn't want to go around the state to functions that attracted seven people to a room and raised $1,200."

Breaking up is hard to do.