Hudson County Amasses More Power

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Hudson County Amasses More Power

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Posted by HC RULES! on December 17, 2003 at 07:43:34:

December 14, 2003, Sunday
The New York Times
New Jersey Weekly Desk

ON POLITICS;
Hudson County Amasses More Power

By Raymond Hernandez; Raymond Hernandez reports from Washington for The New York Times.

WASHINGTON
IT is one of the most formidable political machines in the nation, the Hudson County Democratic organization.

And it is only becoming stronger.

Politicians in Hudson County are rubbing their hands with glee now that two of their own are at the pinnacle of power in Trenton in the wake of the November elections, when Democrats finally seized complete control of the State House for the first time since 1991.

In the Assembly, Albio Sires of Hudson County was re-elected speaker with little dissent after Democrats picked up six seats to give them a 47-to-33 majority over Republicans.

Even more striking, in the Senate, Senator Bernard Kenny, the Hudson County Democratic chairman, ascended to the post of majority leader after Democrats picked up two seats to give them a 22-to-18 edge in that chamber.

As it was, Hudson County leaders were a force to be reckoned with in New Jersey politics, presiding over a county with huge numbers of Democratic votes and one that no person running in a statewide election could afford to ignore.

"This makes the county not just a political power within the state but a significant force in the Legislature," said Representative Robert Menendez of Jersey City.

He would know. As the de facto head of the Hudson County Democratic organization, Mr. Menendez not only stopped Robert G. Torricelli's plans to seek the party's nomination for governor in 2001 but was also instrumental in helping James McGreevey win election as governor that year, though the two men have clashed since then.

It is remarkable to see so much political power concentrated in one place. Even in its heyday, the vaunted Nassau County Republican machine across the Hudson River in New York did not have the sway in that state that Hudson County has in New Jersey.

Sure, the Nassau County organization could boast that it produced Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato, who was the most dominant figure in New York Republican politics since Nelson Rockefeller. And sure, Republicans dominated the state Senate for years under the stewardship of Ralph Marino, the majority leader who came out of the Nassau County machine.

But Hudson County's power is of a wholly different order. Consider Mr. Menendez, who handpicked Mr. Kenny to succeed him as the head of the Hudson County Democratic organization.

Mr. Menendez wields considerable political influence in Democratic circles around the state. But he also is a significant political force nationally, a man who national Democrats urged to run for the United States Senate when Mr. Torricelli announced at the last minute that he would not be seeking re-election.

Over the years, Mr. Menendez has been accumulating more and more power in the House of Representatives, where he is the chairman of the Democratic caucus, making him the third-ranking Democrat and the only Hispanic legislator in either party to hold a top leadership position. That gives him a major say in putting together the Democratic agenda on Capitol Hill.

Beyond that, Mr. Menendez has a big following among Hispanic leaders around the country, at a time when Hispanic voters are seen as a hugely important bloc in national and local elections.

In fact, many of the nation's most prominent Hispanic organizations backed Mr. Menendez's efforts to be elected caucus chairman by his Democratic House colleagues, arguing that the election was an opportunity for Democrats to demonstrate their commitment to advancing Hispanics within the party.

As if that were not enough, Hudson County Democrats are claiming another powerful New Jersey Democrat as one of their own (although somewhat jokingly): Jon S. Corzine, the state's senior senator and a former Wall Street executive, who recently moved into Hoboken.

Like Mr. Menendez, Mr. Corzine is a rising star in Washington. A few months back, Senator Tom Daschle, the Democratic leader, named Mr. Corzine chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

That post gave Mr. Corzine an instant national profile, control over tens of millions of dollars in campaign cash, a huge say in shaping the Democratic agenda in the Senate and a chance to curry favor with candidates from around the country. In that respect, he may now be the most influential New Jersey Democrat in Congress.

"Hudson County not only has state reach, but national reach as well," Mr. Menendez said.

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: December 14, 2003, Sunday
: The New York Times
: New Jersey Weekly Desk

: ON POLITICS;
: Hudson County Amasses More Power

: By Raymond Hernandez; Raymond Hernandez reports from Washington for The New York Times.

: WASHINGTON
: IT is one of the most formidable political machines in the nation, the Hudson County Democratic organization.

: And it is only becoming stronger.

: Politicians in Hudson County are rubbing their hands with glee now that two of their own are at the pinnacle of power in Trenton in the wake of the November elections, when Democrats finally seized complete control of the State House for the first time since 1991.

: In the Assembly, Albio Sires of Hudson County was re-elected speaker with little dissent after Democrats picked up six seats to give them a 47-to-33 majority over Republicans.

: Even more striking, in the Senate, Senator Bernard Kenny, the Hudson County Democratic chairman, ascended to the post of majority leader after Democrats picked up two seats to give them a 22-to-18 edge in that chamber.

: As it was, Hudson County leaders were a force to be reckoned with in New Jersey politics, presiding over a county with huge numbers of Democratic votes and one that no person running in a statewide election could afford to ignore.

: "This makes the county not just a political power within the state but a significant force in the Legislature," said Representative Robert Menendez of Jersey City.

: He would know. As the de facto head of the Hudson County Democratic organization, Mr. Menendez not only stopped Robert G. Torricelli's plans to seek the party's nomination for governor in 2001 but was also instrumental in helping James McGreevey win election as governor that year, though the two men have clashed since then.

: It is remarkable to see so much political power concentrated in one place. Even in its heyday, the vaunted Nassau County Republican machine across the Hudson River in New York did not have the sway in that state that Hudson County has in New Jersey.

: Sure, the Nassau County organization could boast that it produced Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato, who was the most dominant figure in New York Republican politics since Nelson Rockefeller. And sure, Republicans dominated the state Senate for years under the stewardship of Ralph Marino, the majority leader who came out of the Nassau County machine.

: But Hudson County's power is of a wholly different order. Consider Mr. Menendez, who handpicked Mr. Kenny to succeed him as the head of the Hudson County Democratic organization.

: Mr. Menendez wields considerable political influence in Democratic circles around the state. But he also is a significant political force nationally, a man who national Democrats urged to run for the United States Senate when Mr. Torricelli announced at the last minute that he would not be seeking re-election.

: Over the years, Mr. Menendez has been accumulating more and more power in the House of Representatives, where he is the chairman of the Democratic caucus, making him the third-ranking Democrat and the only Hispanic legislator in either party to hold a top leadership position. That gives him a major say in putting together the Democratic agenda on Capitol Hill.

: Beyond that, Mr. Menendez has a big following among Hispanic leaders around the country, at a time when Hispanic voters are seen as a hugely important bloc in national and local elections.

: In fact, many of the nation's most prominent Hispanic organizations backed Mr. Menendez's efforts to be elected caucus chairman by his Democratic House colleagues, arguing that the election was an opportunity for Democrats to demonstrate their commitment to advancing Hispanics within the party.

: As if that were not enough, Hudson County Democrats are claiming another powerful New Jersey Democrat as one of their own (although somewhat jokingly): Jon S. Corzine, the state's senior senator and a former Wall Street executive, who recently moved into Hoboken.

: Like Mr. Menendez, Mr. Corzine is a rising star in Washington. A few months back, Senator Tom Daschle, the Democratic leader, named Mr. Corzine chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

: That post gave Mr. Corzine an instant national profile, control over tens of millions of dollars in campaign cash, a huge say in shaping the Democratic agenda in the Senate and a chance to curry favor with candidates from around the country. In that respect, he may now be the most influential New Jersey Democrat in Congress.

: "Hudson County not only has state reach, but national reach as well," Mr. Menendez said.

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