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TheStarLedger(Newark,NewJersey)

November12,2006SundayFINALEDITION

THEAUDITOR

SECTION:PERSPECTIVEPg.3

LENGTH:990words

Nowthatthatelectionisover,it'stimetotalkaboutthenextone.

All120seatsintheDemocratcontrolledstateLegislaturewillbeupforgrabsnextNovemberinwhatwillbeGov.JonCorzine'smidtermtest.TheAuditoristoldtherewillbelotsofturnoverbeforeonevoteiscastespeciallyinthe40memberSenate,whereupto40percentofthemembersmaynotbeontheballotnextNovember.

TheRepublicansarelikelytohandgoldwatchestoanumberintheircaucus.Sen.RobertMartin(RMorris),a22yearlawmaker,hassaidhewon'tseekreelection.Othersmullingretirementinclude79yearoldSen.JosephPalaia(RMonmouth)70yearoldSen.RobertLittell(RSussex),thelongestservinglawmakerinTrentonand73yearoldSen.WalterKavanaugh(RSomerset).Iftheyoptagainstretirement,allthreewouldlikelyfaceprimarychallenges.

OntheDemocraticside,Sen.BernardKenny(DHudson)isconsideredunlikelytoruninthefaceofachallengefromAssemblymanBrianStack(DHudson),whoisalsomayorofUnionCity.FewexpectSen.SharpeJames(DEssex)torunafterbailingonareelectionbidasNewarkmayor.AndNewarkMayorCoryBookerisexpectedtofindachallengertoSen.RonRice(DEssex),whomBookersoundlydefeatedinMay.

Othersfacepotentiallegalproblemsthatcouldthreatentheircandidacies.Sen.WayneBryant(DCamden)isunderstateandfederalinvestigationsintowhetherheprofitedfromhisgovernmentconnections.Sen.MarthaBark(RBurlington)facesastateinvestigationofherparttimeconsultinggigwiththePalmyraCoveNaturePark.

Anotherhalfdozen,includingSen.WilliamGormley(RAtlantic),mayalsoexit.Butinpolitics,fewthingsarecertain.OneRepublicanstaffersaidsomeolderincumbentsmightrunonelasttimeiftheybelievetheGOPcanovercomethe2218Democraticmajority."Wehavealotofmaybes,"thestaffersaid.

Guru'sgoodguess

OnElectionDay,RepublicanssworeTomKeanJr.stillhadachancetoupsetU.S.Sen.RobertMenendezandmanyanalystssaidtheracewastooclosetocall.

ButMenendezwasconfidentofvictorywhenhestrodeintothevotingbooth.Why?Hispollsterandkeystrategist,JoelBenenson,wroteanemailmessagethatmorningpredictinga7percentagepointwin,52to45.Benensonhadconductedthousandsofinterviewsduringtheprevioustwoweeksandusedacomplexformulatoarriveathisforecast.

WhenearlyexitpollsshowedBenensonwasdeadon,herecalledMenendeztoldhim,"I'mhopingthewinisjustalittlebigger,becauseifit'srightthere,you'regoingtobeimpossibletolivewith."

Thesenatorgothiswishjustbarely.Hewon,53.2to44.6percent.

Benenson'scolleagueswerenotsurprisedbyhisprescience.Theyhadcoinedaphraseduringthecampaign:"In

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JoelWeTrust."

Benenson'sfirm,theNewYorkbasedBenensonStrategyGroup,alsoguidedJimWebb,whoserazorthinvictoryinVirginiahelpedgiveDemocratstheSenate,aswellasHaroldFord,whofellshortofahistoricSenateupsetinTennessee.ThefirmalsopolledforDemocrats'nationalcommitteesfortheHouseandSenateraces.

"ItwasexhilaratingandexhaustingandobviouslyagreatyearforDemocratsandagreatnightforthefirm,"saidBenenson,aMontclairresidentandformerDailyNewsreporter.

Familyhonor

U.S.AttorneyChrisChristieoversawtheefforttoprosecutewealthyLivingstondeveloperCharlesKushnerandultimatelyledtohisdownfall.TheprosecutionwasprecipitatedbyalawsuitandcomplaintsmadetofederalelectionregulatorsbyKushner'sbrother,Murray.

ChristiewillbehonoredNov.30withtheannualTreeofLifeawardbytheJewishNationalFundandamongthesponsorsoftheLivingstongalaareMurrayKushner'stwosons,JonathanandAryeh.

JonathanKushnersaidhesupportedthegalainthepast,andunderstoodheishelpinghonorthemanwhosenthisuncletoprison."Ontheironyofit,itiswhatitis,"hesaid.

ChristiesaidthegroupapproachedhimandheagreedtobeitshonoreeafterclearingitwiththeJusticeDepartmentinWashington.Christie,whonowlivesinMendhamBorough,grewupinLivingstonandsaidhisfamilyhasbeenactiveinthecommunitythere.

"Idon'trecognizetheironyasmuchbecauseIknowmylifeisalotlongerthanthepastfiveyears,"hesaid.

CharlesKushnerisnowoutofprison.

Iswear,I'mbusy

Manyofthestate'sbrightestlegalmindswereinattendanceattheswearinginofChiefJusticeJamesZazzalilastweek.

Christiewasthere,aswereformerjusticesPeterVernieroandDeborahPoritzAttorneyGeneralStuartRabnerCorzine'schiefcounsel,KennethZimmermanU.S.DistrictCourtChiefJudgeGarrettBrown,andFrankAskin,headoftheconstitutionallawclinicatRutgersUniversitySchoolofLaw.

ButtwomembersofZazzali'scourtwereabsent:JusticesRobertoRiveraSotoandBarryAlbin.

AlbinstoppedbytheWarMemorialinTrentonjustbeforetheceremonytowishZazzaliwellbeforezippingofftojudgetheannualPaulsenMootCourtCompetitionatBenjaminN.CardozoSchoolofLawinNewYork,acommitmenthemademonthsago.

RiveraSotowasinItaly,wheretheNewJerseyStateBarAssociationhelditsmidyearmeetingandthejusticewasamongthepresenters.HisseminarontrendsinNewJerseyemploymentlawwastitled"TheGood,TheBadandTheUglyASpaghettiWestern."

ScarletFever

AssemblySpeakerJosephRobertsandSenatePresidentRichardCodeyarerevelingintheRutgersfootballteam'supsetwinoverthirdrankedLouisville.RobertsisawaitingacountryhamhewoninabetwithKentuckyHouseSpeakerJodyRichards.AndCodeynotonlypredictedvictory,hegotthespread.OnWFANradio,CodeysaidRutgerswouldtriumphbythreepoints.TheScarletKnightswon,2825.

LOADDATE:April19,2007

LANGUAGE:ENGLISH

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PUBLICATIONTYPE:Newspaper

JOURNALCODE:nsl

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