Kerry alums gather in Somerset, get surprise visit from Corzine

[Kire]

well, I'm disappointed I didn't go

Kerry alums gather in Somerset, not Washington

By STEVE KORNACKI

PoliticsNJ.com

January 20 - In Somerset County , about 250 Democrats, many of them volunteers from the presidential campaign, who had gathered to commiserate on the first night of George W. Bush’s second term received a surprise visitor: U.S. Senator Jon S. Corzine, who is seeking the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

In his brief remarks at McAteer’s banquet hall in Franklin Township , Corzine recalled the grass-roots energy that fueled the Democrats’ near-miss effort to unseat Bush, urging those present to remain involved. He didn’t mention his bid for governor, or any state issues, but his comments were well-received by the partisan audience.

Corzine, who attended the inauguration in person before returning to New Jersey , also poked fun of Bush’s seventeen minute address.

“I guess we like freedom,” Corzine quipped.

Acting Governor Richard J. Codey, who is mulling a primary bid against Corzine, declined to attend, citing his busy schedule, according to Zenon X. Christodoulou, who organized the event.

Christodoulou, an early John Kerry fund-raiser who also organized the Democratic field operation in Somerset County last fall, said the attendees came from nine different counties and that the gathering was the second post-election session he has organized.

The first was in November, when Somerset County campaign volunteers got together to vent. No one wanted to disband the campaign operation, Christodoulou said, so instead he’s seeking to organize veterans of the presidential campaign from across the state into an organization that will play a role in this year’s gubernatorial race.

“Every couple of months we’re going o have something to do, whether it’s informal lectures or just social gatherings,” Christodoulou said. “Right now, we’re kind of missionless, but ultimately we’re going to have a mission.”

Ann Frank Lewis, a Democratic consultant and former Clinton White House aide, and Ed Reilly, a Democratic pollster, also spoke, giving nuts and bolts political advice to the activists.

Among the other notables on hand were State Sen. John H. Adler (D-Cherry Hill) and businessman John F.X. Graham, two of the co-chairmen of Kerry’s New Jersey campaign and Blair MacInnes, an early Kerry backer and a key fund-raiser.

More: http://www.politicsnj.com/kornacki012005.htm

[Lenape85]

1. For a supposedly solid Republican county

Somerset often is very close when it comes to presidential races.