2011 Power List and Year in Review - PolitickerNJ.com

PolitickerNJ.com
Power list 2011
62
Bob
63
Ralph
64
John
65
Rev.
66
Mike
67
Karen
68
Bill
69
Reginald
Yudin
Bergen County Republican Organization Chairman
Weakened by county-level losses this year, Yudin still maintains possession of a majority on
the powerful freeholder board. He also still has enough weight within the party organization to
withstand any planned insurrections, which means he’ll likely have another term as BCRO boss if
he wants one.
LaRossa
President and Chief Operating Officer, PSE&G
It’s difficult to picture putting a power list together without LaRossa, whose business actually is
power. Wired into community board leadership positions with the New Jersey Performing Arts
Center and Montclair State University, LaRossa oversees the state’s largest investor-owned gas and
electric utility company. Compared to JCP&L, LaRossa’s company came out of this fall’s storm
cycle looking rosy.
Currie
Passaic County Democratic Committee Chairman
The GOP has tried to rough up the veteran Currie over the past two years with no effect. Regarded
as one of the most sure-footed political operatives in the state, the 20-year chairman would be
higher on this list but for the fact that Passaic County is small in the scheme of things. Still, he
controls it while maintaining close relations with Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-34), whose
legislative district includes Clifton.
John Myers
Archbishop of Newark
The Monsignor’s closeness to Gov. Chris Christie put him in a special category of clergy members
with Drumthwacket influence. His flock is enormous should he choose to call on it, adding to his
statewide pull.
Murphy/Raj Mukherji
Lobbyists
The lobbying team has deftly worked both sides of the aisle to build one of the top Trenton-based
brands in the state. The pair stands behind the mayors of the state’s two largest cities.
Kominsky
Director of Public Affairs at Wolff and Samson
A Democrat, Kominsky holds a key position at a powerful law firm run by number 2. The former
statewide director for Hillary Clinton is also married to Lambertville Mayor David Del Vecchio, a
longtime cross-the-aisle ally of the governor’s.
Layton
Burlington County Republican Committee Chairman
Having toyed with the opposition over the past two years, stripping their numbers away and
repackaging them complete with new party affiliation into the ranks of the GOP, Layton’s vaunted
county political organization finally squeezed the last life out of Democrats holding elected office
at the county level this year. Layton presided as incumbent Democratic Freeholder Mary Anne
Reinhart went down and out.
Jackson
The Rev. Pastor, St. Matthew AME Church
Whether it’s education alternatives, including the Opportunity Scholarship Act (OSA) or support
for Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-34), the Orange-based pastor is proving again to be a key power
player. Proving his heft and capacity to cover a broad range of alliances while keeping education
reform at the center of his political activities, Jackson endorsed both Oliver, and – in a tough
primary this past year - Oliver’s prime intra-party rival, Assemblyman Joe Cryan (D-20), a districtmate
of OSA-driver state Sen. Ray Lesniak (D-20).
18 PolitickerNJ