STRATEGIST OF THE YEAR Mike DuHaime 2009 marked the return to state politics for this New Jersey native, who launched a career in running campaigns when he managed a race that ousted a Democratic State Senator a dozen years ago. After serving as Executive Director of the NJ GOP, he moved on to the national political stage as top political staffer on the Bush/ Cheney re-election campaign, followed by a stint as Political Director at the Republican National Committee. He managed Rudy Giuliani’s presidential race before joining a top political consulting firm last year. He has the distinction of becoming the first Republican to beat Steve DeMicco in a statewide election, and is held in high regard by the new governor, who picked him as one of ten members of his executive transition team. OPERATIVE OF THE YEAR Bill Stepien In New Jersey politics, the pinnacle of success is to run a winning race for governor. Chris Christie’s campaign manager has a tireless work ethic, a reputation for effectively managing resources and understanding grass roots politics, and fierce loyalty to his candidate. He ran a campaign that captured the GOP nomination against a formidable rival, and became one of two campaign managers in New Jersey history to beat an incumbent governor in a general election. He emerges from the 2009 campaign as one of the state’s very best political operatives, and is about to take on another powerful post: Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor. RUNNER UP: Allison Murphy, Campaign Manager, Albano & Milam for Assembly POLLSTER OF THE YEAR Adam Geller The recent gubernatorial campaign had an abundance of independent polls showing a wide variety of numbers, and Barack Obama’s pollster, Jay Benenson (who worked for Jon Corzine) had the incumbent ahead by 6 points in the final week. But the guy who had the numbers right was Adam Geller, a New Jersey-based pollster for Republican Christopher Christie, who seems to be one of the few who can get the sample right. LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR Joe Kyrillos The most influential Republican in the Legislature next year with be the veteran Monmouth County Republican, who chaired Chris Christie’s campaign for governor. Kyrillos was one of Christie’s earliest and most earnest supporters, and had a seat at the table from the first day of the campaign. BROTHER OF THE YEAR Todd Christie The 2009 campaign wasn’t easy on the soon-to-be first brother, who wound up getting attacked in Jon Corzine’s TV commercials. Republicans say that Todd Christie is fiercely loyal to his brother and best friend, and was more concerned about the campaign than he was about himself. He helped raise money, and bought pizza for headquarters volunteers. If you are Todd Christie’s Facebook friend, you know how genuinely proud he is. CRIMINAL OF THE YEAR Solomon Dwek Solomon Dwek dominated New Jersey politics in 2009. As a government informant, Dwek went undercover to help the federal government arrest 44 individuals as part of a probe of political corruption, money laundering and human organ trafficking, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and money laundering charges today. Later, he admitted his plan to defraud PNC Bank out of more than $50 million. He faces a sentence of 108 to 135 months in federal prison in prison, although his cooperation in Operation Bid Rig and other federal probes is likely to win him a lighter sentence. RUNNERS UP: Brian Kinney and Antoine Neal, who entered the Elizabeth home of State Sen. Raymond Lesniak and robbed him at gunpoint. STRIPPER OF THE YEAR A website called burlesquebabesshop.com says that former Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, who was arrested in July as part of the U.S. Attorney's Operation Bid Rig, is a former exotic dancer who performed under the name Hope Diamond. According to several websites, Hope Diamond was a top tier stripper and burlesque performer in the 1950's and early 1960's. The 74-year-old Beldini was named to her city post by Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who suspended her after she was arrested. “He’s a nice man with good intentions, but in the end he’ll be remembered for timidity. Being a business titan and issuing orders from the corner office is a lot different than having to cajole and persuade people in politics and having the toughness and fortitude to see your vision become reality.” ― Ross K. Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University, on Gov. Jon Corzine. (Star-Ledger, 11/17/09) “This is a typical scenario of the pulpit pimp v. Christian crusader syndrome. Money talks.” ― GOP Assembly candidate Herbert Glenn, on Rev. Reginald Jackson’s endorsement of Jon Corzine for Governor. (<strong>PolitickerNJ</strong>.com, 10/19/09) “Teachers are not the problem. It’s the over-politicized of the leadership of their union.” ― Christie, on the New Jersey Education Association. (<strong>PolitickerNJ</strong>.com, 12/9/09)
RE-ELECT JOE D Joseph DiVincenzo Essex County Executive 2010
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