DE LUCA BACKS CODEY FOR GOVENROR

Mayor Vic De Luca said he would support former Gov. Richard Codey in the Democratic primary for governor this year.

In comments to Huffingtonpost.com, De Luca, who traveled to Washington, D.C. Wednesday with other mayors to push for tighter gun laws, told the website he would back the Essex County state senator.

Huffingtonpost reported:


State Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen) remains the only announced Democratic candidate for governor, while state Sen. Richard Codey (D-Roseland) continues to make moves signaling a candidacy....

....New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) and Elizabeth MayorChris Bollwage also are exploring candidacies, and a movement has started to back Essex County Freeholder Brendan Gill (D-Montclair).

The mayors who spoke with HuffPost, however, centered their speculation on a likely Buono vs. Codey primary race. Maplewood Mayor Victor DeLuca, who said he is likely to back Codey, stressed that both state senators make strong "contrasts" to Christie and noted their records of "not playing ball" with the governor on a number of issues, including pension and benefits reform.