Good Thursday morning!

Just 25 percent of New Jersey Republicans would consider voting for Chris Christie in the Republican primary for president, according to a new FDU poll.

File that under remarkable but not shocking. 

Remarkable in the sense that Christie once was an extremely popular governor who wrapped up support from the vast majority of major Republican elected officials during his 2016 campaign for governor. Not shocking in that Christie alienated whatever post-Bridgegate good will he had left among the New Jersey Republican base when he spent so much of his time out of state in that previous presidential run. It made him a pariah with everyone, including his party’s faithful.

But there is a smidgen of good news for Christie in the poll. Like pretty much everywhere else, most Republicans say they’re likely or definitely going to support Donald Trump. But when that question is asked following them being reminded of Trump’s New York City indictment and the other investigations, the percentage who say they’ll consider voting for Christie jumps from 21 percent to 29 percent. (The poll was taken before a jury unanimously decided Trump was liable for sexual battery and defamation, not that it would have swayed opinion.)

But here’s the thing: The only alternative to Trump the poll mentioned was Christie. So that jump in support potentially applies to any Trump rival.

Read the full poll here. 

TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at [email protected].

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “On or about December 6, 2021, two ‘fart bags’ were placed on two separate occasions in the trash bin of the women’s locker room of the Lavallette PD. The devices gave off a noxious odor. … The odor was breathed in by others causing distress and requiring Borough personnel to be diverted to mitigate the odor and its effects in the PD.” — An excerpt from the just-released police major incident reports. Officer Victoria Lamb was suspended for 30 days for “conduct subversive of good order”.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY —Brian Rumpf, Shannon Natale

WHERE’S MURPHY? No public schedule

WHAT TRENTON MADE

BACKSEAT DRIVER? — Sweeney's 2025 path narrows with Norcross 'in the backseat,' Democrats say, by POLITICO’s Dustin Racioppi: Now that his biggest backer, George Norcross, is stepping back from his leading role in state politics, Sweeney's challenge may be that much greater should he run for governor in 2025, several high-ranking Democrats said. The election to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy may be 2 1/2 years away, but the jockeying for party support that is critical to success in a primary is very much under way. And that could be problematic for Sweeney since Norcross said in an interview with POLITICO last week he's been "sitting in the backseat" of power the last two years. Although Norcross said he would "do whatever he asks me to do" if Sweeney runs for governor, he also acknowledged the locus of political power rests north of Interstate 95. … "He's got to get a line up north," said one South Jersey Democratic leader.”

—“Can George Norcross really release his grip on NJ Dems? Or has it already gone?” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “In 2008, nearly 100 politically connected Democrats chugged along winding Hunterdon County back roads to attend a fundraiser for then-Gov. Jon S. Corzine at the farmhouse of former Sen. Robert Torricelli. All except one. George E. Norcross III, the South Jersey power broker and insurance executive, hovered onto the property in a helicopter. That memorable arrival illustrated Norcross’ special role in New Jersey politics — and the state's Democratic Party machine … Fifteen years later, things are changing.”

A THOROUGH AND EFFICIENT EDUCATION — “Unsafe stairs. Leaking closets. No walls. As Paterson schools crumble, students struggle,” by The Record’s Ashley Balcerzak: “Aside from the occasional rustle of paper and tap of keyboards, silence permeated Louise Hanania’s Paterson classroom. Her fifth graders hunched over their laptops, absorbed in a writing assignment. Then the rattling of a tambourine shattered the silence. The jarring disruption came from behind a line of cabinets, bookshelves and corkboard. … On the other side of the cabinets, in the same room Hanania and her students were using, sat another class, listening to another teacher. These students, Spanish-speaking second graders, were learning English to the beat of the tambourine. The distraction occurred because Hanania and her students must share their classroom space with other groups of students at Paterson’s Roberto Clemente elementary school."

Despite hundreds of millions of dollars of investment by New Jersey over the past two decades, Paterson Public Schools — which educates nearly 25,000 students in more than 40 school buildings — remains in desperate need of new schools and extensive repairs to its aging buildings. And Paterson’s crumbling infrastructure mirrors a larger national problem.

STATE SECRETS — “Did she have to keep quiet? N.J. Supreme Court will have something to say about sex harassment case,” by NJ Advance Media’s Ted Sherman: “Viktoriya Usachenok wanted to talk about what had happened after complaining that she had been subjected to pervasive sexual harassment in her job with the state of New Jersey. But ordered to sign a confidentiality form, she was told she could be fired if she disclosed any aspect of the subsequent investigation to anyone. That led to a lawsuit against New Jersey alleging that she had been victimized twice — not only by what she claimed was a toxic workplace, but by what was essentially a gag order. An appeals court disagreed. But on Tuesday, the New Jersey Supreme Court agreed to hear the matter, granting certification to the state worker, a Treasury Department procurement specialist. Usachenok’s case dates back to a 2017 complaint, when she filed a lawsuit claiming she had been subjected to pervasive sexual harassment on the job. … After filing a formal complaint charging sexual harassment and a hostile work environment, she said she was told she could not talk about the investigation."

TRUMP TO DASH EFFORTS WITH NEXT PUBLIC STATEMENT — “New Jersey GOP wants more Republicans to vote by mail,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Nikita Biryukov: “After years of trailing Democratic vote-by-mail turnout, New Jersey Republicans are looking to step up their own mail and early voting operations as party leaders warn inaction could spell doom for the GOP. The push comes amid a staggering structural advantage on mail-in voting that Democratic organizations have built up over more than a decade, and after GOP victories that have brought Republicans closer to majorities in the Legislature than they’ve been in nearly two decades. But, at least in the near future, Republicans aren’t looking to outclass the opposition on pre-Election Day voting. They just want to narrow the gap, said Tom Szymanski, the Republican State Committee’s executive director. … In recent weeks, state Republicans have trained county organizations on turning out mail-in and early voters. The party was spurred by a review of its performance in recent elections that found pre-Election Day voting was helping Democrats turn out low-propensity voters more frequently, Szymanski said.”

THEY’RE ONLY 17. CHRISTIE SAYS THEY’RE TOO YOUNG BUT THEY’RE OLD ENOUGH FOR ME — “Seven years after Christie’s veto, bill to let 17-year-olds vote in primaries may get another shot,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Joey Fox: “April 2016, Andrew Zwicker – then in his fourth month as a state assemblyman – had an idea. The legislature had recently passed a bill allowing 17-year-olds to register to vote early if they would turn 18 before Election Day. But why shouldn’t those same 17-year-olds be able to vote in primaries? So Zwicker introduced a bill, his first in the state legislature: the ‘New Voter Empowerment Act.’ … Within three months, it had passed both houses of the legislature on bipartisan votes and headed to then-Gov. Chris Christie’s desk. But it went there and no further: Christie vetoed the bill, saying that it was ‘potentially unconstitutional’ and could be subject to legal challenges. … The Assembly State and Local Government Committee is scheduled to hear the bill [Thursday], and Zwicker said he’s working on getting it through his own chamber as well.”

WIPE OUT — Blanket ban on wipes is off the table, lawmakers say, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: A proposed outright ban on non-flushable disposable wipes is headed down the drain. State Sen. Joe Cryan (D-Union) — who introduced a bill earlier this year to have a blanket ban on the wipes — said in an interview that his proposal, S.B. 3649, is expected to merge with other non-flushable wipe legislation, S.B. 3632. The latter bill would require non-flushable disposable wipes sold in the state to have explicit “do not flush” warnings.

POINTS FOR EFFORT — The Assembly Republicans’ anti-Murphy rap

—“NJ Transit engineers demand contract: ‘Millions for penthouse views, not a dime for train crews’” 

—“Fired, suspended, demoted. See the list of ‘major discipline’ against N.J. cops” 

—“NJ senators irked over turnpike project costs, motor vehicle call centers” 

—Cerf: “Ex-education commish: Lowering passing test scores is a parlor trick that hurts our kids” 

—“A huge NJ nurses rally is planned for Thursday” 

BIDEN TIME

WHEN IT CAME TO HALAL, WAS THE SENATOR’S BEHAVIOR KOSHER? — “Sources: New round of subpoenas issued in federal probe of U.S. Senator Menendez,” by Hudson County View’s John Heinis: “A new round of subpoenas has been issued today in the ongoing federal probe of U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), according to sources familiar with the matter. … They also said the new subpoenas did not identify any new targets in the investigation, but instead sought new information unrelated to to the Weehawken-based meat company IS EG Halal.”

—“Christie blasts Trump for ‘ridiculous’ reaction to sexual abuse verdict in E. Jean Carroll case” 

—Pascrell: “Debt ceiling: This is what default would mean for everyday NJ residents”

LOCAL

LIVING ON THE EDGEWATER — SCI report alleges conflicts between disgraced developer and Edgewater officials, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Fred Daibes, a disgraced developer from Edgewater, gave rent perks to the town’s mayor and indirectly employed a council member who voted on projects that benefited him, according to a report released Tuesday by the State Commission of Investigation. The 34-page report outlines a litany of alleged wrongdoing by the developer over two decades, including payments and free rent to mob associates, environmental violations and pliant government officials who looked the other way. “The Commission’s investigation found Borough officials repeatedly abdicated their sworn responsibilities to safeguard public tax monies and the interests of all residents, to protect their own personal and financial concerns and those of private developer Fred Daibes,” reads the report.

ASBURY PARK — “Funding is vanishing. Students and staff are leaving. What can save Asbury Park schools?” by The Asbury Park Press’ Joe Strupp: “The state of New Jersey has stepped back from helping the district, cutting its public funding by tens of millions of dollars. The teacher’s union in the district has filed nearly three dozen complaints against him. Nearly 40% of the student body misses class on a regular basis. … Analysis by the Asbury Park Press shows while the district ranks fourth in per-pupil spending, it ranked last in standardized test scores in both reading and math last year. What’s unclear is what path the district has to improve. … Last month, the state gutted the district’s budget for the fourth straight year, reducing crucial state aid by millions of dollars. The state has all but promised to do it again next year, as it enters the final year of a plan to rebalance the state funding formula.”

A SMALL ACT OF HUMILITY — “Atlantic City announces $3 million scholarship named for mayor,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Christopher Doyle: “A $3 million city scholarship program was unveiled Wednesday during a news conference at Atlantic City High School, with the new funds to be spent over the next three years to help local students attend college. Mayor Marty Small Sr., for whom the scholarship is named, gathered with school and city officials, along with a group of students, on the front lawn of the high school for the announcement. … A $3 million city scholarship program was unveiled Wednesday during a news conference at Atlantic City High School, with the new funds to be spent over the next three years to help local students attend college. Mayor Marty Small Sr., for whom the scholarship is named, gathered with school and city officials, along with a group of students, on the front lawn of the high school for the announcement. … The scholarship is being funded by money the city received through the American Rescue Plan.”

— “Egg Harbor Township warns of legal action over pet pigs,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Christopher Doyle: “A dispute over local pigs could spill into court if the situation is not soon resolved. The township recently sent Brianna and Dave Ferrier a notice of its intent to take legal action against the family in relation to their ownership of pet pigs and chickens. The specter of a lawsuit comes as simmering tensions about the animals and other intra-neighborhood issues have intensified over the course of several months, igniting a broader conversation about private property and land-use regulations. … ‘The township is personally going after us now,’ she said. ‘I just don’t understand why the township is upset with what we’re doing here.’”

—“Jackson schools 'can't cut anymore,' ask NJ for $10 million loan” 

—“Influential Hudson County Democratic Organization flexes its muscles -- again” 

—“Obama to recognize Newark as national ‘model’ for violence reduction” 

—“Donlon, Ocean United slate notch victory in Ocean Township” 

—“Second complaint filed against Saddle River on affordable housing as judge dismisses first” 

—“Many of yesterday’s municipal races were decided by less than one-quarter of the electorate” 

—“[Roxbury] school board will review book challenges in wake of librarian's lawsuit” 

EVERYTHING ELSE

THE FINE IS ONE-FIFTH OF THE CLUB’S INITIATION FEE — “State settles with exclusive N.J. golf club that banned women from playing,” by NJ Advance Media’s Chris Sheldon: “The state has settled a gender-based discrimination complaint filed last year against a historically male-dominated Camden County golf club, officials announced Wednesday. Under the settlement, Pine Valley Golf Club agreed to end discriminatory employment and housing practices, and educate its employees about the requirements of state-regulated discrimination laws, according to a statement from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office. During the office’s investigation, the club agreed to lift its policy that only allowed men as members, and women have since joined. … As part of the settlement agreement, the club will remit a $100,000 payment to the office’s Division on Civil Rights and endow two new scholarships totaling $100,000 to support the participation of women in golf, authorities said.”

—“​​Could Lacey's nuclear fuel finally be moved offsite? Holtec granted federal license” 

—“Stockton first public university in NJ to offer e-sports degree” 

—“‘World’s largest’ beachfront water park to open in Atlantic City this summer, developer says