Hello all,

I'm writing this article on my 20th birthday. I note that because I wrote my first blog post seven years ago this month, on PoliticalWire.com. The power of the Internet, the role of online activists to create positive change offline and the role of politicians in approaching the Blogosphere has come a long way since April 2001. What we do, what we stand for and what we expect of our elected officials has increasingly become a factor in American  politics, from the Presidency all the way down. We expect not only to elect more Democrats, but better Democrats to office - proud progressives who will stand up for the American people in good times and bad. As my moniker testifies to, I am proud to be a part of our effort.

(Note: Senator Lautenberg has drawn a primary challenge from Congressman Rob Andrews. This is a diary in support of Lautenberg, with no strings attached)

I first became active in New Jersey Democratic politics at the age of 13, in the fall of 2001. By roughly a year later, towards the end of September 2002, I was fully engaged in both online and offline campaign efforts (posting with regularity at MyDD.com and working for my local Congressional campaign). One of the races I was watching was the U.S. Senate race involving Democratic incumbent Bob Torricelli and a Republican with a checkbook and little else, Doug Forrester. I got home in time from school on September 30th to watch as the corruption-plagued Torricelli announced his withdrawal from an increasingly doomed reelection bid. The question that quickly emerged was as to who would replace Torricelli as the Democratic Party’s nominee; with the Senate hanging in the balance that November, holding Torricelli’s seat was essential.

It was at this point that I first learned about Frank Lautenberg.

Hey Kossacks,

First, a shameless plug for yours truly: I've been profiled in PC World's recent feature called "Meet the Whiz Kids: 10 Overachievers Under 21", which is also now available on ABC News' website. You can read the article here.

Now, onto the topic of this diary, which I have not seen mentioned here over the last 24 hours or so. Yesterday (Saturday in Iran, Friday in the USA) was Election Day in Iran for that country's Parliament.

Go below the fold for background on Iranian politics, what's at stake and things to look for in the election.

(Disclaimer: I am not a resident of OH-03, but a friend of mine, Jane Mitakides is running against Mike Turner, so I very much like to see him defeated)

It sometimes seems to me that lost in the midst of our Presidential primary debate (as important as that is) is the fact that there is another branch of government that is equally (if not more so) accountable to We the People - Congress. Indeed, even while Clinton and Obama, McCain and Huckabee clash in the national press, the proverbial "conga beat of corruption" continues on Capitol Hill and across the country. The latest example of a corrupt Republican caught in the act is Ohio Congressman Mike Turner (OH-03, consisting of Dayton and surrounding areas). What is remarkable about Turner is not that he is corrupt, but how deeply he appears to have stuck his hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

Read on to find out more about Turner, and how deeply he is entrenched in the Party of Bob Ney, Tom Noe and Ken Blackwell...

It appears that the US Senate race to replace Trent Lott in Mississippi will be taking place sooner than expected - if Judge Bobby DeLaughter's ruling stands.

Judge: Special election should be within 90 days

Judge DeLaughter had been assigned the case to decide whether Mississippi law would allow Lott's replacement, Congressman Roger Wicker to be up for election in either November of 2008 (which would benefit him) or in a Special Election in March 2008 (which would benefit the Democrats).

His decision, while likely to be appealed, would possibly give the Democrats a 52nd US Senate seat - and a Senate not beholden to Joe Lieberman's beck and call.

As we all know, Mississippi Republican and former US Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (he of great infamy for praising Strom Thurmond in 2002, thus losing his promotion) announced his resignation last month, officially leaving the Senate on December 26th. This was to ensure that Lott could "cash in" as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill immediately, rather than waiting for two years due to new lobbying restrictions on legislators. While Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood (a Democrat) has disagreed in a legal opinion with Republican Governor Haley Barbour as to when Lott should be replaced (either in a March special election or in November 2008), Barbour has gone ahead and decided on a replacement for Lott. His announcement is taking place just about now in Mississippi.

And the new US Senator is...

Note: I guess you could consider this an "endorsement" diary of sorts; however, I should say that it's taken me several months to come to this conclusion. Most likely, my vote (in NJ) won't matter, but I'm confident that whoever Democrats choose in Iowa and New Hampshire will be a good candidate. Hear me out, and draw your own conclusions. Thanks! - Stephen Yellin

"I’ve been saying for some time that Pakistan is the most complex country we deal with – and that a crisis was just waiting to happen." - Joe Biden, November 8th, 2007

Breaking News from the Garden State (aka New Jersey):

Congressman Mike Ferguson (R-NJ07) will announce later today that he is retiring from his House seat in 2008. This is shocking news to me (his constituent) because Ferguson is only 37, has raised plenty of money so far and is considered (much to my chagrin) to be a promising member of the Republican House of Representatives. Ferguson was first elected in 2000 after beating Democrat Maryanne Connelly by a 51-46% margin, succeeding retiring Congressman Bob Franks. He was reelected 58-41% in 2002 over Tim Carden and 57-42% over Steve Brozak in 2004; however, in 2006 State Assemblywoman Linda Stender held Ferguson to just 49% of the vote (he won by 3,000 votes, or 49.4 to 48%).

Flip side for more on his possible GOP replacements.

By Stephen Yellin

With all the attention that has been paid to the Presidential race in recent weeks, in addition to other national and international issues, it's easy to forget that there are elections tomorrow that are worth following. I commend the diarists who have posted on Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi's Gubernatorial races, as well as those who have posted on Virginia's legislative battle. Today, I'd like to preview New Jersey, the other state with legislative seats up for grabs tomorrow. While it is unlikely that either the State Senate or the State Assembly will flip to the Republican Party, the number and quality of Democrats who win (or lose) on Tuesday will help or hinder New Jersey's attempts to dig itself out of a fiscal hole and turn the state's future around.

By Stephen Yellin

"Rep. Scott Garrett, R-Wantage, hates poor people. Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan hates immigrants. And state Sen. Gerry Cardinale, R-Demarest, loves bankers."

Alfred Doblin began his Friday political column in the Bergen Record with those words. Doblin is an equal-opportunity critic of politics, who calls out politicians on both sides of the New Jersey aisle for corruption. As you may know, Garrett was one of just three Congressional Republicans in New Jersey to vote against the S-CHIP override. Lonegan is an anti-immigrant crusader who was recently caught employing illegal immigrants. So it’s good to see that Doblin is "playing fair" and telling the truth about Gerry Cardinale and his Republican cohorts – that they are hypocritical ideologues.

By Stephen Yellin

From the way Republican State Senator Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale (the leading obstructionist in New Jersey’s legislature) talks about ethics, you’d think he was a spotless, blameless white knight of New Jersey politics. After all, he chaired the Ethics Committee in Trenton when the Republicans ruled the roost, and is on record as saying "I can’t be bought with a trip". Furthermore, Cardinale has ceaselessly railed against New Jersey’s Democratic Party, blaming Governor Corzine, State Senate President Codey, Speaker Roberts and numerous government officials for New Jersey’s problems. The real "problem", though is with hypocrites like Gerry Cardinale, who will say and do anything for a vote – or a free vacation. As the old saying goes, "People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones", and this axiom is true for Cardinale.

In my last article on New Jersey’s 39th Legislative District, I discussed how Republican State Senator Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale has become entangled in the "culture of corruption" (to borrow a national term) that plagues New Jersey. To recap, in 2000 Cardinale introduced four pieces of legislation to improve profits for the banking industry; over the next two months, he received nearly $6,000 in vacation money from the same industries he was proposing to streamline. Coincidence? I don’t think so, Gerry. Luckily, Democrat Joe Ariyan, his opponent has been taking it to Gerry on the stump and in their debates. You can learn more about him at Voice for the 39th - Ariyan, Fletcher and Manna

I suppose one could call this a "breaking" news story, but in a way it’s not: the story goes back several years, and revolves around a Republican State Senator in New Jersey who’s been around for 28 years – Gerald Cardinale. "Gerry" (as he’s more commonly known) is an out-of-touch conservative obstructionist in a progressive state, and he’s in the fight of his life this November against Democratic challenger Joe Ariyan (Here's his website). But Cardinale’s fight just got a bit tougher, as he’s now being accused of violating the state’s legislative ethics laws. Which, in fact he has repeatedly done over the years, to his advantage and to the disadvantage of his constituents.

Read on to see what I mean...

By Stephen Yellin

On his new campaign website, Republican State Senator Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale explains in a video clip why he’s established the site: "So that you can know the truth about my record." I’ll be happy to take Mr. Cardinale up on his offer, as I have been doing for the last month, and bit by bit reveal to you, the reader his extraordinarily extreme record in 28 years as a New Jersey legislator. For example, Cardinale talks a good game when it comes to government transparency, but did you know that he prefers cutting off newspaper advertisements of public meetings? I didn’t either at first. But if you get to know the real Gerry Cardinale as I have, you’ll understand as well as I do why he needs to be defeated on November 6th.

Read on if you want to know the dirty details...

By Stephen Yellin

Just yesterday I wrote about New Jersey’s upcoming referendum on Stem-Cell research, and why the proposal is an excellent one for New Jersey both economically and as a step in a progressive direction for the state. But while the voters of New Jersey will have their say on November 6th on the issue, they’ll also have their say on 40 legislative districts across the Garden State. One of the most competitive ones that will be decided is one I have covered extensively before – New Jersey’s 39th Legislative district, located in Bergen County. And one of the biggest opposition leaders in Trenton to the Stem-Cell referendum is Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale, the GOP’s State Senator in NJ-39. Think Mitch McConnell as a purely New Jersey-style legislator, and you’ve got Cardinale. And like Mitch McConnell, Gerry Cardinale must be defeated.

Click here to learn more about his opponent

By Stephen Yellin

In my last diary (on New Jersey’s 39th legislative district), I briefly discussed how New Jersey has the potential to be what Wisconsin was under "Fighting Bob" LaFollette 100 years ago – a progressive laboratory for the United States. To do this will require in part the election of more Democratic and progressive leaders to serve in both the state legislature in Trenton and on the county and municipal levels. However, there is another factor apart from elections that can make a state truly progressive: the support of the public for a progressive vision for their state and country. LaFollette introduced the concept of the initiative, the referendum and the recall to Wisconsin, and some states still follow that legacy. Now, New Jersey’s Democratic leaders are trying to make New Jersey a progressive bastion as well – through a ballot referendum this November on Stem Cell Research.

Hey Kossacks,

Up until now, I haven’t made any financial pleas for New Jersey’s 39th Legislative District. This is because I feel as if "getting the word out" about the district, its out-of-touch Republican incumbents (Gerry Cardinale, John Rooney and Charlotte Vandervalk) and the Democrats taking them on (Joe Ariyan, Esther Fletcher and Carl Manna) was more important. In fact, it still is, because turning NJ-39 blue – with your help – will not only be a tremendous victory for New Jersey and its Democratic Party, but will serve as a textbook example of how to turn the suburbs and exurbs of America Democratic as well. We Democrats in New Jersey are working hard to turn State Senator Cardinale and his Assembly running mates out of office – and now we need your help.

Voices for the 39th - Joe Ariyan, Esther Fletcher and Carl Manna

More good news on the House of Representatives front, with the retirement of Republican Congressman Terry Everett now official. Montgomery Advertiser article

"The decision was difficult because of my love for the people of my district," Everett, R-Rehobeth, said in a written statement. "However, there is a season for all things and it is time for me to enter the next phase of my life."

For more information, read below.