Friday, January 14, 2011

5:35 a.m.

BREAKING NEWS

EXCLUSIVE

FIRST REPORTED HERE

"Hurley in the Morning"

WIBG 1020 AM Radio

& reported on Wibbage FM 94.3 Radio

&

www.HarryHurley.com

By HARRY HURLEY

Vice President

Programming & Operations

WIBG 1020 AM Radio

&

Wibbage FM 94.3 Radio

Editor & Publisher

HarryHurley.com

What has long been highly speculated for many months can now be confirmed first by Harry Hurley.

New Jersey Assemblyman Vince Polistina, R-2 will challenge State Senator Jim Whelan, D-2.

Polistina will formally make his announcement on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. at the Farmington Volunteer Firehouse in Egg Harbor Township.

This will be the first highly contested race for the coveted Senate seat in District 2 since Dr. Joseph McGahn defeated the legendary Senator Frank S. "Hap" Farley, who had been the political boss of Atlantic County for 34 years at the time of his defeat in 1971.

Followed by former Senators Steve Perskie and Bill Gormley, none had ever been seriously challenged for their seat, with Gormley serving 8 terms as Senator, before his voluntary retirement 4 years ago.

In an upset to the institutional Republicans in Atlantic County, they appointed Egg Harbor Township Mayor James "Sonny" McCullough to fill Gormley's unexpired term. McCullough served for several months before he was routed by Whelan 38 months ago.

McCullough ran a very uninspiring, passive campaign against Whelan. McCullough refused to run aggressively and basically ran under the banner heading of "Jim Whelan is my friend," and he suffered a humiliating defeat, with Whelan even winning McCullough's home town of Egg Harbor Township.

Polistina is prepared to run the hard-hitting campaign style against Whelan that McCullough refused to run. You can expect Whelan's 20-year record as Councilman and Mayor in Atlantic City to return front and center, with Polistina placing  responsibility for many of Atlantic City's current problems right at the feet of Whelan.

Despite the solid trend of District 2 returning back to firm Republican control, Whelan will be a highly formidable candidate for re-election. 

This will absolutely be THE RACE to watch in New Jersey this November 8, 2011.