Christie, Codey bookend PolitickerNJ power poll

It should come as no surprise that Gov. Chris Christie tops PolitickerNJ’s annual list of the Garden State’s “50 Most Powerful Elected Officials.”

But the Mendham Township resident, who announced his run for president of the United States last month, is not the only Morris County politician who made the political website’s 2015 list.

Assembly Minority Leader John Bramnick and state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., who represent only two Morris municipalities in District 21 — Chatham and Long Hill — were 20th and 22nd respectively on the power list.

“The future gubernatorial candidate has shown real political chops in developing relationships across the aisle and has the respect and trust of Governor Christie,” the editors wrote in their notes about Bramnick.

In 2014, Kean and Bramnick were 34th and 36th, respectively, on PolitickerNJ’s list.

Assemblyman Jay Webber, who represents eight Morris County towns in District 26, was also mentioned as a possible candidate for higher office in the future.

“He’s going to run for something other than assemblyman one of these days,” the editors wrote about Webber, who came in at No. 34 on the list.

“It’s a high compliment that some mention me for higher office, mostly because it suggests I might be doing some things right in my current representation in the Assembly,” Webber told the Daily Record on Friday. “I appreciate those thoughts, and while I don’t foreclose pursuing other public service down the road, right now I am focused on my work in the Assembly on behalf of my constituents.”

Webber made one of the bigger leaps of any elected official on the list. Last year, he did not make the Top 50 cut, but was included on an “Honorable Mention” list.

“I appreciate earning a spot on the list, but only because political power is a means to improve the lives of our residents, not an end in itself,” Webber said. “So to the extent the perception of my being influential in political circles can help me serve our citizens better, then I’m happy for that perception.”

This year’s list ends with the only Morris County Democrat to make the cut — Sen. Richard Codey, who represents Chatham Township, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding and Madison in District 27.

Codey, who also finished 50th last year, was the only other Morris County official besides Christies (again, No. 1) to make the list in 2014.

“I demand a recount,” Codey joked. “I can’t get off the dime on 50.”

Codey concluded on a serious note, saying “The most important thing about power is how you use it.”

The complete list can be found at http://politickernj.com/2015/07/politickernjs-50-most-powerful-elect ed-officials-2015/.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-428-6627; wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com.