Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan has raised enough campaign cash to receive matching funds from the state, according to his strategist, Rick Shaftan.

Shaftan didn’t have the exact numbers, but he said that Lonegan has raised over $340,000 – the threshold to receive two dollars for every dollar he raises beyond the $109,000 deductible.

If the contributions are verified, Lonegan will start out with about $802,000.

“The last six to eight weeks has been all fundraising,” said Shaftan.

Boston City Councilor Mike Ross on Monday was elected unanimously as the council's next president.

Ross, who is serving his fifth term as the 8th District's councilor, reportedly secured the votes to become president in October, although council president votes tend to be unpredictable.

"I am honored and grateful to receive the support of my colleagues," Ross said in a statement. "The coming year brings with it daunting challenges - foremost among them the economic crisis that faces our residents, businesses, and municipal budget. We have a big task ahead, and we must get to work right away."

Hunterdon County Freeholder Matt Holt will run for the assembly, not the state senate

The three way race for senate in the 23rd Legislative District has been narrowed down to two.

Hunterdon County Freeholder Matt Holt, who had already declared his candidacy for state senate, has opted instead to run for one of the two possible assembly seats that will soon open up.  Both incumbents, Assembly members Marcia Karrow (R-Flemington) and Mike Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) are running to replace Congressman-elect Leonard Lance in the state Senate. 

"My mission to represent the 23rd District in the Legislature will not change.  I repeat my pledge to run a campaign based on issues, and to be a unifying force that all Republicans can rally around to further the goals of the party,” said Holt in a statement.  “Low taxes, responsible government, transparency, and impeccable integrity can be the hallmarks of New Jersey governance.  I continue my total commitment to these principles.” 

ALBANY—The state teacher's union is sitting on the sidelines as other labor groups get involved in the fight for the State Senate leadership.

"Frankly, getting into a leadership fight makes one friend and lots of enemies - from our perspective, anyway," said Dick Iannuzzi, president of New York State United Teachers. "From our perspective, the issue isn't who the leader is."

I pointed out that NYSUT withheld its endorsement of state senators who voted to impose a property tax cap, a move which influenced election in November and helped to lead Democrats to a majority in the chamber.

After emerging last week as a frontrunner for the job, Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan has been selected by President-elect Barack Obama to be his solicitor general, according to an email Kagan sent to Harvard Law students and obtained by PolitickerMA.com.

"I am writing to all of you - the community of students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Harvard Law School - to let you know that today President-elect Barack Obama will announce his intention to nominate me to serve as solicitor general of the United States," Kagan wrote in the email.

Kagan and former Stanford Law Dean Kathleen Sullivan had emerged as the frontrunners for the post, which serves as the president's representative in front of the Supreme Court. Kagan's name has also been surfaced as a potential Supreme Court nominee under Obama and solicitor general may be a stepping stone to that nomination. In fact, Justice Thurgood Marshall, for whom Kagan clerked, served as a solicitor general before being nominated as a justice.

The head of a union representing 25,000 carpenters in New York City just issued a statement backing Caroline Kennedy for Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate seat, saying she’s “intelligent, easy to communicate with and grasps our issues.”

Michael Forde, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of The New York City District Council of Carpenters went on to say, “We have found her to be qualified on the two aspects vital to being a Senator from New York: someone who can advocate for New Yorkers' needs and someone who will be a national player.”

It's an argument that echoes Kevin Sheekey's.

Eric Gioia, indignant on behalf of 7 train riders.

Barack Obama will choose Leon Panetta to run the C.I.A., delivering a surprise "even to some Obama insiders." 

The choice may be more about ideology than organization.

Michael Benjamin says he got a vetting call regarding Adolfo Carrion.

State officials are hoping for federal money to update aging and overworked sewage treatment plants.

An opponent of the NYRI power line wants to know exactly what "public need" is.

Liz ponders the seating implications of the State of the State.

Gale Brewer takes on helicopters.

"Sources familiar with" the workings of 1199 issue an anonymous denial of the union's reported behind-the-scenes activity on behalf of Dean Skelos.

According to the city Board of Elections, Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind got re-elected with more votes on the Republican line than on the Democratic.

Stop speculating: Chris Matthews isn't running for U.S. Senate. At least that's what his brother told PolitickerPA.com.

Jim Matthews was left with that strong impression after speaking with the MSNBC host when he returned from a two-week vacation in Jamaica.

"There's no hint of him running for office," Jim Matthews told PolitickerPA.com in an interview Monday. "That's 1,000 percent true."

Jim Matthews, a Republican commissioner in Montgomery County, emphasized that it's his opinion -- he didn't hear it directly out of his brother's mouth. But he said his brother was very upbeat about returning to "Hardball" and already had a new contract offer in hand from the cable news network.

"I know there's been discussion about (a Senate run) ... but I would be stunned beyond words if he does anything besides but look forward tomorrow to going to work," Jim Matthews said. "I just think he's recharged."