BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The hopes of New Jersey Democrats to see another candidate in their party’s race for governor in 2013 received a blow after Senator Richard Codey announced that he would not be seeking the Democratic nomination.

Codey had mainly high approval ratings during the time he filled in after Governor Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004. The only Democrat who has officially announced plans to run for governor is Senator Barbara Buono, who some fear is not a strong enough candidate.

According to NJ.com, Codey decided not to run “after talking with my family, friends and other advisors and weighing the impact of a campaign on my family life." Codey’s family has owned a funeral business since 1911, and Philly.com reported that his youngest son Chris asked Codey not to run.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Representative Bill Pascrell remain potential candidates. Powerful state Democrat George Norcross criticized Codey, and said the Democratic party lacked leadership.

“I’ve never had any confidence in Dick Codey’s courage and I don’t expect that to change,” Norcross said, according to Politicker NJ. Norcross said Codey’s ambitions toward becoming governor add up to no more than a “theatrical presentation.”

While Codey responded, “He’s done a good job of trying to wreck this party so he can run everything in concert with the governor.  As he said very famously, no matter who runs, I win.  That’s the attitude we have to change.”

Meanwhile, Buono has received support from Norcross, along with Joseph DiVincenzo from Essex County, according to The Huffington Post. She also has backing from Democrats in Monmouth, Middlesex, Ocean, Somerset, and Sussex counties.

Sweeney is expected to announce a decision about his candidacy soon.