In Garden State politics, much like the world of fashion, one day you are in, and the next day you are out:

Despite being poised to enter the Republican Senate primary race for the second time in two weeks, Princeton biotech executive John Crowley once again withdrew his name from consideration today.

"John was deeply impressed with the outpouring of support for his potential candidacy for the US Senate. Many people both locally here in New Jersey and nationally had been encouraging him to run over the past week, but given his tremendous level of responsibility to his family, his company and to the US Navy, he’s decided not to enter the US Senate race this year," said Crowley’s friend and advisor, Bill Spadea. "I know there was a lot of legitimate anticipation that John would enter this race we’ve been upfront with the many obligations he has, and his decision had to come down to his family."

There were other considerations as well, like Crowley’s role as CEO of Amicus Therapeutics and whether he would be able to disentangle himself from company affairs soon enough to declare a candidacy.

Seriously, how much did they like Crowley? This much:

Mr. Crowley, who turns 41 on Monday, first said no weeks ago to a possible Senate run. But after fielding calls from Senator John McCain of Arizona and other prominent Republicans in recent days, he reconsidered. And several Republicans who had talked to Mr. Crowley lately said he was setting up the machinery to run, with supporters even contacting the media to arrange interviews....

For Republicans, [] Mr. Crowley had been an especially attractive candidate — even though most conceded that they did not know where Mr. Crowley, a Navy reservist with a law degree from Notre Dame and a business degree from Harvard, stood on key issues, like the war in Iraq, the economy and abortion rights.

With their (second) dream candidate out of the race, the GOP field is left with NYC resident and party animal Andy Unanue (who almost was out but now may stay in), Paulite nutter Murray Sabrin and "nationalist" nutter "Jersey Joe" Pennacchio, perhaps the weirdest dentist in American public life since Dr. Orin Scrivello, D.D.S., who has called for the homeless to be interned on former military bases.

So the next time you're fretting about the developing North/South Jersey civil war on the Democratic side, just remember: compared to what NJ Republicans are facing, we've got it easy.

Childbirth is still the leading killer of women around the world. But it doesn't have to be that way - if only President Bush cared.

By Amie Newman, RH Reality Check.

Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) has introduced a bill calling for UNFPA funding and presidential accountability for refusing to release these congressionally appropriated funds—as Pres. Bush has done for the past six years.

For some of us, this question is easy to answer in the affirmative.  But for others, perhaps more than care to admit, the answer is "well, they can't be worse".  I'm one of those others.

I have faith in the netroots with regard to this question, but NOT the Democratic party as a whole.  Frankly, I fear that beltway Dems are just as likely to sell out to corporate interests as the Republicans are.  And I do NOT want the energy, money and time I put in trying to elect them going to waste.  And so I ask, will Democrats really improve the legislative process?

It's one thing to cut funding for a good program.   It's quite another to kill it entirely.

Check out this article from the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/...

A good program that helps Hispanic students become doctors is in danger of being ended entirely.  Check below the flip for the story.