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Norcross Speaks. The Other Norcross, That Is...

by KYW's David Madden

(ESSINGTON, PA) --  The name Norcross carries a lot of political weight in South Jersey. This time, we're not talking about Congressman Donald Norcross, but his brother George, a longtime party power broker in the region.

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Photo credit: KYW's David Madden

Both are members of the New Jersey delegation at the Democratic National Convention. Donald has been in attendance since the beginning, but George says he skipped day one. He was front and center with the delegation, however, on day two at the Airport Renaissance Hotel in Essington and met briefly with reporters.

He suggests the infighting between delegates loyal to candidate Hillary Clinton and defeated opponent Bernie Sanders will emerge from this convention unified. Although he's not quite certain how.

"We're Democrats. We have bold and loud discussions and then we unify," George Norcross told KYW Newsradio. "I'm sure it will be."

The timing of George Norcross's appearance raised more than a few eyebrows. He sat directly in front of Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop during a speech Fulop delivered to delegates Tuesday morning. Fulop is one of at least 5 Democrats openly considering a run for New Jersey Governor next year.

There is no love lost between the two gentlemen. They got into a war or words recently over the financial rescue plan for Atlantic City. For his part, Norcross made no attempt to disguise his displeasure with Fulop, calling him a "politically correct politician". "He tells people what they want to hear and he patronizes people and he's just like McGreevey was," Norcross said.

That's a reference to former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey, who is also a delegate at this convention. He is declining interview requests, insisting he is now involved solely in outreach to prison inmates.

As for Fulop, he responds by suggesting Norcross needs to find "some positivity in his life." Norcross says he'll be backing State Senate President Steve Sweeney's still unofficial bid.

"Steve's a down to earth politician that speaks his mind," Norcross said. "Sometimes that's embraced. Sometimes it's not. But you always knows where he stands."

Others pondering a run for Governor next year include Assemblyman John Wisniewski, Senator Ray Lesniak and former US Ambassador to Germany Phil Murphy.

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