Vol. 5, No. 7, July 2008
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The Specter of Craig Callaway
With the former political kingpin in prison, who will rise to assume his position of power?
Craig Callaway did not run for elected office last month. Yet Craig Callaway has been discussed as often as any candidate who vied in June’s mayoral primary. Why is Callaway—sitting in federal prison, hundreds of miles away—such a focal point for Atlantic City political discourse?
Every New Jersey urban center has warring political factions that use absentee ballots to win elections, and Callaway perfected the process. He was very successful at influencing Atlantic City elections; his efforts enabled Lorenzo Langford to defeat Jim Whelan in 2001, and in 2005, after he fell out with Langford, Callaway worked during the Democrat primary to defeat Langford and nominate Robert Levy.
On March 13, 2007, Callaway was sentenced to 40 months in prison for taking $36,000 from a contractor in exchange for major Atlantic City construction work. Since his incarceration, Callaway’s political machine has diminished in power and stature, and last month’s primary may have been a last stand for the Callaway machine. Mayor Scott Evans enjoyed the support of what remained of the Callaway absentee ballot operations; Langford’s primary victory signaled a continued decline in Callaway’s political power.
Atlantic City’s political power landscape is shifting. Callaway’s departure from city politics has created a power vacuum. The vacuum is slowly being filled, but there’s been no assertion of political muscle to compare with Callaway’s.
June’s primary displayed a tired Atlantic City electorate. Langford is trying to replace Callaway as king of the political mountain. He has surpassed the Callaway machine in political clout, but among observers in greater Atlantic City, Callaway continues to hold more interest and allure.
Barack Obama’s presumptive presence on November’s Democrat ticket in the general election is a huge advantage. Atlantic City is the only town in New Jersey with more registered Democrats than both Republicans and unaffiliated voters combined. Independent candidate Joe Polillo and Republican John McQueen have an uphill battle.
Keep in mind, the Obama factor is a national phenomenon. The municipal reality is that Atlantic City suffers from a worn and apathetic political dynamic. Even Langford’s endorsements from City Council are disinterested in tone and scope. One must wonder, are these council members half-heartedly supporting Langford while entertaining plans for their own 2009 mayoral campaigns?
The verdict underlying June’s primary is that Atlantic City residents are more interested in Craig Callaway’s previous political accomplishments than in the candidates who ran in the primary.
A specter is something that is visible, yet not actually present. “Specter” is the word that best describes the focal point of Atlantic City politics: Craig Callaway, a person hundreds of miles from Atlantic City, yet more present in voters’ minds than the candidates in their town.
