Bridgegate Indictments

Assemblyman John Wisniewski announced Tuesday he's running for governor in 2017

(Amanda Marzullo/NJ Advance Media)

TRENTON -- Democratic state Assemblyman John Wisniewski announced Tuesday he is running for governor, hoping to succeeded Gov. Chris Christie, the man whose political career he rocked by spearheading the investigation into the Bridgegate scandal.

Wisniewski, who served in the Assembly since 1996 and once headed the state's Democratic committee, declared in an email he's "proud to announce I'm running for governor of New Jersey" and asked supporters for donations.

He's the third Democrat to declare a gubernatorial bid.

"I'm in," Wisniewski told NJ Advance Media on his way to Atlantic City for the state League of Municipality's annual conference, a traditional launching pad for statewide races.

Wisniewski's primary competition for the moment is against former banking executive Phil Murphy, whose early support of top officials and deep war chest largely cleared the field of Democrats eyeing a statewide run.

"We have an opportunity to choose between Wall Street and Main Street," Wisniewski said, in a not-so-veiled jab against Murphy.

He linked Murphy to former Gov. Jon Corzine, adding, "We've seen how that turned out."

"This campaign is about New Jersey," Wisniewski' said. "The people of New Jersey ought to have a choice."

Wisniewski's position as chairman of the Assembly's transportation committee, coupled by the panel's ability to issue subpoenas, is what sparked the investigation into the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal.

Another longtime Port Authority reform advocate, state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), joined forces with Wisniewski in the legislative investigation. The two served as co-chairs of the panel that ultimately led to the disclosure of a former Christie aide's now-infamous "time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee" email.

New Jersey Assemblyman John Wisniewski, center, talks to the media after the end of the first day of the trial as Sen. Loretta Weinberg listens.

Christie was critical of the committee's work at times, suggesting the Democratic-controlled investigation was a partisan attack against his administration.

But the group's work led to a subsequent federal investigation, which was capped earlier this month by two former Christie administration insiders charged in the bizarre scheme of political retaliation against a mayor who refused to endorse the governor for re-election being found guilty on all counts in the long-running Bridgegate saga.

The legislative inquiry into the Bridgegate scandal was suspended after U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman's office began its criminal investigation.

Since then, Wisniewski served as U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders New Jersey chairman during the 2016 Democratic primary before backing Hillary Clinton. He bucked his party with his early endorsement of Sanders, which ultimately cost him his position with the New Jersey delegation of the Democratic National Committee.

Wisniewski, an attorney from Sayreville who served in the state Assembly for 21 years, set up an exploratory committee last month.

He now faces an uphill battle against the rapid groundswell of Democratic Party support Murphy.

Within hours of Wisniewski's email going on that also included a swipe at his main opponent, Brendan Gill, Murphy's campaign manager, signaled a bitter primary campaign is on the horizon.

"We will continue to make our case directly with the people that New Jersey needs a governor who is not part of our failed pay-to-play politics and whose sole focus is on what's best for the next generation, not using public office for personal gain," Gill said. "Very simply, John Wisniewski is a transactional Trenton politician, he is far from a reformer."

Wisniewski's campaign manager, Robert Becker, shot back, accusing the "the multi-million dollar Goldman Sachs candidate" of starting the Democratic primary on a negative note.

"Well, we look forward to a vigorous debate in the months ahead to see if the people of New Jersey prefer the candidate of Main Street, or another Wall Street candidate," Becker said.

In addition, Jim Johnson, a former U.S. Treasury official and federal prosecutor, from Montclair is also running on the Democratic side.

On the Republican side, Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-Somerset) and businessman Joseph Rullo have announced his candidacy to succeed Christie, whose term ends in 2018. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno is expected to be the party's favorite in the 2017 race.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook. Follow NJ.com Politics on Facebook.