Probably not the way New Jersey’s Kim Guadagno wanted people to get to know her

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno has been under the radar for most of her first term, but now she’s in the spotlight.

Guadagno has categorically denied trying to force Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer to agree to a development proposal in exchange for sending federal Superstorm Sandy aid to Hoboken.

Ben Dworkin of Rider University’s Institute for New Jersey Politics says this certainly is not the way Guadagno would want to become better known, but he’s unsure if the accusations will have lasting effects on her.

“She has her view of the conversation with the Hoboken mayor, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer has her view of the conversation, and until someone has any audio or video, no one is sure what really happened. It’s nonetheless going to get some play,” he said.

Dworkin says just the allegation could hurt Guadagno’s ambitions.

“It’s widely expected that she wanted to take over for Chris Christie if he left early to run for president or in the next election. The fact that this is her big introduction to a majority of voters stands a chance to hurt her in her political future.”

Before becoming New Jersey’s first lieutenant governor, Guadagno was a prosecutor and the first woman elected as Monmouth County’s sheriff.