Family members of the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said Monday they’re backing Rep. Frank Pallone in the Aug. 13 Democratic primary to fill the seat — and took a swipe at Newark Mayor Cory Booker while they were at it.

“Frank Pallone knows that gimmicks and celebrity status won’t get you very far in the real battles that Democrats face in the future,” members of Lautenberg’s family said in a statement. “… While it may not always attract glamorous headlines, Frank knows that to be effective you must put New Jersey and your principles first, not your own glory.”

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As for Pallone, the statement said he would best carry on Lautenberg’s legacy.

“Deciding which candidate to endorse was not an easy decision. Most of the candidates in the Democratic field have proven themselves as hardworking, progressive leaders who care deeply about New Jersey,” the family said. “But only one of them stands out as ready to continue Frank Lautenberg’s progressive leadership in the U.S. Senate. … We are saying: Stick with Frank.”

Booker, the front-runner in the Democratic primary, angered Lautenberg early this year as he was deciding whether to retire or run for reelection at 89. The senator acused Booker of trying to nudge him out of his seat, a show of disrespect in the longtime senator’s view. Booker has garnered national media attention both for his work as Newark mayor and for acts, like saving a shivering dog from the cold, that were mocked as media stunts in some quarters.

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Booker announced his intention to run for Lautenberg’s seat in January, before the sitting senator had made a decision about whether he’d seek another term in 2014. His death last month prompted Gov. Chris Christie to call a special election.

After Booker made his announcement, Lautenberg likened the mayor to a naughty child who needed to be punished.

“I have four children, I love each one of them. I can’t tell [you] that one of them wasn’t occasionally disrespectful, so I gave them a spanking and everything was OK,” he said at the time.

Still, some of Lautenberg’s political advisers have moved on to work for Booker: Lautenberg’s former campaign manager, Brendan Gill, and his communications director, Julie Roginsky, both work as advisers to Booker now, and Booker is using the same media and polling firms that Lautenberg used.

Most polling in the race shows Booker with a large double-digit lead over Pallone and the other candidates in the race, Rep. Rush Holt and state Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver.