PolitickerNJ.com

Updated

Gov. Chris Christie's political strategist Mike DuHaime, former Burlington County Freeholder Director Aubrey Fenton, Morris County attorney Eric Jaso, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, Cape May Freeholder Susan Sheppard, and Sherine El-Abd of Clifton are on the Republicans' Congressional Redistricting squad, according to GOP sources familiar with the picks, to be made public today in time for a 4 p.m. deadline.

DuHaime's close association with a powerful, hands-on governor gives the team an obvious Christie imprint.  

Sheppard was an anti-establishment GOP candidate who was victorious last year on a wave of Tea Party anger. Sources say she will protect U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo.

Beaten in his re-election bid in 2008, African-American preacher Fenton was a potential lieutentant governor candidate in 2009. A Burlington County loyalist, he is entrusted with watching out for U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan.

Casagrande is a diehard Monmouth County Republican from Colts Neck first elected to the legislature in 2007, and El-Abd is a decades-long Republican activist who served on the NJ Steering Committee for Bush-Cheney 2004.

“Selecting members to redraw New Jersey’s congressional districts is a deliberative process and after careful consideration, we have nominated citizens that represent the rich communities and divergent views that make our state great," State GOP Chairman Sam Raia said in a statement after PolitickerNJ.com broke the story.

"We went through great lengths to identify a panel of individuals that will bring a wide variety of skills to the process and we are confident that these men and women will provide thoughtful and prudent insight to the redistricting process.”