Bergen County Republicans don’t mourn Talarico

Guy Talarico’s resignation was pleasant news for many Bergen County Republicans.

The loss of Todd Caliguire in a State Senate primary last night was widely considered the last straw for Talarico’s four-year chairmanship.

He’s left behind a county party that many local Republicans consider to be broke and in shambles, having spent considerable dollars fighting primary battles – with no money left to take on the Democrats.

Now the question of a replacement, which has been bandied about hypothetically for months, is real.

It’s a sad ending for Talarico, whose legislative career was irrevocably altered six years ago when legislative redistricting forced him into a primary with two other incumbents in a district that was mostly new terrain for him. Talarico lost his bid for a fourth term by 2,563 votes.

When Talarico took on the role as party leader, the tide had already turned against Republicans in Bergen County. He was seen as a strong fundraiser who knew how to run campaigns in swing districts, and as a social conservative who understood how to get along with moderates.

But now that his term is ending, many Bergen County Republicans say they’re left cleaning up a mess.

"A lot of people looked at Talarico as someone who could reenergize the party,” said one Republican player who wished to remain anonymous. “Unfortunately, a lot of people think he’s been a major disappointment. He really wasn’t living up to what people expected of him. That’s not to say that he didn’t inherit a mess.”

There has been speculation about who might emerge as a candidate for County Chairman for the last several months.

Ed Trawinski, a Fair Lawn Councilman who had already been circulating a petition seeking Talarico’s resignation, said that he would seek the position. Earlier this week, Former Bergen County Freeholder Lisa Randall told PoliticsNJ.com that she might consider running.

And today, rumors are circulating about a potential run by Robert Ortiz, a Ridgewood lawyer and GOP fundraiser. Ortiz could not be reached for comment.

While Talarico’s press release said he was proud of his record, one of his possible successors did not have kind words for his legacy.

“My mindset is better late than never. Three years too late, but still better late than never,” said Trawinski. “With the crushing defeat he suffered last night up and down the county, I guess he came to the realization that it was going nowhere. I really don’t care about his motivation though – he’s destroyed the party, left it in shambles, and now we need a coalition to rebuild.”

But Twarinski stressed that Talarico should not just walk away from the job -- he feared that the party was deeply in debt due to Talarico’s pet primary. “He needs to provide accounting for this party as to what the heck happened to the money.”

Trawinski also said that Talarico needs to apologize for a “racist campaign flyer” he allowed to be mailed and paid for the party organization that compared Kevin O’Toole to the Rev. Al Sharpton.

”But that’s as far backwards as I want to look,” said Trawinski.

Assemblyman John Rooney, who ran against Talarico for the job four years ago, resisted the temptation to say he would have been a better chairman.

"I wouldn’t want that position again if my life depended on it," said Rooney. "The party is in complete disorder and we need someone to bring it back together. We need someone to take back that responsibility and we need someone to bring it back to where it should be.”

Rooney said the best candidate for the job would be someone with deep pockets. He evoked New Jersey developer John Inganamort, who he said has since moved to Florida, as a template for the ideal candidate -- someone willing to spend his or her own money to bring order to the party.

Bergen County Republicans stressed that they did not want a fight to break out for the position, that the party has seen enough infighting. Trawinski said he will even step aside if someone more qualified wants the job.

O’Toole, fresh from his victory over Todd Caliguire, who Talarico fielded to run against him, chose his words carefully when asked about the Chairman’s status.

“It’s not my place to be involved in it, but I’ll listen to folks in Bergen County,” he said.