The GOP mess: Crowley won't run; Unanue is reconsidering

John Crowley will not seek the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, and Andy Unanue is now reconsidering his decision to drop out of the race, as Republicans continue their quest to find a candidate to face off against the winner of the Frank Lautenberg vs. Rob Andrews primary.

Crowley, who wanted to run, has been unable to transition out of his role as President and CEO of Amicus Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. He had announced last Monday that he would not run, and then reconsidered after GOP presidential candidate John McCain and NRSC Chairman John Ensign called and encouraged his candidacy.

Unanue, the millionaire heir to the Goya Foods fortune, appeared to be the leading candidate two weeks ago when, at the urging of several top party leaders, he entered the race on Easter Sunday. But his Senate bid suffered a series of setbacks: news that he lived in New York City, allegations associated with his firing at Goya, a drunk driving conviction, and his refusal to shorten his Vail ski trip to introduce himself to party leaders and voters. Unanue is still in Colorado.

The likely front runner now is State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, a Morris County Republican who has won organization support in Bergen, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Passaic, Salem and Somerset counties. But national Republicans and several key state GOP leaders have been reluctant to back Pennacchio because of his perceived inability to raise the millions of dollars needed to mount a credible general election campaign, and because of issues relating to a controversial 94-page manifesto he wrote in 1991 that, among other things, suggested government camps for the homeless and the elimination of Medicaid.

A fourth candidate, Ramapo College Professor Murray Sabrin, the leader of the New Jersey Ron Paul for President campaign, has the organization line in Gloucester County. But Sabrin, the 1997 Libertarian candidate for Governor, is not considered a viable choice by establishment Republicans. Yesterday, conservative leader Steve Lonegan cancelled his appearance at a Sabrin fundraiser in protest of the negative tone the Sabrin campaign has taken.