Yudin basks in Bergen wins
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterAlthough Chris Christie declared victory against Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine just 13 hours ago, Bergen County Republican Chairman Bob Yudin already sees Christie as a potential future presidential candidate.
“I’d be the first one to vote for him,” said Yudin. “When a Republican can carry the vote in a state that has 700,000 more Democrats than Republicans, that’s the road to get the White House back and the Congress back into sane hands… I believe that Chris will not only be a national player, but that’s the kind of person we need in order to take back our country.”
Christie’s victory turned conventional electoral wisdom on its head. The mantra of New Jersey Republicans has long been that you can’t win statewide without winning Bergen County. Christie came close in Bergen and campaigned there possibly more than he did in any other county, but he lost it by a little under 6,000 votes (though a huge swing from Republican Doug Forrester’s 34,000 vote loss there four years ago).
Although Christie did not win Bergen, local Republicans fared well there.
John Driscoll, a tobacco salesman from Paramus, and Rob Harmansen, a councilman from Mahwah, beat two incumbent Democratic freeholders: Julie O’Brien and Vernon Walton – the first time Republicans have won seats on the board since 2003.
Republicans also did well at the municipal level, taking control of the council in Paramus and Englewood Cliffs and picking up seats in several towns, including River Edge, New Milford, North Arlinton and Rutherford.
“Just across the board, we were winning races at the municipal level, and that really bodes well for the Republican Party,” said Yudin.
Yudin said that the Republican freeholder campaigns focused mainly on taxes and spending, though they hit on the corruption theme at the end, sending out a mailer reminding voters with a mailer of the incumbents ties to corruption-convicted former Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero.
“Even the so-called experts said that the corruption factor played more of a role than they thought it would, but it still was about taxes and spending,” said Yudin, who has taken a lot of flack from fellow Republicans for focusing too heavily on the corruption issue in previous campaigns.
“I feel super vindicated,” he said. “The Republican Party in Bergen County is alive and well. It’s vigorous. We brought in new people when I became chairman a year, and a half ago I had not only a financially bankrupt party but a psychologically bankrupt party.”
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Good Job Bob
You should be proud of the campaign and your two new freeholders who I think will both be GOP rising stars.
"Ferrierocrats" Beware
We're coming for U next. Be afraid, be very afraid.
a solid chairman
who knows what its like to be an underdog for years and never give up.
He is a good and fair man. May he continue to lead the victors and the underdogs alike to a complete victory in Bergen in the years to come.
Agreed
Agreed. It was a huge win for Begren Republicans and the closer race for Governor. Hoever, do you think you could let the guy get sworn into office before throwing him on the ballot for President? Good Lord.
Thank you, Chairman Yudin
You did it! You brought the party together to get sanity back in New Jersey. You turned around the BCRO with fairness and an even temper. You have shown the "ney-sayers" that there is room for ALL Republicans and not just the ones that agree with "them." Great job. I look forward to Governor Christie getting the State of New Jersey running in the proper direction.
Nice job Bob
you have silenced the critics and naysayers with your wise judgement and hard work. We hope that these critics now see the wisdom of your better judgement
Bergens " Super Navigator "
Great Navigating skills Bob.Keep up the good work.
Nice WIn Chairman
Even after relentless attacks you have always been a man of your world (even when difficult), you have not let at times the factions take you away from the prize which was won last night. Keep up the good work. A tanks should go out to all the hard workers (CC & Volunteers)
Republican Victory
30,000 more votes this year for Christie and 30,000 less votes for Corzine. WHOW!!
what a Victory. Lets keep the same troops campaigning next year. Congratulations to the callers and Chairman
Republican Victory
30,000 more votes this year for Christie and 30,000 less votes for Corzine. WHOW!!
what a Victory. Lets keep the same troops campaigning next year. Congratulations to the callers and Chairman. Keep it up
Campaigning for re-election already, Bob?
Just give it up, dude. You are gonna be history in June.
BergenRulz
Rulz: Why don't you run? You'll get 8 votes: yours and those of the other 7 malcontents!
Bergen Ruiz
at it again. There is always one NUT in every brownie.
Yudin
.
Congrats to Robert
and John and of course Chris Christie
RISING STARS?
I hope so. So long as they both get the party backing they deserve
How do you priase
a guy (Hermensen) when he got less votes than Driscoll? Maybe avgerage people in Bergen resinate with a John Driscoll. And for those thinking they will replace Yudin in June - who should we elect more do nothing losers some who can't raise money or others that get behind a candidate who doesn't even live in the State where they want to run. Maybe the malcontents should go over to BCDO they lack leadership.
Let's get real . . . .
This year: no Ferriero. 'Nuff said.
Murray & Ammirato earn their living this way.
Bergen Rulz et. al. - You are stooping to the level of the D's by going after their livelihoods.
Aren't you the ones who don't like "negative campaigning"?
I guess it's okay for you to slander someone anonymously on a blog.
Bergen Victory
The 25,000 calls (not RC) made daily in Bergen from the BCRO to every municipality by volubteers of the Christie campaign gave Christie the 30,000 extra votes in Bergen and carry with them many local and County victories. The little people alone did not get the extra 30,000 votes.
Today is time for celebration. We have two new Freeholders and victories all around the County for the first time in years.
Move on and lets leave the Chairman election for June.
.
.
This just in . . .
If the Yankees win tonight, it is because of Bob Yudin's "navigating."
On the other hand, if the Yankees lose tonight, it was because of Obama.
Go Yanks!
Ruiz and Jersiepubby
Just try and go after Bob Yudin in June/
Just try. I want you to see you stand on the podium at the BCRO and make your case to County Committee. You wont. Your are chicken hawks and losers who never ran for anything. County Committe knows who you are
and what dunces you are
Driscoll for Congress
jersiepubbie are you deaf, or blind John Driscoll has more passion and grasp of the issues in his little finger than you will ever have.
As the TOP VOTEGETTER
He does not have to pretend who he is. He is the real McCoy.
He will go far because everyone likes him.
Public Speaking
Jerseypub what are your smoking. John is a great speaker. He has passion that people believe in. Why are you so consumed with jealousy?
We have two new Freeholders after last night
both bring with them different tools and strengths. The thing they need to do most importantly is to work together. When they did this year is resonated when they didn't then the fools on this board like GOPYUDINLADY, FTLEE, GARFIELD, PARANUS, BROYHITHOM, come out to protect their own turf. Yudin screwed up this year in many facets but his candidates were so good they made him look good. Remember it was he who had hand picked Ms. Fisher and Mr. Calabrese and wanted no part of Driscoll and Hermansen. Now they are the winners and he wants the credit for everything. The fact remains he had little to do with either victory. GopLady believes though that he is also responsible for inventing the internet too.
Children will never learn
BergenRulz, Jersiepubbie & all you other "Naysayers" who have nothing better to do than rain on the parade should just take your ball and go home. You don't like the way things are being run then just leave. You want to run things differently, there is the door and I hope it hits you on the way out. SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!!!! BCRO was in the RED before Chairman Yudin took over. The infighting was running rampant. There was NO leadership. The "children" or should we say "bullies" were running the organization. The BCRO is now in the black with money coming in at a time when the economy is tough. Why don't you all just "man-up" and leave if you don't like the way things are right now. Admit that you would rather work for the Dem's and just go away. None of the real Republicans want you here so leave. You don't speak for me...a young woman with a family to raise in the highest property tax state in the Country. Bob Yudin and his Organization speak for me and that is the way I want it to remain.
Raised Republican
Spoken like a true authoritarian RR. Keep it up and your "reign" will be short. Many a Democrat/Independant voted for Driscoll because he seemed affable, accessible and dare I say a hint progressive. I wouldn't go jumping off the Sarah Palin plank just yet if I were you.
Is it true that Hermannsen wants to keep his Council position? Isn't that double dipping? I know spotting hypocrisy has never been a strong suit of right wing conservativism but COME ON!
I wish the BCRO the best but this is not the tone to srtike coming out the gates. Be humble and like the song says "whisper words of wisdom."
Thanks are due to all who worked on the campaign.
Thanks are due to everyone who worked on the campaign: the candidates, their campaign managers, the chairman, executive director Karen O'Shea, the four volunteers from "down under", the hordes of people who worked on the GOTV campaign making phone calls and going door to door. Bridget Kelly was phenomenol! Our Republican senators and assemblypersons were very supportive as well as the Republican mayors and council people. Everyone pitched in from county committee to county clerk. Our state committee people also contributed to the success. And thanks to the voters we made tremendous progress. Let's move forward together for more wins next year.
where did all the hate come from ?
Jeese we just won. Mr Yudin right or wrong is at the helm. He has been fair in every step of the process. He kept the lights on down at the BCRO for the RNC and the Christie campaign. He paid all the bills including those left over from the prior administration even the silk ties he paid for. He even donated not 1 but 2 big flat screen TVs. He did not forget about the locals. What the hell more do you want??.
One worried Taxpayer
Thank you for letting us know who our candidates for next year will be..... Calabrese and Fisher all good people Thank you
2010
The only way we will win in that big year is if we learn from this year, Bob in no way should take any credit for Hermansen winning. He hung them out to dry b/c they wanted to control their message. In the end both candinates won .....take some of both and use that next year.
BTW
GOPlady...if Murray and Ammirato earn their liviing in politics they may be on the same unemployment line as O'brien and Walton. Murray should hire an itern to check where his stock photos come from (brick tax bill) absolute joke and was not Ammirato fired by his candidinate?
wake up and get the facts
Our Bergen Freeholders were swept in by Chris Christie the same way that our freeholder candidates lost in last years Obama wave.
If you cant grasp that then you are stupid. Yudin did his job now you do yours and go away.
Those are 2 quality candidates
if they choose to run. Let them go before the CC and if they win the convention we as party will have to get them elected. Frank Valenzuela is a good name too.
Dead Wood
That is what CC is full of. I respect those that put the years in there but if they are sick, blind, can't work etc. Why not have new people in their place?. We need a strong and productive CC now! We won this election thanks to the heavy calls of the Christie campaign volunteers. Very few CC people at BCRO (including myself). By the way I was seating four chairs away from Clara. She is the BEST! What a message!. Where does she gets her energy from?. By the way I was told she died last year. Is she for real?
Time to get our Republican clubs
full of new people. We need to take this opportunity to seize the positive momentum that we have gathered with the Christie and Bergen County wide wins. We need to up our memberships in the clubs and bring in more and more young people.
" But if they are sick, blind and out of work"
Red Dog you must be one sick little bastard.
While you are sucking off your mothers trust fund. These great county committee folk have given their lives to the cause.
Good Luck ever getting the nomination again for Freeholder.