Bergen County Republicans Rob Hermansen and John Driscoll won two freeholder seats with a micro-targeted, internet heavy ad campaign that focused on a positive message, according to Hermansen’s campaign manager.
Ramsey Republican activist Deirdre Woodbyrne, who ran Hermansen’s campaign but not Driscoll’s, said that her candidate smartly focused on things like a front page newspaper “popper,” Facebook ads and YouTube videos more than more traditional mediums like television, radio and mailers.
“Where Christie lost, we won. We didn’t have any money for TV ads. We didn’t have any money for radio ads. We used the internet and we used the positive message,” she said.
Woodbyrne said the campaign got especially positive feedback from a YouTube ad they put up featuring footage of the all-Democratic Bergen County freeholder board unable to explain what a $100,000 project they were about to vote on entailed. They voted for it anyway, drawing a rebuke at the meeting from Hermansen that was featured at the end of the video.
Woodbyrne said that one of her campaign’s Facebook ads drew 3 million impressions during the four days leading up to November 3. And she said they reached out to the county's Hispanic, Korean-American and Chinese-American populations, not assuming they would automatically vote Democratic.
And then there was the “popper” in The Record, in which County Clerk Kathe Donovan – the county’s only elected Republican official and the top vote getter on the ballot last year – said she trusted the two Republicans to be her voice on the freeholder board.
Woodbyrne, who belongs to a faction of the party at odds with Chairman Bob Yudin, would not criticize him. But she noted that all the above things she mentioned were from Hermansen’s strategy.
“He’s the chairman, but I think without taking anything away from him, we paid for everything,” she said, referring to the internet and newspaper ads (The BCRO did send three waves of mail in the district).
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I've known Deirdre awhile and she's the real deal!
A couple of years ago she almost run for freeholder in Bergen and I wished she did. They way she spoke I knew there was something special about her.
She has worked for 3 different US Senators.
She did a fabulous job for Hermansen, even greater considering she was pregnant for most of this campaign season. She is very smart and I do hope she runs for office in the future.
The BCRO should be very glad her and her family moved to Bergen County.
BTW the person using the username "assisi" on this website is not me.
Also the people who are feeding a bunch of lies to Charles Stile have to answer to me if they don't cut it out!
Congrats to Driscoll & Hermansen as well as Chris Christie and all local Republican officials in their respective Bergen municipalities!
realjoe3
stop pretending to be me. Please stop it.
In her own little world
Ms. Woodbyrne needs to wake up and face reality. It's great that we have Republicans back in the Freeholder chairs but it certainly had NOTHING to do with her. Did anyone else see how for the first 2 months the ad on The Record website was ONLY directing people to Hermansen's website and he STILL came in behind Driscoll. Ms. Woodbyrne brought NOTHING to the table. The BCRO got out the vote and both Freeholders campaigned hard. Ms. Woodbyrne needs to give credit where credit is due and stop spreading the hate.
Good thing that I am sitting down!
Hermansen announced on more than one occasion that he would raise 100K to run for Freeholder, and then he was crowing about raising 100K to defend himself against the D’s if they came after him about his FINRA issues. Still waiting to see those ELEC reports….Bobby owes Driscoll some dry cleaning money because he rode his and Christie’s coattails across the finish line. Woodbyrne is legend in her own mind, being raised in the house of Shriver doesn’t exactly establish ones “GOP Creds”. Chuck Schmagel is a political bisexual; I wouldn’t break my arm patting myself on my back for working for that character. Bottom line, it wasn’t the all night conference calls between Bobby/Diedre/Kathe/Marcus that won the day. It was Chris Christie at the top of the ticket as well as good campaigns in 36 & 38.
Pomp and pop up ads
I see that in BC Freeholders 24 hr reporting that the BCRO spend over $105 k on mailing alone. How much did the big banner ad cost in the record and why is it not on the 11 day pre elec report. submitting an order to the Bergen Record does not need a campaign manager.
Christies Coattails
and the heavy calls made all around Bergen County by the Christies Volunteers at the BCRO got out your vote. The GOTV was hard and they went after the areas where more votes could come out for the Freeholders. In the ship of Christie everyone was riding well. The message and all the calls well targeted. Now do you really think that you can reach out to everyone with an "Internet heavy campaign alone" with so many "Computer Iliterates" around. Give me a break!. You won and that is the end.
A message to "assisi" and more
Please change your username. People think that when you make negative comments on this site that it is me. People have told me that so I was just protecting myself. I apologize for any inconvenience I caused you.
*********************************************
The Bergen GOP freeholder candidates won, everyone should be happy, instead everyone's blaming each other. Why???
From the volunteers to the paid campaign workers to the candidates themselves; we all worked very hard. The BCRO, led by Chairman Bob Yudin, worked very hard.
The reason Mr. Driscoll might have gotten a few more votes than Mr. Hermansen, is that Driscoll might have had a liitle bit more name recognition. That is irrelavent since everyone's hard work contributed to a 2 seat GOP pickup on the freeholder board.
Stop making disparaging remarks about Deirdre. I know her well and she's a good person. I bet the troublemakers are the one telling junk to Charles Stile. Alan Marcus?! That's so 4 years ago, move on!
We won Bergen County GOP be happy!!!
enough already
As someone who volunteered countless hours in the deep muddy with the Hermansen team, all I can say is they are a class act. The same can be said for Driscoll and Gil.
As for Deirdre's GOP cred..really "ninja"? She's done more in the past how many years advancing a Republican agenda, than many ever will. Not just sitting around posting on politcker, but actual work. Oh yeah, and she just managed a successful campaign of a first time Republican candidate for Freeholder in a county that's still Blue I might add. I think she's got her GOP papers in order!
You'd think we'd all be happy...two Republican freeholders running separate campaigns in a County the Christie lost..that's an achievement we should ALL be toasting!
Let us not forget
Oury, Ferrerio and the Record from bringing the attention to corrutption in Bergenfield. Lets give it to both candidates and their respective campaigns, one thing Hermensen needs to learn is not to go around to Republican functions and bad mouth the Chairman - thats why he probably lost votes compared to Driscoll.
Vin
Not sure about bad mouthing the chair by Hermansen but the differenc in votes seem relative to the difference in votes in the primary as well. Maybe people bullet voted for John and not Rob? Who would do such a thing or who has the authority to authorize that? seems fishy up top...just an opinion
message to realjoea3
I wont change my screen name to anything else.
Iam the real Republican Joe. I know by the company you keep that you are the RINO Joe
Raised Republican
The reality is she and her candidate won. That is what she brought to the table what did you bring a different color to your eyes each day. Please get over yourself she professed a positive message she pushed for John and Rob hard during the convention. If not for her the 2 winning candidates may not even have made it out of the convention.Ms Woodbyrne will be a force to be reckoned with in Bergen County for years to come. What will you be?
District40ninja
even when your standing most people think your sitting. You little gnome of a man, did they win? Did it make a difference what they spent you dolt they won. You do realize what that means right? How is Franklin Lakes doing these days?
Derdrie Woodbyrne for Party Chairman
So what if she came from southern Virgina, she knows how to win. Being a religious conservative is not bad. It is good. When Yudin takes a big paying job in Trenton, she has the ability to step in and run things. Everyone else better get out of her way. She knows how to win. Enough said. She pulled it out, with those great ads big fundraising ability. Dial America in Mahwah did give tons of money and their conserivate real American philosphy is what we need
all of the above
The freeholder candidates took bergen county because of the active dislike of the voters for corzine/weinberg. a fact to remeber is that all 6 bergen dem legislators were re-electd. without the unpopular corzine at the head of the democrat ticket next year we better watch out.
gopforever
The heavy calls of the BCRO Christies campaign went to 39th and 40th District. Our Legislators won big there. 36th District was making their own calls from a satelite place. 37th targeted calls only, is the "Weinberg Plantation" She lives in Teaneck since the 60s was in Council in 1993 and since then climbed to Assembly and Senate where she still is. She has her own Organization for campaigning created after her conflict with Ferriero years ago and she was the Lt Governor candidate,any questions. 36th and 38th had new candidates and did not focus on the issues that would bring them victory. Their message was not as strong as Christies and still we came very close to a winning. Next year is better. "WINNING" is contagious and with a polular Governor we can clean house.
Mrs. Woodbyrne kudos to you and your campaign team
kudos to Mr. Gill and Mr. Driscoll and his entire staff. It shows positive message wins out any day. You all took a ton of crap in this race and you are all standing very proud. All this talk of who did this what and what the 2 Freeholders elect are going to be is ridiculious. Let these 2 man assume their positions before you want to annoint them anything. Yudin taking credit for anything in this race is pathetic. The money he raised $37,500 came from a man who he POed in FL. Who will never contribute again until Yudin is out. If not for Christie coming to the event in Teaneck no money would have been raised at all by BCRO. John and Rob did one heck of a job to win this year. Amazing with all the turmoil being caused by a few leechs on here you would think they never spoke. Then again Batman Robin even had their spats. District40ninja another person with a tremendous amount to lose rears his ugly head. Amazing what people will say and do when you are faced with being replaced by another township attorney. Let it be said that John and Rob are the real winners and Ms. Woodbyrne and Mr. Gill close 2nds. How proud the Republicans in Bergen must be seeing how hard work and determination and a positive message translates into wins. A far cry from the crap they were putting out over the last 4 years. Makes me realize more than ever how thankful we should all be that Yudin could only raise less than a 100k this year without FL. Just think about the ads he and that loser Murray would have put out had they had money? Allinthefamily are we in Bergen.
Does anybody read the articles?
Bob Yudin for County Exec!
People in Glass Houses....
Hey “Taxpayer/Allinthefamily”, if you had kept your nose out of the Franklin Lakes primary you wouldn’t have gotten such a drubbing by your running mate in June. You might have even won in your own home township, Mr. Council VP. Sucking up to the Franklin Lakes malcontents should be a little lower on your priority list.
If you are such a "Concerned Taxpayer", why do you have such a sorry record on raising taxes in Mahwah? You know that is a pretty sad day as an alleged Republican when the Bergen Democrats can send out a piece attacking your DISMAL tax and spend record.
“Turmoil” as you put it, comes from the likes of you and your merry band of ne'er-do-wells. In closing Robbie, you should look in the mirror before you attack someone else’s stature.
Robocalls
Where made but the "LIVE" calls energized people that only votes for President. There were follow ups and many were driven to vote (not only Republicans). There was an incredible turn out in Republican areas that even Democrats like you admitted. So you see Bergenruiz you are wrong we reached people that had not voted in years and voted for us and others that voted for Corzine.He had Obama (3 Times), 2 Kennedys, Clinton overspend 5 to 1 in his Campaign, Even his Lt Governor was from Bergen and still got 30,000 less votes than four years ago. That is VICTORY!!. We diluted his power in the County and with 700,000.00 more Registered Democrats than Republicans in NJ. This was an imposible dream and you and your friends have to learn to deal with it. YOU LOST!
Bergen Ruiz
knows sooo much about masturbation that his
right hand was unable to make phone calls
all in the family aka woodburn
You complain about the last 4 years. How dare you insult Kaplan and Kelly Kirk, not to mention Chris Calabrese, Duggan and Kahwaty etc. You forget that it was due to the work of the last 4 years that paved the way for this years victory. By the way where were you in 05, 06, 07 and 08 ?
Paramus / Ninja
Paramus if you had a clue, you know that Woodbyrne posts as herself. No one paved the way for anything as the same ole tired message came out of the bcro.
Ninja ie Doyle. TICK TICK TIC countdown to you are unemployed on FL. In your next life may blessed with some height so you can get rid of your napoleon complex.
MrHamilton/Allinthefamily
Nobody cares about your silly Franklin Lakes. We have bigger fish to fry in Bergen county. Your comments about the Freeholder candidates of the last 4 years are a disgrace. These comments have been noted by county committee when it comes to next years convention. As for Woodbyrne and friend after these comments you will come last in the next convention.
Paramus
You read me wrong, it is not the candidates it was the message they were forced to use. The candidates were great some ran when no one else would and there was no money to. It was the message that lost those elections for them. Had it not been for some horrible messaging some of those really fine people would already be Freeholders. I hope you understand me better now.
Hey Napoleon I mean Doyle
The last time I checked the man you are attacking just won a race for Freeholder. The malcontents in FL the town you work for are about to show your worthless ASS the door. It took you forever to get in there and less than a year to get out. By the way make sure you say hi and give well wishes again the next time you see Mr. Hermansen, people always love to see some one act so fake. As for the record on taxes ask Mr. Hermansen I am sure he has a better idea than I of what was going on in his town. Dougie the mirror I look into each morning you would need a chair to stand on to see your reflection. Then again vampires do not have reflections do they? By the way you come on here attacking the winners of your party races, doesn't that make you the malcontent?
Oh one last thing Napoleon Dynamite, what do you and Jon Corzine have in common? Come Jan neither one of you will be working for the Franklin Lakes taxpayers.
Dave the failed bankruptcy attorney
who helped bankrupt the BCRO during the failed Unanue Senate bid. Why are you so jealous of a real trial attorney who knows the law and wins every election law case there is. There are only a hand full of malcontents and you are the biggest loser who never ran for anything ever and still lost.
Again on another post I am asking for
all this petty @#$% to stop. So Doug Doyle does not like me big deal, I'll get over it and so will he. We all need to move on. I am proud we won and for those of you who want to continually take shots at our campaign, you do realize John and I both won right? After all is said done there is always more said than done, John and I at the end of the day get to go up to Hackensack and work together. I am really looking forward to it and so is he. I am hoping once that happens alot of this stuff will end. In my heart I believe it will if it doesn't it will be a negative to our campaigns for next year. I am looking forward to working with the 3 Freeholder candidates whoever they are in getting them elected. I am also looking forward to working with our County Exec Candidate whoever he or she may be. We have a tremendous opportunity coming our way let's do the right thing and seize this opportunity to make a better Bergen County for us all.
Hermansen
1. Rob: are u now a freeholder and continue to say the words "crap" and "ass". Please learn quickly how to act with grace. You really are a joke.
2. This article could have been so much shorter. "How we won: we had the same line as Chris Christie."
BergenGuy 23
I look forward to working for the people of Bergen County and never having to post on this site again. This campaign was about doing what was right, then you come on here and see you are targeted just as badly from your party as you were from the other side. I look forward in getting to work for the taxpayers of Bergen County so we can just move on. I just feel sorry for whoever next years candidates are at this rate.
I edited my post did not find the other word you had a problem with in there?