It was literally minutes after Bergen County Republicans won two freeholder seats that they started eyeing another prize.
"Now for the big one: county executive," said one Republican operative who often works in Bergen County from the Chris Christie Election Night victory party in Parsippany.
Two days after winning two freeholder seats in Bergen County - a prayed for shot in the arm for a county party that has spent the last several years on the brink of irrelevance- the talk in Bergen County Republican circles is who the party will run for the top office in 2010.
"A number of people have expressed interest. I'm hearing a lot of it informally. No one has officially come to me," said Bergen County Republican Chairman Bob Yudin, whose party could stand to receive a cash infusion now that donors see that they can win elections.
So far, three names pop up: County Clerk Kathleen Donovan, who ran in the 2006 Republican primary for the office but was defeated on the right by Todd Caliguire, who went on to lose the general election; Fair Lawn Councilman Edward Trawinski, who yesterday just won a second consecutive (and third overall) term in that heavily Democratic town; and former Hackensack Mayor Jack Zisa.
Since the Republicans appear to have some momentum, other potential candidates are expected to come forward. And with a GOP governor, Bergen Republicans will have an easier time raising money.
"It's a different ball game now that we've demonstrated we can win a couple county seats," said state Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Demarest), who has taken an active role in behind-the-scenes party politics.
Assemblyman David Russo (R-Ridgewood), long rumored to be interested in the post, told PolitickerNJ.com that he will not run.
Trawinski is thinking of running, but a number of factors weigh heavily on his decision. Moreover, he probably won't run if Zisa or Donovan do.
Zisa, Trawinski said, is a close friend of his. And Donovan is a potent political player in her own right.
"I would support Kathe in a heartbeat" said Trawinski. "I personally believe that Kathe's track record shows she can win in Bergen County, even in the Obama landslide."
Donovan -- a four-term county clerk, former assemblywoman and even briefly the state Republican Party chairwoman - was the top vote getting local candidate in last year's presidential election. As Democrats came to win office after office in Bergen County under the leadership of former Chairman Joseph Ferriero, she held on and became the last Republican bulwark against complete Democratic county-wide dominance.
Democrats say that Donovan is the last candidate they want to run against next year. But they can take solace in the fact that she's tried twice to run for the county's top office but was rebuffed by her own party. In 2002, she didn't make it past the convention, and in 2006 she ran off the line and was narrowly defeated by Caliguire, who lost the general election by a wide margin.
Donovan told PolitickerNJ.com today said she would probably start thinking seriously about the prospect of running again after Thanksgiving.
"It's too early for me to make any decisions on that. I have no thought of it yet. Sure, people have mentioned lots of things" she said. "I was delighted that [Republican Freeholder candidates John Driscoll and Rob Hermansen] won, and I've been just talking about them about things they need to consider doing."
Democrats are more certain who their pick will be: two-term incumbent Dennis C. McNerney. McNerney plans to run again, and if there are any Democrats hoping to oust him in a primary or convention contest over his close ties to convicted former Democratic chairman Joe Ferriero, they've kept quiet about it so far.
"Any innuendo or any overture that Dennis is going to have a hard time getting the nomination is bull," said Bergen County Democratic Organization Executive Director Matt McHale.
"The Republican Party, while yes they have picked up two seats on the freeholder board, are going to have a hard time unseating Dennis McNerney. He's popular, he's well-liked, he's progressive. He's the everyman of Bergen County," said McHale. "We're not going to go quietly into that night."
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Trawinski, Zisa or Donovan
All fantastic candidates who I believe will win. Donovan WOULD have beat McNerney in '06. All will appeal to crossover Dems and Independents. Bye Bye Dennis!
DONOVAN
If we want to win. She is the number one VOTE GETTER in the Republican Party in Bergen. I don't know what Trawinshi is doing there he lost a few times for Freeholder and real bad, Caliguari only will get votes in part of Bergen the same with Russo. Zizas brother is a well known Democrat operative.
Guys is early but lets look for a winner
VICTORY
Can only be ours in New Jersey if we have the perfect candidate and the perfect storm and that is what we had this year. Remember that when you think of running for office in Bergen County.
Not so fast there Republicans.
Our top vote getter Leo Mc Guire is up too.
And after Christie cuts all muni aid to the towns next year. We blame it all on you.
Then after a year of Hermansens arrogance on the Freeholder board when he gets bitch slapped by Jimmy Carroll. The voters will have had enough.
Bitch slapped?
I'm a loyal Democrat, so I'm not saying anything here that could be attributed to a Republican looking to score points against a Democrat.
Bitch slapped? I don't know how many ways that can be seen as a slur of sorts, but c'mon. Have some decency in the level of dialogue here, eh?
Dennis Jaffe
County Executive
A smart move for Republicans would be to advocate eliminating the entire position of County Executive. That would save taxpayers money and I'm sure the public would go for it since they are in an anti government mode.
Yankees had a smooth path to victory this November
Much like McNerney will have in the next one - he's the Hideki Matsui of Bergen County, a real MVP.
Bergen GOP
Having just moved from Bergen to Monmouth last year, I know the prospects pretty well. I just pray that no spoilers force a primary for County Clerk or Sheriff, which just drains $ & energy, from the general election! Kathe would be a great County Executive; I supported her the last time she ran. Wonder who'd be up for Sheriff .. is Mike Mordega still around? Think Jack Terhune would consider another round?
Dennis is a loser
the only way he ever won anything was by being convict joe's lap dog. Get this guy on his own and he will show his true colors and expose what is behind his far away eyes..........nothing! Maybe after he loses next November he can apply for a job in the county parks dept, they will need someone at the new muti million dollar pay to play park picking up after the horses.
Donovan Clear Choice
I just hope this time she can file her paperwork on time and take it serious, not show up 11th hour and try and change the rules. Another good person with County name recognition is Steve Lonegan - all the others are just known in their areas we need COunty name ID.
Vincognito
Lonegan ? you must be joking I heard a story yesterday that Lonegan took down Christie and Freeholder signs in Bogota.
I also heard that the Zampetti controlled Republicans screwed their own candidates 3 weeks before the election.
Zampetti
sounds like Sam Petty to me. Was he the councilman under Lonegan that broke into a cop car and illegally installed a GPS and tracked them on his home computer ? what a creep
Lonegan?
Has so many enemies in Bergen we would be given the County Clerk seat in a Silver plate to the Democrats. He is supported only by those that benefit from his money. Is like selling your soul to the Devil. He is not a Republican Vote Getter but a Democrat Vote Getter because he not only divides and destroy our Party he energizes Democrats to come out and vote against him. Lonegan is only for Lonegan and you don't win in New Jersey with a candidate like that. garfieldrepublican I also heard what he did to Christies and freeholders signs and It was not only in Bogota.
I know true Democrats
who finally opened their eyes and pulled the lever for the other party because of the slimy regime ensconced in Hackensack. Despite all the slick commercials at taxpayers' expense, not only is the County Executive at risk, but three freeholders as well. Unless truly qualified reform candidates are selected, all the money and perfume in the world won't make this rotten dish palpable.
We can't afford to vote Dennis out..
..simply because of the costs associated with replacing all the signs bearing his name.
Bergen needs a fresh face.
With her landslide victory in Oradell, Bergen can use a fresh face like Donna Risse-Alonso. She has the financial background to run the County, she will attract women, latino, and some Democrat and Independent voters. We need to attract new people to the party, not the same old candidates.
slick
even fresh faces have to pay their dues in all 70 towns before you can get through the county committee
Heroes
Is what Bergen needs to run for County. By thr way Oradell was a targeted town by the Christie campaign with heavy calls, literature even commuters stops "Coatails" of the Christie campaign."Heroes" are the number one "VOTE GETTERS" CC don't count if you are the "STAR" Candidate in the whole County. I think is called "ELECTIBILITY".
Targeted Towns
Yes Reddog. I saw the targeted towns. As a former, and I mean former Lonegan supporter I was saddenened and disgusted that he did not lift a finger to help Republicans in his own town to regain control of the council. I saw their 11 day pre elec report and no recordable donations from Lonegan or his hinchmen.I think that Lonegan and his town bullys targeted his own to town for failure from the beginning.
There will be plenty of time to figure out
who should run for County Exec. That being said if Kathe Donovan decides she wants to run for the position and any local official who does not back her should have their heads examined. This especially includes the BCRO Chairman. This is a no brainer if she decides to run. Even Yudin has to be smart enough to know that she would be the perfect candidate.
LONEGAN
LONEGAN
LOONYGAN?
is no Reagan Conservative. Look at Paramus posting.
By the way Paramus welcome back to the Republican Party. During the primary you drank the Lonegan cool aid. I am happy that you now see the light.
garfieldrepublican
Not all of Paramus Drank the cool aid!
Seeing the other side, I see Paramus healthy and always have been republican. There WAS A VERY SMALL GROUP OF COOL AID DRINKERS as you put it! Paramus supported Christie. If you talked to people outside of those small group of cool aid drinkers (as you put it), you would have known that from the beginning. Most of the people I talked to at BCRO during the primary supported Christie. If you were there Lonegan didn’t even show up that night when Christies came to speak to County Committee members. Also, found out that some people who supported Lonegan were employed by him, and some of them supported the D's to keep or get a job. However, now it’s time to go to work and save Bergen County next year!
Seeing the other side!
Congressman Rob Hermansen
Now its time to dump do nothing for BCRO Scott Garrett and put in a true 100% pro-life, immigration reform, small government Bergen Congressman Bob Hermansen. Just as he did with freeholder he will win!
He is part of the 2010 team of Jack Zisa for Chief Exe. Judith Fischer, Paul Duggan, Trewinski, freeholders, and Terhune or Shortway for Sheriff. Driscoll will support him to.
Also Gov. Christie better deliver, Assemblyman John Rooney at DEP, Guy Talarico to Port Authority, Steve Lonegan-in Cabinet. BOB Yudin as DCA Commissioner. And District 40 loyalists at Sports Authority. He better remember only half of BCRO supported him and the rest did nothing. Dedrie W. gets BPU.
Mahwah you are sick
None of these people with the exception
of Trawinski could get elected for rat catcher.
The ticket is Donovan, Terhune, Calabrese
Trawinski and Kelly Kirk
Mahwah get over it
Do you think Mahwah Hernamsen is Obama?
Ratcatchers
Paramus the only rat is you.
Judy Fisher caught a big RAT according to Stiles today by the name of Connie Wagner. Shortway has cought some rats in his time. And the Irishman is chasing 2 ex councilmen who are real rats in Bogota
Mahwahmartin
What are you smoking?. Hermansen was just elected freeholder and without serving one day he is looking to replace Congressman Garrett the hero of Bergen County the one who protested the aid to Louisianna without proper accountablity because of risk of fraud and later was congratulated in the nation. the one that wins everytime everyone looses in Bergen. Give me a break!. By the way Christies callers called Mahwah eleven times in two weeks and you know who was that caller CLARA, the BEST!. I was there when she was doing it all day. She is also an advisor to Congressman Garrett since 2000 and a good friend of mine, she recruited me to make calls. Do you still want to try it? "Go ahead make my day".
county exec
Some of the names mentioned are ridiculous. lonegan because of his antics and racial comments would energize bergen democrats like loretta"the loser"weinberg could not. donovan would cerainly be a target for personal attacks especially in the conservative 40th and 39th. Let's try and find someone new please
gopforever
correct about Lonegan he could not get elected for anything in Bergen County ever again. He proved this year to be a little spoil sport even in his own town
Kirk
Am I not mistaken or is she a judge? Donovan sounds good Eddie makes sense though Jeanne as a woman on the ticket would be better. Calabrese how bad does he want it? I believe you could see a cool dozen names this year that would like to run. Please dear God do not let one of them be Yudin.
Garrett
is a fantastic Congressman do yourselves a favor and leave this guy alone. One of our better Congressman why would anyone want to go after one of our Republican's finest people. People need to be smarter in this party.
allinthefamily
Please give the Yudin basing a rest. For the sake of the party and for the sake of unity. What do you want to achieve by this constant Yudin bashing ? This only makes you look small and it poisons your victory last week, so do yourself and the party a favor, enjoy your victory and leave Yudin alone.
allinthefamily
Your name "all in the family" is good. It seems to me that we are all in the same Republican family. Just like any other family, we may have differences. But we come together to defend our family members from attack. Most normal families do not criticize their relatives in public. They may have private differences, but it is antithetical to the family unit to deliberately hurt one of its members. So I suggest to you that it is not appropriate to bite the hand that feeds you.
Yudin-shhhh stop blasting the Technical schools
Bob Yudin?What are you doing blasting Bergen Tech?! We just won, and Bob Ailoa was Pat Schuber's County Adminstrator- he ran the Republican adminstration, ! Enough already, you always go over the line. Also what about the Ridgefied Park friends we have there?
We won, no more investigations,except for the phoney conservatives who now want to run. Lets go after anti-Bergen Scott Garrett this year, pick Hermansen, or Russo, or Randall, or Cardinale or even Cliff Gernerilli to primary this hay farmer. And focus on getting BCRO in the cabinet. We deserve it.Having Kath Donovan run the NJ Sports and Expo Authority is a good start and a shoe in, if you and Cardinale dont block it and get something for our good friend Elenor Nissely. And have Felice at NJMC. And Pat O'Brien at NJMVC works, start doing your job, or we are looking at another ugly chairmans race. And start working those judgeships too.
GOP LADY
Please do me a favor and stop telling everyone what we should do. The hand that fed me, was none, as I have never been fed by you are anyone associated with you nor with the malcontents around your inner circle who would want to. Then again with your constant bashing from your FAMILY all during the primary and convention of one of your Freeholder candidates showed your true FAMILY character. As for criticizing your FAMILY in public, it is also true for ones FAMILY to not take credit publically for something they had nothing to do with. Yet that seems easy for your FAMILY to take credit for things they do not do. Yet blame others and make excuses when they do not go your way. Private differences is one thing bullshitting them is another. Please get off your soap box and deal with your FAMILY as it yours that has the problem. Mine is doing fine. As for our Freeholders they will be great. These are 2 good men who have intregrity and character, traits you lack greatly. Here is hoping you will leave them both alone, or will that be too hard for your FAMILY.
Humbleservant
I would have no part of BCRO so long as it is housed by the malcontents in there. I call them the way I see them. Funny how no one likes it when the truth is called. Put on your rose colored glasses, the victories that BCRO saw this year was about the candidates and their work ethic not the guy pretending to be behind it. If that makes me part of the victory too then so be it.
Humbleservant
I would have no part of BCRO so long as it is housed by the malcontents in there. I call them the way I see them. Funny how no one likes it when the truth is called. Put on your rose colored glasses, the victories that BCRO saw this year was about the candidates and their work ethic not the guy pretending to be behind it. If that makes me part of the victory too then so be it.
Malcontents ?
Its always the elitists from Ramsey, Franklin Lakes and Mahwah, safe Republican towns who cant get out of their own way to distroy the party. Remember last year ? even Christie has to come up here to sort out Woodbyrne, Hermansen and Alan Marcus.
I am tired of all this
It is sad how many people on here are so unhappy with victories. I am asking the people on here who has supported me and supported my campaign to end this. There is no good that comes from this. All republicans who did not support us I am asking you to to end this crap. We won!! time to move on.I would like to see us unify as a party put up 3 excellent candidates and a terrific candidate for County Exec so that we can get control of Bergen County and do the right thing for our taxpayers. I am not running against Scott Garrett he is a friend and helped me greatly during this campaign. John and I do not hate each other, with every campaign running mates disagree over issues. The bill from the Record was not submitted to us for the last ELEC Report. and the 1st banner AD was paid for under that same bill. The cost was $2,000. I paid for it under my credit card and was reimbursed from the joint account. I hope this clarifies some of the crap that has been going on. If anyone has any other questions for me just ask me I will be more than forth coming as I am looking to have 3 more quality people sitting with John and I this year. As for Bob Yudin he did what he thought was right with the money raised to win the race, we had a say in how it was spent. There were again some disagreements over the message but we never as a campaign strayed from our message. We raised our own money because we had to. There was not a lot of money coming in. There were ideas that we wanted to see done and the BCRO could not afford so we paid for them ourselves and did them on our own. That happens a lot in campaigns.Whether one believes it was Bob or us whose message won this year does not matter. My campaign team and I know why. It was not the fliers or the banner ad. It was 10 months of hard work. It was John and I being everywhere and anywhere. It was giving up things and sacrificing things. I joked with John that I was going to call him 3 days after the election to make sure he was not in a coma from how hard he worked. The fact is we won. We stayed on message did not let the Democrats throw us off our positive message. Our party needed to win and we did. Let's not blow what we won just a week ago. We need to focus on the prize County Exec and 3 more Freeholder seats. If there are people who want to take shots at after this post do so but I ask you to put your real name on the posts or just call me. The BS that is going on here now does not help me John or our party. Deirdre, Bridget and Ben and my family, were the 4 major reasons I won. Anyone else saying anything else who was not actively involved in my campaign should not be taken seriously. I hope I have cleared the air. Enough of this already from everyone.
Robert Hermansen
So!IT WAS ONLY THE 4 why you won.
Forget about all the other PEOPLE who worked hard for the win. At least your running mate is not so self absorbed.
IT TAKES ALOT OF HARD WORKING PEOPLE THROUGH OUT THE COUNTY TO WIN AN ELECTION. FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE THINK OF ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WORK ON THE CAMPAIGN, NOT JUST THE 4 MAJOR REASONS YOU MENTIONED!
IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST SMALL CIRCLE OF PEOPLE YOU MENTIONED TO GET THE VOTES TO WIN AN ELECTION!
Seetheotherside
Your Kidding Right? I have Repeatedly talked about John being a hard worker with endless energy and him being the best running mate a person could want. He worked is ass off he was everywhere did everything and because of it he won. We I post I will speak for me only John does not need me to speak for him. He speaks well and has no problem defending himself. I only answer based on me and what I know. The great thing of all this why all this petty crap goes on we get to serve together starting in Jan. 2010. That is what I am looking forward to and not this crap.
As for the other reasons of winning without my volunteers who I have repeatedly thanked on my web site and my Facebook page. The phone calls I made to the people who reached out all over for me. Who do you think helped me to reach out to those people. It was my team my core team. People asked how it happened that was how with one hell of a team. thanks to them I was to do with what I needed to. This is a problem every time you start listing names you hope you do not forget one but thanks to Kathe D,Eleanor, N. George D, Geogre M, Vicky C and her friends, Paul and Gary, Don Diorio, Carmen, Judith F, Nick L, Woj, Charlotte, Bob S, Dave Russo, Scott Rumana, John Rooney, Ron and his wife and his brother and his wife. Steven M. Walter and Elizabeth H. and Elizabeth M, Ken T with signs,Dara, Lisa R, Kevin R, Chris D. Steve M. Lisa D, John G, Nicole P, Barbara V, Gerry C and the chairman but most of all John. There were those and everyone else who worked hard for us who I forgot to list. I thank them all from the bottom of my heart. They will never be forgotten on what they did to help John and I win this race. Again I only speak for me they helped John just as much. The thing is with a core team who sacrifice everything to make you a better candidate you will not be able to win. It is just too hard. I hope you understand me better and I am only giving insight to help the next series of candidates to understand what it will take to win next Nov.
a tale of 2 Freeholders elect
This looks like a simple tale of class vs crass. It has not gone unnoticed that John does not use this forum to blow his own horn.
John, You are a class act. Thank you.
Virtutee
I did not either, I am sick of this stuff and it just needs to end for everyones sake.
Looks like rob and john will have to deal with each other
Rob: dont lie. You dont like john. And he doesnt like you.
You ran seperate campaigns. You are supported by seperate wings of the party.
The record link went right to your page. Why didn't u guys have a joint page? Why didnt it link to John's Page?
Why didnt u have joint fundraisers?
The issue is not dead because you proclaim on a blog that it is dead.
BergenGuy23
Would take to long to explain here would love to discuss it with you anytime. I will try and go over some things now though.
We did have joint Fundraisers just unforuntely not enough of them. The Record issue and the website John and I tried to resolve through the Record had nothing to do with either one of us or our campaign. I do like John and feel very lucky that we will be working together on the Board come Jan. We were in Lodi together last night and we were already joking about who is going to get to bring up what resolution. A lot of what is being said is from people who are not around us. We were not supported by seperate wings. Our party supported us just some people supported John more than I and vice versa. Kathe Donovan's popper ad had both our names on it. John and I handed out each other's stuff always except for when we ran out. This was a good problem as it showed on how determined we were to get out our message. The joint website when John and I ran for the convention we both did websites. We both paid to have them created and we both wanted to be able to have our own creative thoughts and ideas that we wanted to use. The idea of a joint site was discussed and in the end we just did not believe it was going to be that big a deal not to have one. It was nothing more than us already spending the money and not wanting to waste the money.
The idea of seperate campaigns, we did not run seperate campaigns. We had the same message the same things we believed in we just had our own campaign managers. Each one had their own ideas what we needed to do to win. We incorporated a lot of each others ideas and in the end we both won. Isn't that all that should matter? I really can not wait until Jan. so this is all behind us. If anyone wants to call or ask a question you know how to contact me.
can someone call a shrink ?
Rob is showing classic symptoms of narcissism. If this is how he is going to react as Freeholder, he should be replaced now before he causes any more damage to himself
Broy=Thom A
Never had that meeting with you at BCRO. How is North Arlington going and how did your Hoboken campaign go? Thom good luck to you. You will need it.
IS NOT DEAD!
and the best part is that in Politics you allways have a chance to "GET EVEN". You will run again "ALONE" and that is "PAY BACK TIME". your arrogance an ambition was demonstrated in this article. You failed to reconized that you was running behind Chris Christie and his GREAT! campaign effort to "MOTIVATE" Republicans to come out to vote in the 39th, 40th District and other targeted Districts. That was your victory! This article was full of hate, anger and resentment and you came out only now to "Put out the Fire" that your Campaing Manager created. As CC member I will never vote for her for Chairman, As for you enjoy your victory because next time you are out!!
REDDOG
One word sums up your post Unbelievable!!
You missed the point completely it is not about anger or hate. Quite the opposite it is about when people come together for the greater good with a positive message not one based on hate that resonates. Even Christie in his acceptane speech said as much. We look forward to making a better Bergen County whether you believe that or not time will tell. By the way I am not even in yet and you are already discussing my next election in 3 years. Something tells me I did not get your vote this year. I'll do my best to make sure that does not happen in 3 years though.