Andy Unanue

With two months to go before the June primary, most people still don’t know who any of the Republican Senate candidates are.

According to a Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll released this morning, state Sen. Joe Pennacchio is the most recognized of the Republicans, with 77% of voters unable to recognize him. 84% of respondents didn’t know who Murray Sabrin was, while Andrew Unanue was unknown to 90%.

Democratic incumbent Frank Lautenberg is recognized by 85% of respondents.

The numbers slightly improved for the Republicans amongst Republican respondents. 29% have heard of Pennacchio, compared to Sabrin’s 18% and Unanue’s 12%.

The race for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination came extraordinarily close to taking a rather amazing turn this weekend amidst Crowleymania – a groundswell of support among GOP insiders for biotech millionaire John Crowley. Don’t expect any confirmation from the other candidates, but here’s the real story on how Crowley almost cleared the field, without even knowing it:

On Friday and Saturday, State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio had some discussions with staff and supporters about dropping out of the race for Senate and backing Crowley; there was talk that the announcement could come as early as Sunday or Monday.

On Sunday evening, Goya Foods millionaire Andy Unanue spoke to Crowley by telephone, and after the call informed some of his advisors that he would drop his Senate bid and support Crowley.

At this point, Crowley was sending out strong signals that he would enter the Senate race.

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Through the various twists and turns of the Republican U.S. Senate race, so far there has only been one constant: Joe Pennacchio.

Over the summer, when Pennacchio announced that he was considering a run for the Senate seat, businesswoman Anne Estabrook and conservative Assemblyman Mike Doherty were also exploring the possibility. Since then, Estabrook and Doherty have dropped out, leading to a number of names floated and two new candidates: Goya heir Andrew Unanue and Ramapo College finance professor Murray Sabrin.

But Unanue, who was dubbed the favorite virtually the moment he stepped into the race last week, has suffered untold damage from several revelations about his personal life, business experience and residency. Meanwhile, Sabrin’s sometimes damaging attacks have stopped targeting Pennacchio in favor of Unanue. But Pennacchio has been shoring up his support from county organizations, while the controversy surrounding his 1991 writing called The Nationalist Agenda that emerged earlier this month has become yesterday’s news.

Pharmaceutical executive John Crowley would have been a formidable candidate, and many observers say he could have easily cleared the field. But his decision not to run this morning has left Pennacchio as, arguably, the man to beat in the June primary.

“I think Pennacchio is in the best position,” said Fairleigh Dickinson University pollster and political science professor Peter Woolley.

There are unconfirmed reports this morning that biotech millionaire John Crowley has decided not to seek the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, ending several days speculation that he might mount a challenge to four-term Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg. With just a week before the April 7 filing deadline, it appears that the GOP field with include Goya Foods millionaire Andy Unanue, State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, and Ramapo College Professor Murray Sabrin. Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello is launching a challenge to Lautenberg in the Democratic primary, while former Democratic State Chairman Tom Byrne is also considering a Senate bid.

State Sen. Joe Pennacchio won the Middlesex County Republican convention today, getting 121 votes to rival Murray Sabrin’s 45.

Candidate Andy Unanue, who remains on vacation in Colorado, did not send a representative to participate in the convention. His name was not on the county committee’s ballots. Nor was John Crowley, who was vacationing out of the country until he returned yesterday and is expected to enter the race as early as Monday.

Two state Republican leaders said today that biotech millionaire John Crowley appears serious about launching a campaign for the United States Senate, and may make a statement early next week.  

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Just an observation about New Jersey politics: Andy Unanue was able to win the endorsements of two substantial Republican county organizations – Ocean and Atlantic – even though he lives in New York, and indeed, has been skiing in Vail for the entire tenure of his candidacy for the United States Senate.