Anne Estabrook

Sabrin Calls on Estabrook to Disclose Lawyers, Lobbyists and Consultants

Prof. Murray Sabrin, a Ron Paul Republican, has stirred up the GOP primary with attacks on Anne EstabrookWhen Murray Sabrin entered the Republican U.S. Senate primary in January, the conventional wisdom was that, as a member of the Ron Paul wing of the Republican Party, he would draw votes from State Sen. Joe Pennacchio’s conservative base to help the moderate Anne Evans Estabrook shore up her own support for the June primary.

Although it’s still early on in the process, the outcome so far has been the opposite.

Sabrin has turned out to be an attack dog, challenging Estabrook’s Republican credentials and leaving Pennacchio unscathed. That has helped Pennacchio rack up county committee endorsements after winning the hearts of the party’s rank and file at conventions, while some of Estabrook’s exploratory committee members have started wavering in their support.

“I know that in some circles they were probably doing cartwheels and high fives when Murray got into the race, but my focus wasn’t Murray. It’s just doing what I’m doing,” said Pennacchio.

Ocean County Republicans appear to be leaning toward an endorsement of Joe Pennacchio for U.S. Senate.  Three GOP State Senators from Ocean -- Andrew Ciesla, Bob Singer and Chris Connors -- announced last week that they would back Pennacchio; that’s a move that doesn’t happen without a wink and a nod from Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore. 

Republicans in Burlington County have already endorsed Anne Evans Estabrook, so Ocean going with Pennacchio is actually convenient in a region of the state that may have a high voter turnout in the GOP primary.  Estabrook can run with third district congressional candidate Christopher Myers, while Pennacchio can be aligned with Jack Kelly.   This could create local primaries for Freeholder, if Estabrook and Myers want to have a line in Ocean and Pennacchio and Kelly want one in Burlington.  The only way to assure a separate line with preferred ballot placement is to recruit Freeholder candidates.

Democrat Frank Lautenberg leads State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio by only eight points, 46%-38%, in the race for U.S. Senate, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll of New Jersey voters released today.  The four-term incumbent leads businesswoman Anne Evans Estabrook 44%-34%, and Ramapo College professor Murray Sabrin 46%-31%.

“While the poll results are generally encouraging for Lautenberg, any incumbent who polls below 50% is considered potentially vulnerable,” said the pollster.

Millionaire businesswoman Anne Evans Estabrook is dropping out of the race for U.S. SenateCiting health reasons, Anne Evans Estabrook is dropping her bid for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination. That leaves a two-way contest to challenge four-term Democrat Frank Lautenberg between State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris) and Murray Sabrin, a Ramapo College Professor and the leader of Ron Paul's New Jersey campaign.

Estabrook, 61, was making her first bid for public office after a career as a real estate developer, philanthropist, and Chairman of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. She had won key endorsements by the Burlington, Camden and Monmouth Republican organizations, and based on her endorsements and money, had been viewed as the front runner in the race to challenge Lautenberg. Pennacchio has won county endorsement contests in Hunterdon and Union counties.

Republicans had embraced Estabrook as their standard bearer after she agreed to self-finance her Senate bid. She loaned her campaign nearly $1.7 million,and raised another $150,000. Lautenberg has about $4.3 million cash on hand; Pennacchio and Sabrin have not yet reported their fundraising efforts.

Gloucester County GOP Chair Loran Oglesby signed on as a member of Anne Evans Estabrook’s U.S. Senate campaign exploratory committee, but has withheld her actual endorsement – and Estabrook does not yet have the organization line in Gloucester.

Warren County GOP Chairman Douglas Steinhardt, who had served on Anne Evans Estabrook’s exploratory committee, is expected to endorse State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination today. 

Longtime Hunterdon County Republican Chairman Henry Kuhl is expected to opposition in his re-election bid this June, and Bloomsbury Mayor Mark Peck is viewed as Kuhl’s most likely challenger.

• In the GOP U.S. Senate primary, Joe Pennacchio won the line in Union and Hunterdon counties, and the endorsement of the Bergen, Anne Estabrook had trouble answering a question on the second amendment.

• GOP Screening Committee and In the race for Mike Ferguson’s seat in Congress, Kelly Hatfield won the Union County GOP convention, Kate Whitman formally enters the race, and Leonard Lance won the Hunterdon GOP endorsement.

• And in the race for Jim Saxton’s House seat, the Sierra Club endorsed John Adler, Chris Myers wants Adler to block Jeanne Fox’s BPU reappointment, and the Academy Awards put Jack Kelly in the news.

• Former GOP operative/lobbyist Bob Stears got 27 months in prison for bilking the Burlington County Bridge Commission.

• A House Judiciary Subcommittee will subpoena former Attorney General John Ashcroft about his $52 million federal monitor contract, but not U.S. Attorney Chris Christie.

• Gov. Jon Corzine revealed his budget.

• Don’t miss Deb Holtz’s five-part series on the revolving door between journalism and politics.