Anne Evans Estabrook

Camden County GOP Chairman Rick DeMichele had already given Anne Evans Estabrook the party line, having stuck with her despite her campaign’s recent woes.  So her departure from the race hit him hard.

“It’s devastating and shocking, to be frank with you.  She called me last night and told me, and it’s not one of those things,” he said. “ I didn’t know how to react – I was just stunned and silent.”

Outgoing Rep. Mike Ferguson, who chaired Anne Evans Estabrook’s U.S. Senate campaign and has known her since he was a child, said that she made the right decision by dropping out of the race. 

"As the chairman of Anne’s campaign, I’m confident she would be an excellent Senator for New Jersey, but as her friend I believe she made the right decision to end her campaign,” he said.  "I am proud of Anne’s leadership and public service and her commitment to improve

U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Cliff Sobel is a possible Senate candidateRepublican State Chairman Tom Wilson hasn’t reached out to any other potential candidates to fill in for Anne Evans Estabrook, but he doesn’t think having other people running would be a bad thing.

Wilson said that he’s heard several names pop up, including United States Ambassador to Brazil Clifford Sobel, who has been named as a desirable potential candidate by Republican sources.

“I don’t generally get into the business of getting people into things. Joe Pennacchio’s got some momentum and clearly is touching a chord with people. If others want to get into the race, they should do that,” said Wilson. “I’ve known Cliff (Sobel) for a number of years and would be happy to talk to him about it if it’s something he’s interested in. There are a lot of things about him that are very attractive and he certainly has a record of caring about public service.”

Sen. Kevin O'TooleHaving already been through mulling mode last year and concluded they wouldn’t run for the U.S. Senate in 2008, State Sen. Kevin O’Toole (R-Essex) and Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-Union) both said today they would not likely change their decisions.

O’Toole flatly rejected the idea of his own run at this time, but said he would be happy if his colleague and friend, Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Morris), entered the U.S. Senate race.

"It’s family," O’Toole gave as the reason for his own decision not to run. "It’s the same reason I gave the national folks. I want to watch my ten and eight year olds grow up."

Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson saluted Anne Evans Estabrook this morning for both her decision to run and to drop out.             

Burlington County Republican Chairman Bill Layton said he was Burlington County GOP Chair Bill Laytondisappointed in the news that Anne Evans Estabrook would be suspending her U.S. Senate bid today, and anticipates his organization throwing its support behind state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris).

"My guess is Joe Pennacchio will be the endorsed candidate barring an unforseen circumstance," Layton said.

The county GOP chairman wished Estabrook well, and expressed concern for her health.

"She called me from the hospital last night," said Layton, whose organization had endorsed the Spring Lake businesswoman at its convention after the steering committee recommended her over Pennacchio by a vote of 3-2.

The withdrawal of Anne Evans Estabrook as a candidate for the United States Senate makes State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio the clear front runner in the race to take on Frank Lautenberg in November.  Pennacchio has already won contests in Hunterdon and Union, and seems poised to win the organization line in Bergen County tomorrow night.  Insiders predict that he will also have the line in Ocean, Essex and Passaic counties.  His lone opponent is Murray Sabrin, a Ramapo College professor and the leader of Ron Paul’s New Jersey presidential campaign.  Sabrin has run statewide twice before: he was the 1997 Libertarian candidate for Governor, and finished fourth in the 2000 GOP U.S. Senate primary.

Republican United States Senate candidate Murray Sabrin sent a letter to GOP State Chairman Tom Wilson yesterday, asking him to encourage his “good friend” Anne Evans Estabrook to agree to four debates with him and Joe Pennacchio this month.

Sabrin said that he sent out the invitation to Estabrook but has not heard back. Pennacchio has agreed to participate.

Assemblyman Sam Thompson endorsed Anne Evans Estabrook for U.S. Senate today.

Thompson, who lives in Middlesex County, joins his running mate, Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, in supporting Estabrook.

"The citizens of New Jersey are looking for change and I know that Anne Estabrook will bring change to Washington, work tirelessly to provide security for America, and fight to make New Jersey more affordable by supporting tax cuts and eliminating wasteful spending,” said Thompson.

Speaking to the crowd of Union County GOP delegates at WestfielU.S. Senate candidate Anne Evans Estabrookd High School on Saturday, U.S. Senate candidate Anne Evans Estabrook burnished Reagan's legacy while calling for fiscal restraint.

Estabrook lost a close contest for the line to her chief rival, state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio. Economics Prof. Murray Sabrin came in a distant third.

The next county convention is scheduled in Bergen on Thursday.