Bob Yudin

After less than six months on the job, Bergen County Republican Executive Director Matt Mowers is leaving his post.

Mowers, 19, will be replaced by Stephanie Derrig, 40, of Mahwah.

Mowers, a full-time student at Rutgers University who lives in Middlesex County, was hired in late December by recently ousted Chairman Rob Ortiz, who is expected to become the Republican State Committee’s finance chairman. His hiring was applauded by some who wanted to bring new, young blood into the party, but also brought criticism from those who felt that, as a student from a different county, he wouldn’t be able to devote enough time to the position.

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Newly elected Bergen County Republican Chairman Bob Yudin called for peace on the internet today.

In a press release, Yudin implored both his own supporters and those of his opponent, former Chairman Rob Ortiz, to declare a “cease fire” in the “internet war” that’s erupted between them.

“I ask that those with the time and the energy to engage in trading Internet insults, please find a new, more productive  focus for their energies,” said Yudin, who felt that the internet bickering was another manifestation of the infighting that’s plagued the troubled party that he just took over.

I ask that a cease fire be declared in the Internet war and that you all put your energies into rebuilding our party and restoring Republicans to a position of prominence and leadership in Bergen County

Robert Ortiz’s reign as Bergen County Republican Chairman came to an end tonight, just 11 months after he took the helm of this beleaguered party.

The victory for Bob Yudin, 69, was the conclusion of a particularly nasty and hard fought battle, but Yudin sought to start the process of unifying the party immediately.

“No recriminations. None,” said Yudin in his victory speech. “This is about all of us getting together, and uniting as one Bergen County Republican Organization.”

Yudin won with 412 votes to Ortiz’s 317.

The confusion over who gets to vote at tomorrow night’s election for Bergen County Republican Chairman appears to have ended.

State Sen. Gerald Cardinale will not sue the Bergen County Republican Organization to force it to restrict voting at tomorrow night’s chairmanship runoff to only those who voted last Tuesday.

Cardinale said that Ortiz never had the authority to declare that voting would be open to all county committee members – a responsibility that belongs to the BCRO’s election committee. The committee had previously ruled for restricting tomorrow night’s ballot. Election Commissioner Patricia DiCostanzo even sent a letter informing county committee men and women that only those who voted last Tuesday could vote tomorrow.

Bergen County GOP Chairman Rob Ortiz, facing a runoff election with Bob Yudin, says that State Sen. Gerald Cardinale was "misinformed" when he criticized the incumbent for changing the election rules.

Overwhelmingly positive response to post-victory agenda

Yudin headed for resounding victory on Tuesday

Ben Focarino, who came in third in Tuesday’s election for Bergen County Republican chairman, has thrown his support behind challenger Bob Yudin in next weeks runoff against current Chairman Robert Ortiz.

If Focarino’s former supporters follow his lead, the endorsement could be significant. Ortiz had 277 votes on Tuesday to Yudin’s 262. Focarino had 115 votes in this week’s election.

Whoever wins the election next Tuesday will preside over the party for the next two years. Ortiz has led it since winning a special election in July after former Chairman Guy Talarico resigned.