Brian Levine

Voters will go to the polls today, likely in very small numbers and using paper ballots, to elect Fire Commissioners and approve fire budgets in a more than 25 municipalities throughout the state.  In many towns, Fire Commissioners are paid positions.  Polls are typically open from 2PM to 9PM, and most contests are unopposed. 

The premier Fire Commissioner race is in Woodbridge, where former Council President and Republican Municipal Chairman Kenneth Gardner hopes to restart his political career as a District 1 Fire Commissioner.  Gardner, who sought the GOP nomination for Congress in 2000 and lost bids for local office, is hoping that the Fire Commissioner seat might help him return to public office or enhance his ability to get a state job if a Republican is elected Governor.  He faces Ryan Horvath, a young fire captain who has been visiting voters door-to-door.

Republican County Committee in Hunterdon and Warren County are meeting today to elect a new Assemblyman from the 23rd district.  Hunterdon Freeholders Matthew Holt and Erik Peterson, and Warren Freeholder John DiMaio, are vying to fill the vacant seat created when Marcia Karrow moved up to the State Senate earlier this month.

And in Union County, Republicans will hold the first-in-the-state gubernatorial convention to award the organization line for the June primary.  Former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie is favored to win, and former Bogota Mayor Steven Lonegan is likely to finish second.  The real race is for third place between five-term Assemblyman Rick Merkt and Brian D. Levine, the Mayor of Franklin Township.

Three candidates are seeking Marcia Karrow's 23rd district Assembly seat: left to right, Erik Peterson, John DiMaio and Matthew Holt.

There are three votes worth watching on Saturday:

1.  In District 23, Republican County Committee members from Hunterdon and Warren counties will meet to elect a new Assemblyman.  Hunterdon Freeholders Matthew Holt and Erik Peterson, and Warren Freeholder John DiMaio face off for the Assembly seat left vacant earlier this month when Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan) took her seat in the State Senate.  Hunterdon GOP Chairman Henry Kuhl has promised at least one Assembly seat to Warren County, so if DiMaio loses tomorrow, he'll still be on the organization line in the June primary for the seat Michael Doherty (R-Washington) is giving up to challenge Karrow for the State Senate.  If DiMaio wins the special election convention, Holt and Peterson can fight it out in April for the other Assembly seat.

2. The first-in-the-state Republican gubernatorial convention is in Union County, where former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie has a substantial lead among endorsements from party leaders and elected officials.  With former Bogota Mayor Steven Lonegan seemingly a lock for second place, the real race is the one for third place between five-term Assemblyman Rick Merkt (R-Mendham) and Brian D. Levine, the Mayor of Franklin Township.  There is not a lot of room for another candidate in a field that looks to be as many as seven, and if someone were to break out of the pack, it can be either one or the other.  Merkt may have the edge: his campaign manager, former Hillsborough Councilman Christopher Venis, is a longtime political operative with roots in Union County as an aide to U.S. Rep. Bob Franks and as a member of a Union County-based local political consulting firm.  The other three candidates, Morris County Freeholder Jim Murray, and businessmen David Brown and Dennis Knight, are not participating in the Union County vote.

A Republican splinter group from Passaic County last night unveiled a slate of three freeholder candidates and one county clerk candidate to take on whomever the local Republican organization fields in the June primary.

Members of the group, called GOP Strong, said that about 300 people turned out to a Little Falls union hall to see the three freeholder candidates -- Bruno Varano, a retired federal law enforcement agent from Wayne; Debra Andriani, a legal assistant from Totowa; and Robert Cruz, a Web developer from Pompton Lakes.  The group also fielded county clerk candidate Kristin Corrado, who has a law practice and is the Totowa Municipal Attorney.

GOP strong, which counts former Republican chairman Peter Murphy as a co-founder and is headed up by activists Michael Ramaglia and Michael Mecca, has been feuding with current Passaic County Republican Chairman and Assemblyman Scott Rumana (R-Wayne) over control of the mainstream organization.

Former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, left, and Franklin Township Mayor Brian D. Levine

ROSELLE PARK – On a night of party revelry, two men here tonight appeared at least initially dejected.

There would be no candidates’ speeches at the Union County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner/Auction, and former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan accepted the news with admitted disappointment.

“First it was five minute speeches then three minutes and now we’re down to no speeches,” said Lonegan when he was asked if he would be addressing the packed crowd at the annual event.

A second candidate for governor, Franklin Township Mayor Brian D. Levine, arrived with an envelope containing prepared remarks in his jacket pocket, but there was no need, he learned from Lonegan when Levine walked in the door to the small but swanky Solar do Minho banquet hall.

“The candidates are mingling, talking to people,” explained Union County GOP Chairman Phil Morin. “They’re getting their message out. If we do speeches, we’ll be here all night.”

Franklin Mayor Brian D. Levine, left, and Assemblyman Rick Merkt are polling at 5% and 2%, respectively, in the race for the Republican nomination for Governor.

Anything less than a win at Saturday's Union County Republican Convention and Chris Christie's campaign would hear echoes of Anne Evans Estabrook, whose 2008 U.S. Senate bid began to unravel after State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio beat her in Union County.

It would be similarly problematic if conservative Steve Lonegan, who has spent most of the last five years running for Governor, finishes below second place.

But then what happens appears less predictable, less solid, as Franklin Township Mayor Brian D. Levine and Assemblyman Richard Merkt (R-Mendham) battle in the real contest of the day: a contest for third place between two other contenders eager to break out of a field that has grown to seven candidates for the chance to take on Gov. Jon Corzine in November.

Already, the Merkt campaign is minimizing expectations. The candidate is leaving the state tonight for a business trip.

 "I actually have to work for a living," Merkt, a corporate attorney, told PolitickerNJ.com. "I have to feed my family."

Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie received the endorsement of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani today. Behind the two ex-Prosecutors is Maxwell Place, the condominium where Gov. Jon Corzine lives.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani today endorsed Christopher Christie for the Republican nomination for Governor.  Giuliani came to Hoboken this afternoon to announce his support for his fellow former U.S. Attorney.  

"Chris is a decisive leader who knows how to make the tough decisions. He will make New Jersey prosperous by cutting taxes, eliminating wasteful spending and bringing jobs back to the state," said Giuliani, who served as Mayor from 1994 to 2002.  "And Chris Christie has a plan to revitalize New Jersey's cities by bringing new jobs here, challenging failing school districts and making the streets safer. Chris is a bold leader who will bring real change to New Jersey."  

Last week, Christie won the support of the New Jersey GOP's leading elder statesman, former Gov. Thomas Kean.  The former federal prosecutor and Morris County Freeholder has announced endorsements from nearly 600 Republican party leaders and elected officials since entering the race on February 4.  A Quinnipiac University poll released the day Christie announced showed him with a 44%-38% lead over the Democratic incumbent, Jon Corzine.  

"I am humbled to have the support of Mayor Giuliani, whose strong leadership made New York City a better place and positively affected the lives of so many New Jerseyans," said Christie. "In these trying times, I will be the leader our state needs to make the tough decisions necessary to get New Jersey back on track." 

Union County Republicans will hold the state's first convention of the 2009 gubernatorial campaign on Saturday, and former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie is the strong favorite to win that vote.   Earlier this month, Christie released a list of 69 endorsements from Union County Republicans, including County Chairman Philip Morin, seventeen of 21 GOP municipal chairs, all eight Republican mayors, and the county's three Republican legislators.

Former Bogota Mayor Steven Lonegan is doing some campaigning in Union, but is not focused on winning the organization line.  The real race - for whatever it's worth -- might be for third place between Assemblyman Richard Merkt (R-Mendham) and Franklin Township Mayor Brian Levine.   Merkt and Levine live in counties that border Union.

Former U.S. Attorney Chris Chrisie, left, confers with Assembly Whip Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield)

FRANKLIN – Guerilla sniping sounded from the Lonegan camp even as the four Republican candidates for governor split up on the trail tonight to chart an otherwise sedate course to one of two prime Lincoln Day Dinner events.

Assemblyman Richard Merkt (R-Mendham) and former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan attended the Bergen County Republican Organization confab in Hackensack, and former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie and Franklin Mayor Brian D. Levine mixed at the Somerset County Republican Organization’s annual dinner at the Imperia in Franklin.

Levine played host in his hometown, while Christie the star former U.S. Attorney dominated interest among a crowd here in Franklin that included state Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Union), Assembly Minority Conference Leader Pete Biondi (R-Hillsborough), Assembly Minority Whip Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Summit), and Assemblywoman Denise Coyle (R-Bernards). 

Franklin Mayor Brian D. Levine

Since the Republican candidates for governor began touring the events circuit together a little over a week ago, Franklin Township Mayor Brian D. Levine has tried to position himself as the foursome’s expert on job growth and economic issues.

“My candidacy is based on my background as a CPA and corporate person, and as a mayor with a strong focus on economy and jobs creation in my town,” Levine said. “That’s where I’m coming from right now. I’m trying to show people from a town perspective that we’ve had our share of job growth and getting business in and that’s a microcosm of what I would like to do statewide.” 

While former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan and Assemblyman Richard Merkt (R-Mendham) have so far mostly tried to outmuscle one another on the affordable housing issue, the 50-year old, pro-choice Republican moderate has run under the radar with his jobs and economy message.

Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie’s gubernatorial campaign announced today that they’ve raised over half a million dollars in three weeks – more than enough to qualify for matching funds from the state.

If the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) verifies the donations, Christie will be the second Republican to meet the $340,000 matching funds threshold.  Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, who kicked off his campaign early, secured matching funds last month and has already begun a $500,000 ad blitz.

When a candidate meets the matching funds requirement, he or she will receive two dollars for every one they raise for up to $3.1 million in the primary, minus a $109,000 deductible.  Christie has already said he intends to seek matching funds. 

“The support with which donors have been backing Chris has been unmatched,” said Campaign Finance Chairman Jon F. Hanson in a statement.  “It’s clear that Chris’s vision for New Jersey is resonating with the people of our state.”