Dale Florio

Somerset County Republican Chairman Dale Florio said that in picking Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno for the number two spot on the ballot, Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie has the opportunity to unveil a “diamond in the rough.” 

“I think the choice was very good. I worked with the sheriff on a legislative matter, and she’s business-like, clearly effective when you look at her legal career and career as sheriff,’ said Florio, a powerful lobbyist who leads one of the state’s important Republican organizations.   

As the public learns about Guadagno, Florio said, the pick will reflect well on Christie.

“He’s going to get an A+ for this one,” he said.

Uncle Floyd's official gubernatorial 2009 campaign button

We lost something of a simpler world somewhere but never lost the toughness and in the vaudeville, piano banging styling he learned as a kid in his family’s Plaza Ballroom in Paterson, Floyd “Uncle Floyd” Vivino forged a lyrical New Jersey foundation for almost everything, including his blue collar, one leg up from hobo junction write-in candidacy for governor this year.

“This wasn’t my idea,” Vivino told PolitickerNJ.com. “I didn’t seek this out. It’s kind of like the same thing that happened to George Washington. He didn’t want to be president. He wanted to be a planter. Me, all I want is my puppets. But they want me.”    

A father of six and resident of Wayne, the 57-year old performance act legend with the ubiquitous porkpie hat lost his gig at Sirius radio in December and ever since has thrown his road act for all ages into overdrive, as always rolling out the ebonies and ivories to entertain Democrats and Republicans alike, pulling nonpartisan double duty for U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) and Somerset County GOP Chairman Dale Florio.

Some Republican insiders say the ultra narrow three-vote victory by Patrick Scaglione in the race for Somerset County Freeholder could be a harbinger of growing dissatisfaction with his GOP Chairman Dale Florio.  Florio had "worked his ass off," as one party-leader described it, seeking votes for Bernards Township Committeeman John Carpenter.  At the Republican convention last Thursday, Scaglione, a veteran Bridgewater Councilman, and Carpenter were tied after the third ballot.  Usually County Chairmen get their way when it comes to picking Freeholder candidates.

After bruising battle, Bernards Committeeman John Carpenter, left, congratulates Bridgewater Council President Pat Scaglione

SOMERVILLE – Bridgewater Council President Pat Scaglione prevailed over Bernards Township Committeeman John Carpenter here in their county committee face-off at GOP headquarters on Main Street.  

The final vote tally was Scaglione, 148 votes; and Carpenter, 145 votes.

"I've never seen anything quite this close in a freeholder contest," said Assemblyman Pete Biondi (R-Hillsborough) of a contest settled after four days of county committee voting and three counts this afternoon following an inconclusive vote at last Thursday's convention.

A financial investments manager, the 44-year old Scaglione is a 12-year veteran of the Council.  

"In these tough economic times, I am committed to the best government at an efficient cost," said the GOP freeholder candidate. "I would like to maintain the quality of life for people in Somerset County, where we have some of the best towns in the country."

He will run for Somerset County Freeholder with incumbent Republican Freeholder Jack Ciarettelli against the two nominees from the Democratic Party, Montgomery Township Mayor Cecilia Birge and North Plainfield Councilman Doug Singleterry.

Roughneen, above, endorses Scaglione

BRIDGEWATER - It is Election Day in Somerville, where members of the Somerset County Republican Committee have less than an hour to record their votes for either Bernards Committeeman John Carpenter or Bridgewater Council President Pat Scaglione.

Seeking the support of their party to run on the line here with incumbent Republican Freeholder Jack Ciattarelli, Scaglione and Carpenter deadlocked with an equal number of votes at last Thursday’s Somerset County Republican Convention at the Elk’s Lodge.

The pair beat former prosecutor Thomas Roughneen, who endorsed Scaglione on Friday. Carpenter runs with the support of Somerset County Republican Chairman Dale Florio.

At the end of this GOP convention cycle - a process that has been mostly public agony for those gubernatorial candidates not named Chris Christie - the Somerset County Republican Committee will back the former U.S. Attorney.

Former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan showed he has some legs left here as the candidates head beyond the county committee processes (with the sole convention of Hunterdon remaining next Tuesday) on their way to connect with voters prior to the June Primary. 

But Christie still dusted him.

At the organization's convention in Bridgewater tonight, Christie received 204 votes, former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan received 56 votes, Assemblyman Richard Merkt got 28, Franklin Mayor Brian D. Levine 10, and inventor David Brown 1.

In a contested freeholder race, the committee will go to a second ballot vote to decide between Bernards Committeeman John Carpenter and Bridgewater Council President Pat Scaglione.

Either Carpenter or Scaglione will run with incumbent Freeholder Jack Ciattarelli. 

Former prosecutor Thomas Roughneen is out.

Republican Municipal Chairs in seventeen of the 21 towns in Somerset County have endorsed former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, along with GOP County Chairman Dale Florio and 68 elected officials.  Somerset County will award their organization line at their convention tonight.

Christie’s supporters include State Sen. Christopher Bateman (R-Branchburg), Assembly Minority Conference Leader Peter Biondi (R-Hillsborough), Assemblywoman Denise Coyle (R-Bernards), all five Freeholders, and the Sheriff and County Clerk.

Beck in Bernards.

BERNARDS – The Somerset County Federation of Republican Women (SCFRW) on Thursday night at the Bernards Inn honored state Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Red Bank) with their 17th Annual Millicent Fenwick Award for Outstanding Public Service.

A packed banquet hall included “sister Senator” Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.), Assemblyman Pete Biondi (R-Hillsborough), past award recipients Assemblywoman Denise Coyle (R-Bernards) and Somerset County Freeholder Pat Walsh, Somerset County GOP Chairman Dale Florio (who worked as a congressional aide for Fenwick), Somerset County Freeholder Jack M. Ciattarelli, Union County GOP Finance Chair Kelly Hatfield, and many others.

MANVILLE – If you have a score to settle in this old factory town – and this tradition goes back a while now but maybe it still applies - you meet the other guy under the water tower, and it looked like some members of the Somerset County Democratic Committee planned on just such an encounter with Gov. Jon Corzine this morning at the VFW Hall where the tower stands on the other side of the train tracks.

The back-story buildup to the committee’s unanimous endorsement of Corzine came with an infusion of drama as party members here nursed some hurt feelings over the administration’s disinterest in interviewing their recommendation for a county prosecutor to succeed retiring veteran Wayne Forrest. 

Not pursuing the committee’s good soldier submission of Somerville Councilman Rob Wilson for the post, Corzine tapped Somerville defense attorney John MacDonald.   

That left a dedicated contingent feeling disrespected and wanting to make a statement, particularly if Corzine was going to be a no-show at the convention. Still others blamed the State Committee for not playing a more aggressive role in coordinating Assemblywoman Linda Stender’s (D-Fanwood) congressional campaign, and the tendency among machine Democrats in other counties to see Somerset as a write-off.

Somerset Republican Chairman Dale Florio

BERNARDS – The hazards of a candidate from some occupation other than government thrust into the upper echelons of public life might include a lack of media savvy, institutional knowledge or political instincts.

But in terms of boosting public confidence in a tanking economy, the right private sector powerhouse would offer a prime complement to the gubernatorial candidacy of Republican frontrunner Chris Christie, asserts Somerset County GOP Committee Chairman Dale Florio.

Of course, it would be highly preferable for that candidate for lieutenant governor to be a woman.

“I think if Chris is the Republican nominee, a woman business executive – and no, I don’t have any names at the moment, no one in mind, but I just think that would create a very strong Republican ticket,” said Florio, a 16-year veteran county chairman.