Dick Zimmer

As former Congressman Dick Zimmer formally entered the Republican U.S. Senate race today, he essentially becomes the third candidate to fill a single candidacy.

First there was Anne Estabrook. Andy Unanue took her place after she suffered a minor stroke. Zimmer jumped in to the race after Unanue’s campaign disintegrated in less than three weeks.

Just as Unanue inherited most of the Estabrook campaign infrastructure – who had been paid a severance that lasted until the June primary while they waited for a candidate to take her place– Zimmer is poised to take over much of Unanue’s staff, including Campaign Manager Mark Duffy (though a few shake ups are expected).

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Concerning the withdrawal of Andy Unanue from the U.S. Senate race, Dr. Murray Sabrin's spokesman George Ajjan offered the following statement:

"As a Washington, D.C. lobbyist, I'm sure Dick Zimmer has Senator John Ensign's number on speed dial."

After less than three weeks as a U.S. Senate candidate, Andy Unanue formally withdrew his candidacy today. 

Saying that he has no regrets about stepping into the race, Unanue issued a statement today after his committee on vacancies filed paperwork with the Division of Elections designating former Rep. Dick Zimmer as his replacement.

Unanue cited business commitments and opportunities as his primary reason for withdrawal. 

"After much thought and careful consideration, I have decided to end my candidacy for U.S. Senate.  I made the decision to enter the race after serious deliberation and I have no regrets.  My decision to withdraw is based on an equally thorough deliberation,” he said.  "I have concluded that my extensive business commitments along with new business opportunities that have recently presented themselves would prevent me from dedicating myself fully to a statewide campaign."

As first reported by PolitickerNJ last night, the Star-Ledger confirmed this morning that Andy Unanue is officially withdrawing from the U.S. Senate race, to be replaced by former Rep. Dick Zimmer.

Unanue Campaign Manager Mark Duffy confirmed to the Ledger reporters that he was en route to Trenton to file the paperwork.

Joseph Pennacchio won the Somerset County Republican convention last month in a race where he was essentially unopposed.  Andy Unanue, in the race a few days and still vacationing in Vail, declined to compete, and Murray Sabrin was ineligible because he refused to sign a pledge required by the party to support the organization slate.  Now Pennacchio is in danger of losing the Somerset endorsement as GOP County Chairman Dale Florio maneuvers behind the scenes to add Dick Zimmer to the line.  Sources close to Florio say that he has discussed either a do-over vote based on the new field of candidates -- Zimmer represented part of Somerset County in Congress from 1991 to 1997 --  or simply creating a limited open primary, where Pennacchio and Zimmer – but not Sabrin – would run on the organization line.

Andy Unanue will file papers tomorrow morning withdrawing from the U.S. Senate race, and his Committee on Vacancies will announce tomorrow that they have designated former Rep. Dick Zimmer to take his place on the ballot in the June 3 Republican primary.

Unanue reportedly signed papers ending his campaign earlier today from his vacation home in Colorado. Zimmer, 63, the 1996 GOP U.S. Senate candidate, has been making calls today advising party leaders of his decision to enter the race. He will face State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio and college professor Murray Sabrin in the primary.

If Dick Zimmer had won his race for U.S. Senate in 1996 – our premise is purely hypothetical because he did not – who would be running this year? 

The first question is this: would Zimmer have won re-election in 2002?  Rob Andrews, Bob Menendez and Frank Pallone would have probably declined to challenge him – it’s fair to assume that if they were unwilling to give up their safe House seats to run against Doug Forrester, they would have been less likely to risk a race against an incumbent in post 9/11 New Jersey, when George W. Bush was actually off-the-charts popular in New Jersey.  

Here is one scenario how this might have played out: