In their NJN mano-a-mano this morning, Lonegan Campaign Manager Hank Butehorn and Christie Campaign Manager state Sen. Joe Kyrillos (R-Middletown) mostly scrapped over Lonegan's proposed flat tax and Christie's conservative credentials.

"We disagree on how to cut income taxes," Kyrillos told NJN senior political correspondent Michael Aron. "The electorate won't abide income tax hikes for a majority of residents out there."

Butehorn called the Christie campaign's interpretation of Lonegan's flat tax plan "an outright lie."

"It's a bout time the state has a conservative Republican leader with a plan to cut taxes and reduce spending," he said.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan’s campaign announced today that they are giving up on trying to win county lines from mainstream Republican organizations unless and until legislation that reforms county political parties is signed into law.

Or as Lonegan Campaign Chairman Hank Butehorn put it in a press release: “If I may use a Star Wars metaphor, we are leaving behind the Empire to focus on building a Rebel Alliance.”

Lonegan, a strict conservative, has participated in several county committee screening processes and a nominating convention, but has lost every time to former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie -- the more moderate candidate who Republican leaders have long courted to run.

Today the Lonegan for Governor campaign has decided to redirect our efforts away from the process to secure county committee “lines” – and towards linking together a network of Republican grassroots activists throughout New Jersey. If I may use a Star Wars metaphor, we are leaving behind the Empire to focus on building a Rebel Alliance.

Political observers will see a mix of old and new faces on Steve Lonegan’s gubernatorial campaign team.

Veteran conservative operative and long-time Lonegan ally Rick Shaftan is the campaign consultant, while Hank Butehorn, an attorney who moonlights as a conservative blogger and activist, is serving as the campaign’s Statewide Chairman.

The newest face is Eugene Slaven, a 28-year-old Massachusetts native who will be Lonegan’s campaign manager. Slaven worked as a program manager for the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation in Washington, DC. This is the first campaign he’s managed.

The responsibility of raising $340,000 in donations to qualify for matching funds falls to Nathan Brinkman, 32, a co-founder the Hoboken Republican Club.

Craig O’Brien, a recent college graduate, will be the campaign’s field director. His mother, Maureen O’Brien, just won a seat on the Paramus Borough Council.