John Crowley

United States Senate candidate Joe Pennacchio wants to make it clear that, even if Princeton biotech executive John Crowley gets into the race, he’s sticking it out until the June 3rd primary.

“The only constant in this entire race, with the 15 or two dozen people who have been in and out and in again, is Joe Pennacchio and his campaign,” he said. “I will be there June 3rd, so I welcome everybody and a vigorous campaign based on issues.”

Although Republican sources said that some Pennacchio campaign staffers were giving thought to throwing in the towel at the prospect of a Crowley candidacy, those close to Pennacchio insist that he never considered it himself. Instead, he spent Sunday going door-to-door in Newark, Orange, East Orange and South Orange to shore up support in areas Republicans generally give up for lost.

Today, one of the most influential inside players in New Jersey Republican politics is Bill Spadea, the 2004 congressional candidate against Rush Holt who is the man behind John Crowley’s fledgling campaign for the United States Senate.   The 39-year-old former College Republican National Chairman and Marine is Crowley’s personal friend and chief – perhaps sole – political advisor.

Princeton biotech executive John Crowley, who had declined to run for Senate, is reconsidering and will make a decision soon, according to friend and advisor Bill Spadea.

“John is tremendously impressed by the outpouring of support and encouragement that has come from his colleagues, his friends and his family. People of all political beliefs have come forward to offer their good wishes for a potential U.S. Senate run, and they sense what a special opportunity a Crowley candidacy presents for the citizens for New Jersey,” said Spadea. “John and his family are considering this enormous well of support, and will be making a decision shortly.”

Republicans think they can win a United States Senate seat under this scenario: the winner of a divisive Democratic primary between 84-year-old incumbent Frank Lautenberg and ten-term Congressman Rob Andrews, and faces a Republican newcomer with an incredibly compelling life story, John Crowley, the hard-to-attack 40-year-old biotech millionaire John Crowley.

Biotech millionaire John Crowley is now close to entering the race for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, after receiving calls from several GOP Senators, including presidential candidate John McCain, urging him to run, according to Republican sources.

Other sources said that Crowley spoke with one Republican Senate candidate, Andy Unanue, tonight and told him that he is now likely to run. Unanue has told some GOP leaders that he would withdraw from the race if Crowley gets in.

Crowley spoke at length today with Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), the Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, who urged him to run and committed resources if he does. At least five other Republican Senators also reportedly lobbied Crowley, whose efforts to find a cure for a rare genetic disease that affects two of his three children has caused Republican leaders to view the political newcomer as a potentially strong Senate candidate.

Crowleymania '08 is overRepublican sources say that John Crowley’s decision not to run for the United States Senate in 2008 is final, despite considerable lobbying by some GOP leaders to get the biotech millionaire in the race. Sources say that Crowley, who appeared to be in the race on Friday and then announced on Monday that he would not be a candidate, was indeed reconsidering his candidacy. That leaves the Republican field at State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, Goya Foods millionaire Andy Unanue, and Ramapo College Professor Murray Sabrin.

The race for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination came extraordinarily close to taking a rather amazing turn this weekend amidst Crowleymania – a groundswell of support among GOP insiders for biotech millionaire John Crowley. Don’t expect any confirmation from the other candidates, but here’s the real story on how Crowley almost cleared the field, without even knowing it:

On Friday and Saturday, State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio had some discussions with staff and supporters about dropping out of the race for Senate and backing Crowley; there was talk that the announcement could come as early as Sunday or Monday.

On Sunday evening, Goya Foods millionaire Andy Unanue spoke to Crowley by telephone, and after the call informed some of his advisors that he would drop his Senate bid and support Crowley.

At this point, Crowley was sending out strong signals that he would enter the Senate race.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is pushing hard to convince biotech millionaire John Crowley to reconsider his decision not to run for the U.S. Senate, and are moving to ask President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain to call him and encourage him to run, according to Republican sources.

Through the various twists and turns of the Republican U.S. Senate race, so far there has only been one constant: Joe Pennacchio.

Over the summer, when Pennacchio announced that he was considering a run for the Senate seat, businesswoman Anne Estabrook and conservative Assemblyman Mike Doherty were also exploring the possibility. Since then, Estabrook and Doherty have dropped out, leading to a number of names floated and two new candidates: Goya heir Andrew Unanue and Ramapo College finance professor Murray Sabrin.

But Unanue, who was dubbed the favorite virtually the moment he stepped into the race last week, has suffered untold damage from several revelations about his personal life, business experience and residency. Meanwhile, Sabrin’s sometimes damaging attacks have stopped targeting Pennacchio in favor of Unanue. But Pennacchio has been shoring up his support from county organizations, while the controversy surrounding his 1991 writing called The Nationalist Agenda that emerged earlier this month has become yesterday’s news.

Pharmaceutical executive John Crowley would have been a formidable candidate, and many observers say he could have easily cleared the field. But his decision not to run this morning has left Pennacchio as, arguably, the man to beat in the June primary.

“I think Pennacchio is in the best position,” said Fairleigh Dickinson University pollster and political science professor Peter Woolley.

Most New Jersey political insiders had never heard of John Crowley before last week, but news that he has decided against running for the United States Senate seems to have disappointed some Republicans who quickly became infatuated with his life story – and many Democratic leaders are privately expressing their relief that they won’t have to face a candidate like him in the general election.