John Felice

Washington Township Committeeman Robert Schroeder, who sought the 2005 Republican gubernatorial nomination, is now the favorite to replace John Rooney in the State Assembly next year.

Former gubernatorial candidate Robert Schroeder easily won the endorsement of the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO) in his bid to succeed John Rooney as an Assemblyman from the 39th district.  Schroeder beat former River Edge Councilman John Felice, 194-32.  In a district where Democrats have not won a legislative race since 1977, Schroeder becomes an overwhelming favorite to go to the Legislature.

Look for Schroeder, a 49-year-old millionaire businessman who self-funded his 2005 campaign for Governor, to emerge as a leader within the Assembly Republican caucus next year.  The Washington Township Committeeman will have the ability to help raise money for other GOP Assembly candidates this year.

A key vote is scheduled for Saturday in Bergen County, where Republicans in the 39th district will pick a new Assemblyman to replace John Rooney.  Rooney, who has served in the Legislature since 1983, announced this week that he will not seek re-election.  Democrats have not won this district since 1977.

Four Republicans are seeking the endorsement of the Northeast Republican Organization (NERO): Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk (R-Montvale), Washington Township Committeeman Robert Schroeder, former River Edge Councilman John Felice, and Harrington Park Councilman Thomas Bettancourt.  The Bergen County Republican Organization will award the organization line to the winner of the NERO convention.

Former gubernatorial candidate Bob Schroeder could be headed to the State Assembly.

Robert Schroeder, who spent $2.1 million - most of it his own money - in pursuit of the 2005 Republican nomination for Governor, is now the leading candidate for an open State Assembly seat in the Bergen County-based 39th district.  The Washington Township Committeeman won the endorsement today of the incumbent, John Rooney, who is stepping down after 26 years in the Assembly. 

As a gubernatorial candidate, Schroeder won the organization line in Ocean County, and scored a victory at the Northeastern Republican Organization convention in Bergen County.  But he won just 6% of the vote in the GOP primary, finishing fifth in a field of seven candidates.  He did beat former Assembly Majority Leader Paul DiGaetano and former Bergen County Freeholder Todd Caliguire.

Schroeder now faces former River Edge Councilman John Felice (the son of former Assemblyman Nicholas Felice) and Harrington Park Councilman Thomas Bettancourt for the support of the Bergen County Republican Organization.  Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk (R-Montvale) is seeking re-election to an eleventh term, and while she is favored to win the Northeastern Republican Organization (NERO) convention on Saturday, it is possible that two other candidates might do so. The NERO vote will determine the line.

Assemblyman John Rooney will not seek re-election. The Bergen County Republican has been in the Legislature since 1983.

Assemblyman John Rooney (R-Northvale), the longest serving member of the state assembly, will not seek another term and has endorsed Washington Township Councilman Bob Schroeder to take his place.

Rooney, who has served in the lower house since 1983 and has been mulling retirement for over a year, made his decision official in a letter to fellow Bergen County Republicans dated March 2. 

“I would like to thank you for all your past support in 14 election and re-election campaigns during my 26 years as your Assemblyman in District 39.  It was truly appreciated,” he wrote.  “This letter is to inform that I am withdrawing my name as a candidate for this office in the upcoming NERO convention.”

Rooney went on to write that Schroeder, a former Republican gubernatorial primary candidate who owns a military contracting business, has the support to fend off Democrats if they make another major play for the district, as they did in 2007. 

Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden), above, would become the senior member of the Assembly if John Rooney retires. Roberts won a 1987 special election to fill the seat of the late Francis Gorman.

There is considerable speculation among Bergen County Republicans that Assemblyman John Rooney (R-Northvale) has decided not to seek re-election to a fifteen term, and sources say that he has already told some Republican leaders of his intention to retire. 

Four candidates have filed to compete for the two District 39 seats at next month's Bergen County Republican Convention: ten-term Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk (R-Montvale), Washington Township Committeeman Robert Schroeder, Harrington Park Councilman Tom Betancourt, and former River Edge Councilman John Felice, the son of former Assemblyman Nicholas Felice (R-Fair Lawn).  The conventional wisdom is that Schroeder, a millionaire businessman who sought the Republican nomination for Governor in 2005, is Rooney's preferred successor, and that Felice was prepared to challenge Rooney for the organization line.

Assemblyman John Rooney (R-Northvale) is preparing to seek re-election to 15th term, even though some GOP leaders have urged him to retire.

It has taken him over a year to make a decision on whether or not he wants to stay in the legislature, but Assemblyman John Rooney (R-Northvale), the senior member of the lower house, said today that he filed a letter of intent to the Bergen County Republican Organization announcing his plans to run for reelection.

Rooney, who at 69 is the youngest member of the District 39 delegation, has served in the assembly since 1983, and has been grappling the reelection question since overcoming a well-funded challenge to his seat by Democrats in 2007.  Complicating matters was a bad knee and hip replacement surgery, and later some fundraising disagreements with the new party chairman, Bob Yudin.

"I did file a letter of intent to run, so surprise, surprise, I decided that I do feel better.  My hip is great," said Rooney.  "The knee is fine, but I still need some work on it. I've started to lose weight, which is very important.  I need that more than anything else. Currently, as long as I feel well, I've got my name in."

But Rooney's letter of intent should not be read as an absolute commitment to running again, even if his health holds up.  While Rooney said he's more likely to run than not, he's meeting this week with Washington Township Councilman Bob Schroeder, a wealthy businessman and former gubernatorial candidate who has made no secret of his aspirations for an assembly seat.

Schroeder has also filed a letter of intent, but will not run if Rooney does.