John Sette

MORRISTOWN - Morris County Republican Chairman John Sette has decided that he will seek reelection as chairman after all.

Sette told PolitickerNJ.com in April that he would not seek a fourth term as chairman in 2010.  He meant it at the time, but GOP officials prevailed upon him to change his mind. 

"A lot of the elected officials came to me and said, John, you have to do it," said Sette while taking a quick break from his duties as a commissioner for the Morris County Board of Elections.  "My wife gave it her blessing."

Sette started as chairman in 2002, the year after Democrat Jim McGreevey beat Republican Bret Schundler.  He takes pride in the fact that it's a weak chairmanship, and does not consider himself a party boss.  The party has open primaries, giving county committee members and, by extension, Sette, no coveted party line to award.  

In 2005, he presided over the party when Democrat Jon Corzine beat Republican Doug Forester.  This time, he says, Republicans have a better feeling about the race's outcome.

Morristown mayoral candidate Jim Gervasio doesn't know whether the presence of GOP gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie will help him as he attempts to disrupt Democratic Party rule in the county seat heart of Christie's home base. 

"I think it's too early to tell," said Gervasio. "Hopefully more Republicans would come out to vote than usual. Party loyalists will vote top to bottom, especially if it's a really close race. If he maintains his lead, he could help me. Would I campaign with him (Christie)? Absolutely."

Gervasio, a local businessman and Morristown Parking Authority commissioner, is in a contest with Zoning Board chair Tim Dougherty, who defeated Mayor Donald Cresitello in the Democratic Primary. 
 
"My main issues are taxes and safety and the impact of development on quality of life," said Gervasio, who does not believe Cresitello followed a transparent process while advancing numerous development projects in Morristown.

Morris County GOP Chairman John Sette, left, with Daily Record columnist Fred Snowflack during a GOP delegate sendoff party last summer

A lot can happen between now and June 2010, but one early contender has emerged to replace John Sette as Morris County GOP Chairman: Republican State Committeewoman Christina Ramirez. Sette has said he won't seek re-election next year. 

If she runs, Ramirez will have the support of State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Montville).

morrisgop.org

Morris County GOP Chairman John Sette, left, with Daily Record columnist Fred Snowflack during a GOP delegate sendoff party last summer

Morris County Republican Chairman John Sette will call it quits in a little over a year.

Sette, who has presided over the party in this heavily Republican county since 2002, will not seek reelection as chairman when his fourth term ends in June, 2010.

“I just think that other people should have a chance,” said Sette, a retired plastic company owner who served one term as a freeholder.

Morris County typically has one of the highest Republican turnouts in state and federal elections, and all of its county-wide elected officials are Republican.  Two of the three Republican gubernatorial candidates this year – former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie and Assemblyman Rick Merkt – come from Mendham, in Morris County.

But unlike Ocean County, which is one of the state’s few other remaining Republican bastions and competes with Morris for turnout, Sette’s party does not offer a “party line.” Ballot positions are drawn at random, making way for open primaries where the chairman’s endorsement is merely his personal support and does not translate into a balloting advantage (Sette told Daily Record columnist Fred Snowflack in 2003 that the only time he calls the shots in party headquarters is “when I have to clean the bathroom or take out the garbage”).

Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris Twp.)

Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris Township) never minded bucking the system, so Morris GOP Chair John Sette’s endorsement of two rival primary candidates landed with no crushing force.  

“John Sette is entitled to his opinion,” said Carroll. “I’m sorry he feels that way.  I would have appreciated the courtesy of a phone call instead of reading it cold. ...The truth is, I would be honored to serve with any of the three other men running for this office.” 

As he assessed the field of four candidates pursuing two seats in the 25th District, Sette complained about Carroll’s boast that he was going to Trenton to “do nothing.”

School Board member Bruce Meringolo

LONG HILL – Bullied by Union County in the 21st District, two men from neighboring Morris County entered the Republican Primary, but don’t seem to be able to get out of each other’s way as they try to mutually make the case that they’re bigger than Long Hill Township.

Not only are they from the same county and same town, but making things triply tough on Mayor George Vitureira and School Board member Bruce Meringolo is the fact that they’re running against the widow of Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Summit). The finer complexities of politics aside, it’s hard to get in a street fight with the next of kin of a beloved former lawmaker, and a nurse at that - and a woman on top of it.

Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) is also in this race, and in a good place organization-wise, seeking reelection from the bigger Union County portion of the district with the backing of party leadership. 

In his post as Morris County Republican Chairman, John Sette is officially neutral in the race for State Assembly in District 25.  But as an individual, he is backing Morris County Freeholder Douglas Cabana and attorney Anthony Bucco over the seven-term incumbent, Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris Township).  Rick Merkt (R-Mendham) is giving up the seat he has held since 1997 to seek the Republican nomination for Governor.

Morris County Freeholder James Murray

MOUNTAIN LAKES - Part of the crowd buzz last night at the Zeris Inn concerned the whereabouts of Morris County Freeholder James Murray, who evidently had his own reason for not being in attendance at Chris Christie's formal kickoff.

It's because Murray is himself mulling a bid for governor.

"He called me the day before yesterday and I asked him if he was going to Chris's event," said Morris County Republican Chairman John Sette.

The chairman recalled Murray telling him he was going to stay neutral and when Sette asked him why, Murray spilled it.

"He told me, 'I'm thinking about running for governor because I think I can appeal to Democrats and Independents,'" Sette said.

Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie has not declared his gubernatorial candidacy yet, but without even personally pleading his case to anyone, he has already rolled up the support of several GOP chairmen -- some from heavily Republican counties.

George Gilmore, the Republican chairman of Ocean County, will personally endorse Christie if he decides to enter the race, as will his counterparts John Sette in Morris County and Doug Steinhardt in Warren County. Some other Republican chairs are circumspect about committing this early in the process, but say they lean towards Christie.

“Now this is my personal statement obviously, but I think Chris Christie, if he is desirous of running for governor, offers the best opportunity for the Republican Party to win a statewide election next year against Gov. Corzine,” said Gilmore.

State Sen. Kevin O'Toole reportedly has the votes to become the new Chairman of the GOP County Chairmen

Update: O'Toole, Davis and Steinhardt have reached an agreement, largely brokered by Gilmore. Davis and Steinhardt will support O'Toole for the chairmanship. Steinhardt will likely become vice-chair, while Davis will be treasurer of the group.

Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore, who announced yesterday that he would not seek another term as the chair of Republican chairmen, today supported Essex County Republican Chairman/state Sen. Kevin O'Toole (R-Cedar Grove) for the post.

Gilmore said that O'Toole has the support of enough of the state's 21 county chairs to easily ascend to the position.

"Kevin absolutely has the votes," said Gilmore. "One of the things I wanted to see was that it was a smooth transition."

Gilmore's support and vote count makes O'Toole the obvious favorite, but it's possible that he won't go unchallenged. Gilmore's decision not to run took many county chairs by surprise, and a short list of four names quickly emerged: O'Toole, Somerset County Chairman Dale Florio, Warren County Chairman Doug Steinhardt and Atlantic County Chairman Keith Davis.