Kate Whitman

Kate Whitman is the only candidate in the 7th district Republican primary that is “strong” on the second amendment – the only candidate with a hunting license, according to her campaign. 

What does she hunt?

“Pheasant,” said Anthony Attanasio, her spokesman.

And from the Democrats, feeling confident that the winner of their U.S. Senate primary will prevail over the winner of the Republican primary:

Kate Whitman has raised over $430,000 for her campaign for the GOP nomination for Congress in the 7th district, with over $230,000 during the last three months.  Her chief rival, State Sen. Leonard Lance, has not released any details of his fundraising.

BRIDGEWATER -7th Congressional District candidate Kate Whitman trains her attack on the GOP's likely general election opponent, Democrat Assemblywoman Linda Stender.

Senate Minority Leader Ton Kean, Jr. (R-Union), and Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon).

State Sen. Leonard Lance won the Somerset County Republican convention tonight, an important victory in his quest for the Republican nomination to succeed Rep. Mike Ferguson in the seventh congressional district.

Lance beat Whitman nearly 2-1, winning 136 votes to her 74 in the second round of balloting.

Hundreds of Somerset Republican County Committee members packed the Elks Lodge in Bridgewater tonight to participate in the event, where they also voted on Senate and freeholder candidates. But the seventh district congressional race was the real contest of the night.

“There were six candidates from Somerset County and I was able to prevail,” said Lance. “I think it shows that the Republican Party in Somerset County recognizes that I will be the agent of change in Washington.”

From left to right: Will Mennen of Hunterdon County, Bergen County GOP Chairman Rob Ortiz, and Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean.

Senate candidate Joe Pennacchio won the Somerset County Republican convention tonight.

Pennacchio won the county line with 247 votes to rival Andy Unanue’s 51.

Murray Sabrin, who refused to drop his plan to run alternate slates of freeholder candidates, was not allowed to participate.

BRIDGEWATER - The frontrunners like to call it a three-way race.State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon)

Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon), Summit Councilwoman Kelly Hatfield and businesswoman Kate Whitman each won Hunterdon, Union and Middlesex respectively in their quest to be the Republican nominee in the 7th Congressional District.

Tonight’s Somerset County Republican Convention will likely thin the ranks of contenders and give one of the frontrunners a solid leg up on the rest of the nine-person field.

With only the Somerset convention remaining in a district that encompasses portions of four counties, the pressure to secure the endorsement of this county’s committee is on Whitman, who lives in Peapack-Gladstone.

After all, Lance won his home county of Hunterdon, and Hatfield won her home county of Union.

Congressional candidate Kate Whitman won the organization line in Middlesex CountyKate Whitman won the endorsement of the Middlesex County Republican Party at its convention in Woodbridge this morning.

After some confusion that required a re-vote, Whitman won the first round of balloting, earning the 50% plus one requirement with 48 out of 85 votes cast. Former Summit Councilwoman P. Kelly Hatfield was the runner up, with 17 votes. State Sen. Leonard Lance came in next with 14 votes, followed by Scotch Plains Mayor Marty Marks with five votes and Iraq war vet Tom Roughneen with one.

That gives Whitman the line in this county, which between the three towns of Edison, South Plainfield and Woodbridge makes up the smallest portion of the four-county district.

But despite the county’s size, supporters said that it would give Whitman crucial momentum going into the Somerset County convention next Thursday – the last of the four counties left to award its endorsement.

WOODBRIDGE - They agree on low taxes and strong defense, but one distinguishing issue for Republicans in the 7th district congressional primary is the environment.

State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon) explains that “conservative” and “conservation” have the same derivation, and does not favor drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)

Kate Whitman says Linda Stender has voted to raise taxes 94 timesWOODBRIDGE – The Republican congressional candidates vying to succeed Rep. Mike Ferguson last night mostly found common ground by calling for President George W. Bush’s tax cuts to be made permanent, and depicting likely Democratic nominee Assemblywoman Linda Stender as a big government liberal.

A forum sponsored by the Woodbridge Township Republican Organization and held at the Forge, featured Kate Whitman, State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon), Warren Township Mayor Victor Sordillo, Scotch Plains Mayor Martin Marks, former Summit Council President Kelly Hatfield, Bridgewater Town Councilman Michael Hsing, Iraq War veteran/ex-Prosecutor Thomas Roughneen, and Seton Hall University business professor A.D. Amar. Of the announced candidates, only former Hillsborough Deputy Mayor Chris Venis was absent.

In the crowded field of Republican primary candidates in the seventh congressional district, one fundraising firm is working for two contenders.

TurnKey Productions is raising money for two of the top GOP candidates to replace Mike Fergsuon. In one corner is T. Robin Visconi, who’s working for State Sen. Leonard Lance. Her partner at TurnKey, Maria Chappa, is signed on with Kate Whitman.

“There’s a firewall between them. Obviously they’re not talking about the campaigns with one another,” said Whitman campaign manager Anthony Attanassio.

But that’s not all. Lance and another candidate, P. Kelly Hatfield, share the same treasurer – Ron Gravino.