Loran Oglesby

The Gloucester County Republican organization has endorsed Chris Christie for Governor and said the former federal prosecutor will run on the organization line in the June primary.

"Christie will free New Jersey citizens from the destructive grip of Jon Corzine and the Democrat Party," said Loran Oglesby, the GOP County Chair.   "The Gloucester County Republican Party looks forward to working closely with the Christie Campaign to ensure success of our entire ticket."

Normally, state Republicans probably wouldn’t worry about a leadership spat in Gloucester County, where the local GOP hasn’t exactly been relevant in recent years.
But with a political climate that Republicans think makes two of the county’s Democrat-controlled legislative districts competitive, Republicans hope that opportunity isn’t squandered by a squabble.

Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson has stepped in to try to mediate the split between Gloucester County Republican Chairwoman Loran Oglesby and a group of party activists, while the campaign of gubernatorial frontrunner Chris Christie has yet to commit to screen in Gloucester County Oglesby names the members of her party’s screening committee.

The problem stems from an ongoing fight between Oglesby and a group of detractors led by former freeholder candidate Phyllis Scapellato and Franklin Township Municipal Chairman Bill Fey, who hopes to unseat Oglesby in June.  Despite her critics’ best efforts to convince Oglesby to step down before picking the party’s candidates, she has already begun the process.

Gloucester County GOP Chair Loran Oglesby has canceled the Republican convention and will instead award the organization line for statewide, legislative and county candidates after a vote of an Executive Screening Committee she appointed on Friday.  Oglesby is facing a challenge for re-election in a party vote that will come the week after the June primary.

Local sources suggest that Christopher Christie had the votes in place to win the convention - rival Steve Lonegan is no longer competing for organization endorsements - and that Oglesby's decision to change the endorsement process could be a signal of her intention to back Lonegan.  In 2008, Murray Sabrin ran on the Gloucester organization line.

Marchand

Former Cumberland County Surrogate Art Marchand said that Gov. Corzine’s budget address on Tuesday made it slightly more likely that he’ll run for assembly in the 3rd Legislative District. 

“I think his budget address only reinforces the information we’re getting from Trenton that it’s a disaster.  Blaming George Bush for it all is just not going to work anymore,” said Marchand.  “Democrats have been in charge for seven years.  It’s time for them to accept complete responsibility.  You don’t raise taxes in the middle of a recession – that’s economics 101.”  

Marchand lost his job as surrogate in November after a Democratic wave swept through Cumberland County, taking out the freeholder board’s last Republican member and a long-time incumbent sheriff.  But with Governor Corzine at the top of the ticket this year instead of Barack Obama, Marchand said that the district’s two assembly seats appear ripe for Republican takeover – at least if the GOP agrees to fund more than just a token challenge.    

Over the last three decades, the party makeup of the district’s legislators has mostly mirrored the party that has controlled Trenton, with the exception of former state Sen. Raymond Zane, a Democrat who switched parties at the end of his political career.  With Republicans growing confident about their gubernatorial prospects, some see potential coattails on former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie.

“My thought is that it’s a completely swing district.  Who has the majority in Trenton and who has the governor basically will have the 3rd District too,” said Marchand. 

Bill Fey and Loran Oglesby came face-to-face Wednesday night at the Mantua Republican meeting.

A Republican who opposes the re-election of Gloucester County GOP Chair Loran Oglesby is alleging that gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan paid for her to attend the "Defending the American Dream Summit" in Washington, D.C. last October.  The conference was sponsored by the Americans for Prosperity Foundation; Lonegan is the AFP State Director in New Jersey.

Phyllis Scapellato, who launched the website itsnotloransparty.com and spearheaded a movement to replace the Gloucester County Republican Executive Committee Chairwoman, is asking if yesterday’s decision by the Lonegan for Governor campaign to redirect their efforts away from the process to secure county committee lines has anything to do with the fact that Steve Lonegan paid for a trip to Washington, DC for GCREC chairwoman Loran Oglesby.

Bill Fey, the Republican municipal leader in Franklin Township, announced today that he will challenge incumbent Loran Oglesby for Gloucester County GOP Chairman.

"These times call for strong leadership and a change in direction of our party," Fey said in a statement.  "Hopefully Loran will act in the best interest of the party and step aside gracefully."

Fey said that Barbara Capelli, the Wenonah GOP Municipal Chair and a former Councilwoman, will run on his ticket for Vice Chair, and that Monroe Republican Club President Randy Ford will run for Secretary.  The anti-Oglesby ticket will also include candidates Republican State Committee: Washington Township GOP Chairman Jeff Morris and '08 Freeholder candidate Phyllis Scapellato. 

Saying, “It’s time to put an end to all the public debate,” Franklin Township GOP Chairman Bill Fey announced his slate to run against Loran Oglesby for chairman of the Gloucester County Republican Executive Committee.

Former mayor Ferrucci and former township committeemen Dougherty and Moffa call on Oglesby to resign