Michael Doherty

Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.)

In order to make that leap to the next level, it comes down to this abbreviated week of eleventh-hour phone calls and handshakes for Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) and Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.), each of whom wants to be the next state senator from the 23rd Legislative District.

This is not a battle of opposing ideologies, so much as it is a muscle-flexing exercise for each candidate to prove he or she can sap votes out of the other’s home county.

In a big rural legislative district encompassing portions of the state’s western region where towns have names like Independence, Liberty and White, the Hunterdon-based Karrow and Warren-based Doherty consider themselves tough-nut conservatives.

They want to get rid of the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and ditch the Abbott Schools system. They’re pro-death penalty and anti-gay marriage. Doherty’s straight arrow pro life; Karrow against partial birth abortions.

Republicans will meet on Jan. 24 to fill Leonard Lance's seat in the State Senate.

The joint Republican County Committees of Warren and Hunterdon Counties will convene a convention on Saturday, January 24 to decide whether Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) or Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.) will succeed former state Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Clinton) in the 23rd  District.

Hunterson County Freeholder Erik Peterson wants the State Assembly seat of Mike Doherty or Marcia Karrow, one of whom will go to the State Senate.

Hunterdon County Freeholder Erik Peterson has entered the race for the Assembly in the 23rd District.

"I want to bring Republican principles of fiscal; conservatism, limited government and open, honest government that is accountable to the people of New Jersey to the Legislature," Peterson, an attorney and political protege of U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Clinton), said in a letter to party members.

Peterson’s entry means there are now at least three GOP contenders in the race created by former state Sen. Lance's victory last year and the movement directly beneath him of two lawmakers eager to move up in his absence.

Hunterdon County Freeholder Matthew Holt this week released the names of elected officials endorsing him for the Assembly in the 23rd District. 

"From the very first announcement of my intent to run to represent the 23rd Legislative District last November, the outpouring of support has been overwhelming,” said Holt, who originally contemplated a run for the state senate seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Clinton).

“Since following the advice of my campaign committee, and seeking the anticipated Assembly seat, the support base has grown, and continues to grow daily,” added the Republican candidate.  “Having spent the past 15 years serving at every level, from school board, to councilmember, mayor, and freeholder, coupled with my ownership of a small business in the county, I bring with me a strong understanding of the needs of our district.”

Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.)

Assemblyman Michael Doerty (R-Washington Twp.) announced two Hunterdon County endorsements for his 23rd District state senate run, that of High Bridge Mayor Mark Desire and Tewksbury Municipal Chair Shaun Van Doren.

  "Mike Doherty is the best candidate for State Senate in the 23rd Legislative District,” said Desire. “He clearly has more experience than anyone else in the race, and, more importantly, he shares my conservative values. As our Assemblyman, Mike has always been there to help High Bridge when we need his assistance. He has my wholehearted endorsement for State Senate."

Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) today laid down another barrage of local endorsements for his state senate run in the 23rd District, where he hopes to succeed newly sworn-in U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Clinton).

Doherty’s trying to defeat Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.), whose home base of Hunterdon is the bigger of the two counties sharing the 23rd District. 

To that end, he burnished the support of three Warren County mayors: Michael Lavery of Hacketstown, Douglas Steinhardt of Lopatcong, and Samir Elbassiouny of Washington Township. Each gave Doherty an unequivocal thumbs up.

State Sen. Kip Bateman (R-Somerset) poses with Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.).

RARITAN TWP. – As he stood in a crowd of Hunterdon County politicians, state Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset) quickly became the object of attention for one of them, who happens at the moment to be in the middle of a political war.  

Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) wanted help from Bateman in the form of an endorsement. 

He and Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow (R-Flemington), his   rival for the 23rd District state senate seat vacated by U.S. Rep.-elect Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon), have both been aggressively seeking endorsements, and no one has yet seen Bateman pick a side. Now Doherty towered over him. 

Here was Bateman’s chance.

Former Gov. Donald DiFrancesco, left, and former U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie

RARITAN TWP. – There were a lot of bodies in the room here in Raritan Township tonight as former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie swore in Mayor Richard O’Malley – and in the process ratcheted his own gubernatorial drama up another notch. 

Arriving in a suburban and clad in a dark blue suit and powder blue tie, Christie entered the municipal chamber trailing half a dozen whispers about his intentions for statewide office.   

“I’ll have an announcement soon,” he said.   

He’s been making the rounds of these swearing-in ceremonies for seven years – ever since he became U.S. Attorney, and when the newly minted Mayor O’Malley gave Christie the floor, the newly retired lawman and establishment GOP’s best hope for a crack at Gov. Jon Corzine, made his usual good government remarks.

Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow (R-Flemington)

In the 23rd Legislative District, Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow (R-Flemington) has won the support of the Hunterdon County Republican Executive Committee to move up to the state senate seat of outgoing Congressman-elect Leonard Lance (R-Clinton).

The 18-member committee chose to back Karrow over Assemblyman Mike Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) and Hunterdon County Freeholder Matt Holt "overwhelmingly," according to Hunterdon County Republican Chairman Henry Kuhl.

The decision is not particularly surprising, as Karrow has been expected to win organizational support from her native county. But it reinforces a geographical advantage Karrow has over Doherty and Holt in a contest where Republican committee members from Hunterdon and the less populous Warren County will decide who gets to fill in for Lance until next January. As it has more residents, Hunterdon County has roughly 40 vote advantage over Warren County.

Although not all members will vote strictly along geographical lines, Kuhl said that the executive committee's support will probably have some influence.

"It has an influence, but I think what is also very important is [Karrow] had 14 Hunterdon mayors and eight Warren County mayors endorse her," said Kuhl.

From our first year, the Best & Worst Campaigns of 2000: