Mike Donohue

Michael Donohue, who came within 2,000 votes of winning a State Assembly seat in 2007, will run again this year in the politically competitive 1st district.

It looks like there will not be a battle for the Republican organization endorsements in the 1st Legislative District.  

Vineland businessman Sam Fiocchi today withdrew his name from the race and endorsed  attorney Michael Donohue and Upper Township Committeeman Frank Conrad, who are both from Cape May County.  Fiocchi will serve as their Cumberland County campaign chairman.

“We are all united behind the Donohue-Conrad ticket,” said Fiocchi.  “I got involved because I believe Cumberland County is critical for our success this year.  Mike and Frank understand that too.  I intend to do everything I can to help them win in Vineland, Millville and Maurice River Township.”

Fiocchi’s withdrawal coincides with the Cape May County Regular Republican Organization’s endorsement of Donohue and Conrad.

Attorney Michael Donohue announced today that he’s trying again for an assembly seat in the 1st District, which is expected to be one of the major legislative battlegrounds this year.  

Donohue ran unsuccessfully with Norris Clark in 2007 against Democrats Nelson Albano (D- Vineland) and Matt Milam (D-Vineland).  He came within 2,000 votes of Milam in this traditionally Republican district– a sweep that many observers attributed to the coattails of state Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May), the most conservative Democrat in the state Senate. 

“Ronald Reagan said nearly three decades ago that government is not the solution to our problems, government IS the problem,” said Donohue, a Cape May County resident, in a statement.   “What we are faced with now is the need for the radical restructuring of state government in order to have some hope for prosperity in New Jersey in the future.   If companies that have been in existence for a hundred years realize that only through eliminating divisions and downsizing can they survive, then our state government better wake up to the same reality immediately.”

(VINELAND August 30) – First District Senator Nick Asselta and his Assembly running mates, Norris Clark and Michael Donohue – responding to an analysis of the Governor’s proposal to monetize New Jersey’s toll roads that indicates that tolls on the average motorist would have to rise by 150 percent to pay back the bonds issued by a new state agency – today declared the prospect of such a massive toll hike a “non-starter,” and urged the Governor and his Democratic allies to scrap their plan.

(VINELAND, August 10) – First District Senator Nick Asselta and his Assembly running mates Norris Clark and Michael Donohue – following up on their statements of earlier this week, and furthering the outlines of their proposals to address social strains caused by illegal immigration here in New Jersey – today called on Trenton Democrats to address the stresses caused by an estimated 450,000 illegal immigrants here in New Jersey, and to put the needs of New Jersey's citizens back in their rightful place above the desires of those whose first act in our nation was to violate our laws.

(VINELAND, August 7) – First District Senator Nick Asselta and his Assembly running mates Norris Clark and Michael Donohue – responding to yesterday’s announcement by the Governor of the formation of a new 27-member commission to study how the State can handle problems posed by illegal immigration, with the commission to report back to him in 15 months – today said the problems posed by the estimated 450,000 illegal immigrants in New Jersey cannot wait 15 months for an answer, and offered instead their own plan: enforce the law.

(VINELAND, July 31) – First District Senator Nick Asselta and his Republican Assembly running mates, Norris Clark and Michael Donohue, today offered their own First District Clean Campaign Pledge and invited their respective opponents to join them in conducting this fall’s campaign in the First District in a fair, honest, and above-board manner.