Pat Kramer

Bravo Photo

New Jersey housewife Danielle Staub has not ruled out a campaign for Congress against U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) next year, according to her spokesman, Thom Ammirato.

"At this point Ms. Staub is fielding numerous offers and has ruled out nothing.  Her advisors will be discussing her future shortly," said Ammirato, a Republican strategist who recently signed on as Staub's official spokesman.

But is the controversial star of Bravo's TV reality show, The Real Housewives of New Jersey a Republican?

"I don't know, but she can become one," said Ammirato.  "She would have to of course meet with the approval of (Passaic County GOP) Chairman Scott Rumana to see if she could get the line."

Staub, a 48-year-old mother of two, recently moved from Franklin Lakes to Wayne, which is in Pascrell's district.

According to her Bravo bio, Staub is active in her local parish and attends mass regularly.  She has admitted to being arrested 25 years ago, but has denied reports that she was involved in prostitution or in a cocaine ring.

Bravo Photo

New Jersey housewife Danielle Staub has not ruled out a campaign for Congress against U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) next year, according to her spokesman, Thom Ammirato.

"At this point Ms. Staub is fielding numerous offers and has ruled out nothing.  Her advisors will be discussing her future shortly," said Ammirato, a Republican strategist who recently signed on as Staub's official spokesman.

But is the controversial star of Bravo's TV reality show, The Real Housewives of New Jersey a Republican?

"I don't know, but she can become one," said Ammirato.  "She would have to of course meet with the approval of (Passaic County GOP) Chairman Scott Rumana to see if she could get the line."

Staub, a 48-year-old mother of two, recently moved from Franklin Lakes to Wayne, which is in Pascrell's district.

According to her Bravo bio, Staub is active in her local parish and attends mass regularly.  She has admitted to being arrested 25 years ago, but has denied reports that she was involved in prostitution or in a cocaine ring.

Are Passaic County Republicans trying to recruit Freeholder Jim Gallagher, a Democrat-turned-Independent, to run on their line in 2009?

There is speculation in Passaic County that four-term Freeholder James Gallagher might run for re-election as a Republican on the organization line.  Gallagher, elected as a Democrat in 1997, 2000, 2003 and 2006, left the Democratic Party last year to run as an Independent candidate for Mayor of Little Falls.  He has virtually no shot at a slot on the Democratic line this year.

In 2006, Gallagher was the top vote-getter in the Freeholder race.  He outpolled his Democratic running mates by more than 3,000 votes, and ran about 17,000 votes ahead of the Republicans countywide.  Republicans think Gallagher could attract enough Democrats and Independents to help them score their first countywide victory since 2001.

Gallagher, the son-in-law of former Paterson Mayor (and GOP gubernatorial candidate) Lawrence "Pat" Kramer, ran a poor third in his bid for Mayor, winning just 10.4% of the vote.  But his 537 votes was ten times the margin of victory for the Republican, Michael DeFrancisci, who beat Democrat John Agostinelli by just 55 votes, 45.3%-44.3%.

Statement from Republican leader and former Paterson Mayor Pat Kramer

Democrat-turned-Independent James Gallagher won't have to give up his seat on the Passaic County Board of Freeholders: he finished a dismal third in his bid for Mayor of Little Falls, polling just 10% of the vote.  Republicans held the mayors office, with first-time candidate Michael DeFrancisci defeating Democrat John Agostelli by 55 votes.  Gallagher has had a rocky relationship with Passaic Democrats in recent years, and was likely to lose party support when his seat comes up in 2009. 

One race worth watching is in Little Falls, where Democrat-turned-Independent James Gallagher, a Passaic County Freeholder since 1997, is running for Mayor. If he wins, he'll need to resign his county post -- but that's not a huge deal, since Democrats have been preparing to dump him from the organization line in 2009 anyway.  The Democratic County Committee would meet in January to select a new Freeholder to serve the remaining year of his term.   Gallagher faces Democrat John Agostinelli, a former Councilman, and Republican Mike DeFrancisci, a retired policeman and DEA agent in the race to succeed Mayor Eugene Kulick, a Republican who is not seeking re-election.

Jeff Booker, left, and state Sen. Joe Kyrillos (R-Monmouth).: Politicker photo 

MINNEAPOLIS - They’re not overjoyed with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, but former Mitt Romney for president supporters last week gulped down Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz) veep pick and closed ranks behind their party’s nominee.

That’s not to say they don’t hang with one another in the halls of the Hilton, where the GOP delegation is staying.

This morning, state Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), who served as Romney’s state campaign chair; former Camden County GOP Executive Director Jeff Booker, and former Paterson Mayor Pat Kramer, exited the breakfast hall as a threesome.

Pat Kramer, former mayor of Paterson, right, with state Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth).: Politicker photo 

MINNEAPOLIS - Among those at the Republican National Convention stand two venerable members of the Grand Old Party who once slugged it out in a gubernatorial primary.

The title "former governor" in front of the name Thomas Kean provides the most obvious evidence for his 1981 statewide victory over Lawrence "Pat" Kramer, former mayor of Paterson.

But the man who unwittingly helped Kean beat Kramer isn’t a Republican, and was actually in attendance last week at the Democratic National Convention.

He’s former Gov. Brendan Byrne, whose hand-picked successor - then-attorney general, John Degnan - didn’t have the backing of the Democratic Party chairs.

Rudy Giuliani won 66% of the vote at the Passaic County GOP convention today. Mitt Romney came in second with 17%.: Getty Images Photo
In New Jersey's first open convention of the 2008 campaign, the Passaic County Regular Republican Organization has endorsed Rudy Giulani for President.

Giuliani won 66% of the vote, garnering 77 out of the 117 votes cast. Mitt Romney came in second with 19 votes, followed by John McCain and Fred Thompson with seven each, Ron Paul with four and Mike Huckabee with three. Sam Brownback, Duncan Hunter, and Tom Tancredo failed to receive any votes.

Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is expected to release a list of the New Jersey endorsements today. Supporters are likely to include State Senator Joseph Kyrillos, Republican National Chairman David Norcross, Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance, Morris County Assembly candidate Jay Webber, former Paterson Mayor Lawrence "Pat" Kramer. and former Republican State Committee Executive Director Brian Nelson.