Patricia Quattrocchi

March 31, 2009 - 7:57am

INSIDE EDGE

Hatfield is early front runner for Munoz seat

Republican County Committee members from District 21 will need to schedule a special election convention within seven to 35 days to fill the State Assembly seat left vacant yesterday by the death of Eric Munoz. Hours after the death of the five-term Assemblyman, Republicans were listing several potential candidates for the Munoz seat: former Summit Council President Kelly Hatfield, Union County GOP Chairman Phil Morin, Cranford Mayor David Robinson, Berkeley Heights Mayor David Cohen, Roselle Park Mayor Joe DeIorio, former Garwood Councilwoman Patricia Quattrocchi, and Mountainside Councilman Glenn Mortimer.

Another possible candidate is Peter Kane, a longtime Summit GOP leader who ran Mike Huckabees's New Jersey presidential campaign in 2008. Huckabee will be speaking in New Jersey tomorrow at the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University.

Hatfield ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination for Congress in 2008, but won the Union County convention; she is now the party's Finance Chair. Morin came within a handful of votes of winning an Assembly seat in a 2003 special election convention that was won by Jon Bramnick.

Republicans say the seat won't go to Westfield, where Bramnick and State Sen. Thomas Kean, Jr. live. And it is unlikely to go to anyone in Essex, Morris or Somerset counties. Bramnick and Kean are also considered potential candidates for Lt. Governor; their selection would trigger other conventions t his year.

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January 6, 2009 - 4:05pm

COLUMNIST

It ain’t over till it's over – UC according to Yogi

By Patricia Quattrocchi

Many columnists write a "year in review" or a "predictions" piece for the New Year, however I decided to refrain from going down either of those paths and instead decided to revisit two topics which though relatively low profile at this point in time do have the potential to pack a significant wallop in the not too distant future.

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June 10, 2008 - 10:37am

Morin safe in Union County

By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter

Union County Republican Chairman Phil Morin will likely go unchallenged tonight for re-election.

Former freeholder candidate Patricia Quattrocchi had considered challenging Morin late last year, but decided not to run based on health issues and a cautious sense of encouragement about the direction of the party.

“I think we’re kind of on the way to making some changes and getting the organization united,” she said. “I’m just relieved at this point. Let’s just go forward. I’d love to see the republicans statewide come out and support the candidates elected on primary day. And to the committee people, come out and do your job.”

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December 28, 2007 - 3:48pm

Morin could face challenge for Union GOP Chairman

By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter

Former Garfield Councilwoman Patricia Quattrocchi could challenge Phil Morin for Union County GOP ChairmanFour-time Union County Freeholder candidate Patricia Quattrocchi said that she likes her county chairman, Phil Morin. But the party desperately needs a jolt, and she thinks she may be the one who can provide it.

“We need some electricity here in Union County,” said Quattrocchi, who is considering running for Morin’s post in June. Currently, she’s assistant vice-chair of the party.

Next month marks 10 years since the last Republican left the Union County Freeholder Board, and local Republicans find themselves in a situation similar to their Bergen County brethren. They can remember when they dominated in the not-so-distant past, but that control has since given way to a Democratic machine controlled by powerful Democratic boss Charlotte DeFilippo and, amongst some local Republicans, a sense of hopelessness.