Phil Morin

Stepping over the stunned, melted-down infrastructure of a Democratic Party machine that failed to elect Jerome Jewell in the Hillside mayor's race yesterday, Union County Republican Chairman Phil Morin seized on real estate developer Joe Menza's victory as a symbolic statement in the "backyard" of Union County Democratic Chair Charlotte DeFilippo.

The fact that GOP gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie poured bodies into the Union County town, and personally cut a robocall on Menza's behalf even as the Democratic Governor's Association (DGA) channeled dollars into the Union County town to buttress Jewell gave Morin a special pride in the unofficial outcome.

"While Menza's slate didn't win, his victory sent a message to Union County that Union will be a battleground in 2009," said Morin. "We're very proud of the fact that Union County Republicans and Chris Christie were able to assist the Menza campaign in getting him across the finish line in this runoff."

Morin had reached out personally to Menza campaign strategist John O'Shea to see if there was any way in which his organization could assist in Menza's independent battle with Jewell and DeFilippo, who lives in Hillside and serves as the town's municipal Democratic Party chair in addition to her county party duties.

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Union County GOP Chairman Phil Morin said state Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean (R-Westfield) would do a good job as lieutenant governor, and would be an asset to a ticket headed by Chris Christie, should Christie land the Republican gubernatorial nomination tomorrow.

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Union County Republican Chairman Phil Morin has become a partner in the politically-connected law firm Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt & Fader, the firm announced today.

The firm, which was founded by former Gov. Jim Florio, a Democrat, counts many insiders of both political parties as partners.  They include Warren County Republican Chairman Doug Steinhardt; Bergen County Democratic insider Paul Fader, who was chief counsel to Governor McGreevey and Codey and a two-term mayor of Englewood; and former Bergen County Republican Chairman Rob Ortiz, who is currently the Republican State Committee's finance chair. 

Morin most recently worked at Saul Ewing.  Before that he worked with  LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP and as a sole practitioner.

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Republicans in the 21st Legislative District will hold their convention to replace the late Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Summit) on Monday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Munoz’s wife, Nancy, has decided to run to take over her husband’s seat and has the support of most Republican leaders and organizations. 

Long Hill Mayor George Vitureira, who is backed by Morris County Republican Chairman John Sette, and Long Hill Board of Education member Bruce Meringolo both also filed to run in the primary. 

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SUMMIT –Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie easily won the Union County Republican Convention today -- an outcome that everyone, including the four other candidates who competed, expected.

The lopsided result at the Lawton C. Johnson middle school, while not surprising, bolsters Christie’s frontrunner status in the Republican primary.  

Christie got 294 votes to former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan's 83 while Assemblyman Rick Merkt had 9, Franklin Mayor Brian Levine had 5 and South Brunswick inventor David Brown got 4.  

The convention was the first held by a county committee in the state, but it’s the second Republican county line awarded to Christie, who earlier this week won the favored ballot spot in Monmouth County by Chairman Joseph Oxley.  

The only result truly in question today was whether Merkt or Levine would place fourth.  Both, however, downplayed the importance of the result, and said it would have no effect on whether they continue their campaigns.

“Are we in it until the primary?” Merkt asked his Campaign Manager, Chris Venis, in response to a question from PolitickerNJ.com prior to knowing the voting results.

“We’re in it ‘til November,” Venis said.

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ROSELLE PARK – On a night of party revelry, two men here tonight appeared at least initially dejected.

There would be no candidates’ speeches at the Union County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner/Auction, and former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan accepted the news with admitted disappointment.

“First it was five minute speeches then three minutes and now we’re down to no speeches,” said Lonegan when he was asked if he would be addressing the packed crowd at the annual event.

A second candidate for governor, Franklin Township Mayor Brian D. Levine, arrived with an envelope containing prepared remarks in his jacket pocket, but there was no need, he learned from Lonegan when Levine walked in the door to the small but swanky Solar do Minho banquet hall.

“The candidates are mingling, talking to people,” explained Union County GOP Chairman Phil Morin. “They’re getting their message out. If we do speeches, we’ll be here all night.”

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If Assembly Minority Whip Jon Bramnick gets picked as the Republican candidate for Lt. Governor this June, he would have to drop his bid for re-election to the State Assembly.  That would create a special convention for his 21st district Assembly seat so that Republican County Committee members from the Union, Morris, Somerset and Essex towns in his district could pick a new legislative candidate.

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SUMMIT –To the oft-muttered intra-party charge that Republicans plan to coronate former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie as their candidate for governor, Union County Republican Chairman Phil Morin said his organization stands on its record. 

Last year, millionaire businesswoman Anne Evans Estabrook was supposedly the money candidate for U.S. Senate. Then the county committee here awarded the line to erstwhile underdog state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris), dropping the jaws of not only Estabrook’s campaign infrastructure but the party establishment in all 21 counties.  

After Estabrook pulled the plug on her candidacy owing to health problems, Morin resisted pressure to hold another convention to dump Pennacchio and swap in the state GOP’s latest frontrunner, former U.S. Rep. Dick Zimmer, who would ultimately go on to secure the statewide nomination. 

Morin’s view was Jersey Joe earned it the hard way, he should have it.

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With the 2009 gubernatorial field still far from settled, the majority of Republican county chairs PolitickerNJ spoke to today refused to commit absolutely to anyone, though many said they leaned toward Christie.

Monmouth County Republican Chairman Joe Oxley would not formally endorse Christie before he even entered the race, but said he was hopeful that he would jump in.

“At this point I think that clearly everybody’s anticipating, hoping and expecting that Chris may very well enter the race. I certainly can tell you he’s a personal friend, and I think he’s got broad support in Monmouth County,” he said.   

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CRANFORD - Union County College President Thomas H. Brown said today that he did respond to Union County Republican Chairman Phil Morin by letter and email regarding his complaint that today’s rally was against the school’s own regulations.

“He got a letter,” said Brown while overseeing preparations to host President Bill Clinton on behalf of Democratic Congressional candidate Linda Stender.

“He got an email. He doesn’t read his emails.”

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