Richard DeMichele

Will John Custodio run as a Republican for State Assembly in the 4th district?

Camden County Republicans have given the Inside Edge a rather firm and deserved slap for speculation yesterday that former Black Horse Pike Regional School District President John Custodio, a Republican, could be an outside-the-box pick for Democrats when they replacing retiring Assemblywoman Sandra Love.  The GOP says that Custodio, a longtime governmental affairs executive who is held in very high esteem by both parties - in Trenton and in South Jersey - is too principled to switch parties.

Shelley Lovett, a Gloucester Township Councilwoman who was the GOP State Senate candidate in the fourth district two years ago, says that Custodio "would be a great representative in the Assembly," saying he is a fiscal conservative who "would stand up to Jon Corzine and fight for taxpayers in South Jersey."

"Unfortunately, John would never fit in with the Democrats in Trenton because he holds his fiscal conservative principles so strongly," Lovett added. "We know from the recent incident with Assemblyman Greenwald that those who speak up against Jon Corzine will be muzzled."

Two GOP chairmen also dismissed the idea that Custodio might run as a Democrat.

Christopher Christie will have the organization line in Camden County - the third Republican organization to back his candidacy for Governor in the last five days.  Christie won a January 21 straw poll of Camden GOP county committee members with 77% of the vote.

"Chris Christie is a candidate who brings real leadership to our party," said Camden County GOP Chairman Richard DeMichele, Jr., "In Camden County, we have seen firsthand the way that corruption and graft dramatically increase the cost of government. We know all too well about no-show jobs and trading taxpayer money for personal gain. And we know that it was Chris Christie who, as U.S. Attorney, convicted Wayne Bryant on two counts of fraud."

MINNEAPOLIS - Atlantic County Republican Chairman Keith Davis today declared his support for GOP Minority Leader Alex DeCroce, who officially announced today that he plans to run again.

"It goes without saying that Alex is a strong leader who has created a brand identity for our party," said Davis. "He’s established a cohesiveness with (Senate Minority Leader) Kean in order to make inroads for our party.

"Now is not the time to be switching horses," he added of a possible challenge to DeCroce by Assembly Conference Leader Pete Biondi (R-Somerville). "I’m sorry, I don’t know Pete Biondi. I don’t recall him being very vocal during the budget crisis."

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights): Politicker file photo 

MINNEAPOLIS - Hearing the news that U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) intends to pursue re-election to the U.S. Congress after repeatedly denying that he would run again, Camden County Republican Chairman Richard DeMichele bewailed Andrews’s actions as "distasteful and misleading."

"If you can’t believe him when he tells you about one of his most intimate decisions, how can you trust him making decisions in Washington?" DeMichele said of the man who forsook his congressional seat to unsuccessfully challenge U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park), swearing all along that he was done with Congress.

State Sen. Kevin O'Toole (R-Essex): Politicker Photo

Republicans on Wednesday night at the Princeton Hyatt unanimously elected Essex County Republican Chairman Sen. Kevin O'Toole (R-Essex) as leader of the GOP county chair people.

The chairs also unanimously elected Warren County Chair Doug Steinhardt as vice chair; Atlantic Chairman Keith Davis as treasurer, and Camden Chair Rick DeMichele as secretary.

"Kevin brings an interesting perspective," said outgoing Chairman George Gilmore, the Ocean County GOP chairman. "He serves in the Legislature and the Senate, and is in a unique position to build the party with the State Committee.

"Bergen's going to be a key county to look at," Gilmore added. "It used to be Republican. It's a county we need to work, to improve the party in this election and beyond, but there are a lot of opportunities across the state."

Thomas Booth is dropping his bid for Camden County Republican Chairman, leaving Richard DeMichele unopposed in his bid for the post. The current Chair, Gail Peterson, announced earlier this year that she would not seek re-election. DiMichelle, a 38-year-old attorney who is active in the Camden County Bar Association, is relatively new to politics, but has secured the support of Peterson and Amy Osborn, the Republican State Committeewoman. Some Republicans are complaining that a screening committee convened to interview possible candidates turned into a DeMichele coronation -- they say Booth ended his campaign because he didn't want his candidacy to cause further division in a party that has not won a countywide race in nearly fifteen years.