Rudy Giuliani

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- New Jersey doesn’t have any speakers set for the Republican National Convention, but it does have a speechwriter.

Tomorrow night, former New York mayor/presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani will deliver a speech on the convention center’s floor that was written by South Orange native Ken Kurson, a consultant at the New Jersey political firm Jamestown Associates.

Kurson co-wrote Giuliani’s biography, which spent 25 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and served as Chief Operating Officer of his presidential campaign and Deputy Director of Communications at Giuliani Partners.

Monmouth County GOP Chairman Adam Puharic wants Rudy Giuliani to run against Frank Lautenberg
In the aftermath of news that Anne Evans Estabrook would not run for the U.S. Senate, Monmouth county GOP Chairman Adam Puharic today said he was calling for an emergency meeting of Republican county chairmen to discuss the party’s options in nominating a candidate.

As for his own personal choice for a GOP senate candidate now that Estabrooks is out, Puharic said he would be happy joining a coalition of New Jersey Republicans calling on former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani to enter the race, or "other talented Republicans."

But in the meantime, "Everybody needs to freeze until we have a chance to talk," said Puharic. "If a majority of the county chairs believe we should rally around state Sen. Joe Pennacchio, fine, but if a majority are not happy with the choices they have now, I beseech everyone not to rush to judgement."

Perhaps it wasn’t the best strategic campaign stop for John McCain, but he came to Hamilton today anyway accompanied by an entourage of nationally prominent Republicans and even one former Democratic vice presidential candidate.

Joining McCain today at the Colonial Volunteer Firehouse were Rudy Giuliani, Sen. Joe Lieberman [I/D-CT], Sen. Phil Graham [R-TX], Sen. Lindsey Graham [R-SC], Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Rep. Vito Fossella [R-NY].

It was also a time to shine for McCain’s tried and true New Jersey supporters – especially those who backed the candidate even when his campaign was hobbled by low cash and low poll numbers: State Senators Bill Baroni, Kevin O’Toole and Sean Kean; GOP State Chairman Tom Wilson; Morris County Freeholder John Murphy; former 9th district congressional candidate Vincent Micco and Bergen County Clerk Kathe Donovan. 

Rep. Frank LoBiondo will endorse John McCain for the GOP presidential nomination today. LoBiondo had been backing Rudy Giuliani.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who ended his bid for the GOP presidential nomination earlier this evening, is expected to join Sen. John McCain at a rally in Hamilton on Monday -- the day before the New Jersey presidential primary. 

Sen. Joe KyrillosFormer Mayor Rudy Giuliani is endorsing Sen. John McCain for president, and the McCain camp in New Jersey anticipates welcoming into its collective arms that grim exodus of former Giuliani supporters.

"What will happen, presuming published reports are somewhat accurate, is that a good portion of them will be joining us," said Larry Bathgate, national finance co-chairman of the McCain campaign.

Sen. Joe Kyrillos, state chairman of the Mitt Romney Presidential Campaign, hopes to stem the stampede. Today he corraled at least some former Giuliani partisans, dislodged from Giuliani's ranks after the former mayor's devastating loss in the Florida primary on Tuesday.

Following his disappointing third-place finish in Florida on Tuesday, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is expected to drop his presidential bid today and endorse Sen. John McCain, sending GOP operators around New Jersey into BlackBerry heat-seeking mode.

Senators Bil Baroni (McCain's state campaign chairman) and fellow McCain-backer Kevin O'Toole naturally believe Giuliani's supporters in New Jersey will find refuge in the McCain camp rather than in that of former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney, who placed second in Florida and is still in the presidential hunt.

Romney State Campaign Director Joseph Kyrillos will be pressing the case for the Giuliani wayfarers to join Team Mitt.

In an Atlantic County Republican Committee straw poll this morning, Sen. John McCain bested former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani by a vote of 34-17, according to chairman Keith Davis.

In third place, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney received 10 votes, followed by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with seven votes and U.S. Rep Ron Paul with two votes.

"This is a confirmation that conservative Republicans are rallying around McCain's message," said Davis, who endorsed the Arizona senator last summer.

• Conservative activist Steve Lonegan was arrested for protesting at Jon Corzine’s town hall meeting on Saturday.  Lonegan says the Attorney General retaliated by investigating him.
• During her campaign swing through North Jersey, Joe Ferriero endorsed Hillary Clinton. Clinton’s National Finance Co-Chair wants Bob Menendez as Vice President.
• A Quinnipiac New Jersey primary poll shows John McCain and Rudy Giuliani in a dead heat.        And McCain picked Bill Baroni as his N.J. campaign chairman.
• Leonard Lance says he’ll run for Congress, and Kate Whitman says she’s more conservative than her mother.
• The House Majority Leader supports congressional hearings on federal monitors and deferred prosecution agreements.
• Camille Fernicola is won’t seek a fifth term as Middlesex Freeholder, and Burlington Republicans pick Stacy Jordan as their new Freeholder.