Sam Thompson

The Asbury Park Press today endorsed four Republicans seeking re-election to the New Jersey State Assembly: Amy Handlin (R-Middletown) and Samuel Thompson (R-Old Bridge) in District 13, and Josepn Malone (R-Bordentown) and Ronald Dancer (R-Plumsted) in District 30.

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EAST BRUNSWICK - Sheriff Kim Guadagno, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, works the crowd the same way she did two years ago when she ran for Monmouth County Sheriff and squeaked out a win over popular Belmar Police Chief Jack Hill.
 
She touches a lot of hands. The shakes are firm, friendly. Keep in mind, this isn't Monmouth County.
 
Twelve days after she joined the Christie campaign in the number two slot, she's here tonight to gnaw at the edges of this sprawling target of opportunity called Middlesex County.
 
"Much better looking than Hillary Clinton," affirms William Hoover, a candidate for Monroe Town Council, moments after shaking hands with Guadagno.
 
"No comparison," he adds. 
 
Sensing diminished opposition spirits this year with Gov. Jon Corzine breaking a sweat if failing to break out of a slump, and Assemblyman Joe Vas staring at corruption charges in the 19th Legislative District and his replacement, South Amboy Mayor John O'Leary, also apparently flailing, a lot of GOP party allies pour into the breach between booths, where rubber frogs fly through the air with the drop of a mallet and the giant ferris wheel, a standard at the Middlesex County fair, spins high above Cranbury Road.

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Twelve New Jersey legislators, all from districts that are not especially competitive in general election contests, face potential obstacles in their bid to win party support for another term.

Click here to view the slideshow

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Twelve New Jersey legislators, all from districts that are not especially competitive in general election contests, face potential obstacles in their bid to win party support for another term. Click here to view the slideshow

Former Gov. Thomas Kean and Scott Morrison of Camden County at the Hilton: Politicker photo

MINNEAPOLIS - From Hurricaine Gustav, to the Labor Day late night cruise with the Crowleys, to Bush cringe, to the Sarah Palin story, to the Blue Grille Bar in the Hilton, to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) and back to the Blue Grille, and back to the East, New Jersey Republicans led by State Chairman Tom Wilson forged a convention of small but diehard members. 

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Former state Sen. John Bennett, left, and Assemblyman Sam Thompson (R-Old Bridge).: Politicker photo

MINNEAPOLIS - Everything but an afternoon business meeting is off the table at tomorrow's Republican National Convention here, with Hurricane Gustav bearing down on New Orleans south of this Mississippi River town.

Standing in front of the Hilton among the early arrivals for the New Jersey delegation on late Sunday afternoon, and going with the flow at this point, were former state Sen. President John Bennett (R-Monmouth) and Assemblyman Sam Thompson (R-Old Bridge).

Widely lambasted for taking a ho-hum approach to the devastation wrought on New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina three years ago, President George W. Bush will not speak at the convention tomorrow night.

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Assemblyman Sam Thompson endorsed Anne Evans Estabrook for U.S. Senate today.

Thompson, who lives in Middlesex County, joins his running mate, Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, in supporting Estabrook.

"The citizens of New Jersey are looking for change and I know that Anne Estabrook will bring change to Washington, work tirelessly to provide security for America, and fight to make New Jersey more affordable by supporting tax cuts and eliminating wasteful spending,” said Thompson.

The vast majority of Rudy Giuliani’s New Jersey supporters are expected to endorse John McCain today, and pundits on both sides appear certain that McCain is the heavy favorite to win New Jersey’s winner-take-all primary on Tuesday. McCain will be in New Jersey on Monday, holding a rally at the Colonial Fire House in Hamilton; Rudy Giuliani is expected to accompany him.

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Assemblyman Sam ThompsonVeteran District 13 Assemblyman Sam Thompson comes to New Jersey by way of Louisiana.

Civil rights activists last week descended on Jena, La., to protest charges of attempted murder initially brought against six young African-Americans, who allegedly beat up a white youth they said was part of an anti-black element in the mostly white town.

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Republican Frank Blee will step down as the Assembly Minority Whip -- the number three post in the GOP leadership -- and Jon Bramnick of Union County appears to be the favorite to succeed him.  Blee, who won just 39% of the vote in his bid for State Senate at a Special Election Convention in February, has decided not to seek re-election to an eighth term in the lower house.  Some Republican legislators had privately urged Blee's ouster after the Atlantic County Republican said he would back Democratic Assemblyman James Whelan for State Senate against GOP incumbent James "Sonny" McCullough.

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