Scott Rumana

Two Democratic Assembly candidates running in the solidly Republican 40th district have challenged the GOP incumbents to six debates.  John Agostinelli and Mark Bombace are proposing three debates in Bergen, two debates in Passaic and one debate in Essex against Assemblymen David Russo (R-Ridgewood) and Scott Rumana (R-Wayne).

"Scott Rumana and David Russo have served as state legislators for a combined 17 years. As such they should be able to speak to and clearly demonstrate their efforts on behalf of the citizens in the district and I look forward to hearing what they have to say, said Bombace.

Ridgewood, NJ - 40th District Assembly candidates John Agostinelli and Mark Bombace call on Assemblyman Scott Rumana and Assemblyman David Russo to join them in 6 debates, representing  the three  counties in the 40th District.  
 
"Scott Rumana and David Russo have served as state legislators for a combined 17 years. As such they should be able to speak to and clearly demonstrate their efforts on behalf of the citizens in the district and I look forward to hearing what they have to say, said Bombace."  "The 40th District needs effective, accountable representation that will work to lower our taxes and invest in our future. We are running as the fresh, new voices who will bring new solutions to education, public safety and reform - rather than the stale, old ways that simply aren't getting the job done."

Two weeks after failing to topple Assemblyman Scott Rumana (R-Wayne) from his perch on top of the beleaguered Passaic County Regular Republican Organization (PCRRO), leaders of the dissident Republican faction GOP Strong are unsatisfied with his efforts to unite the party.

After overwhelmingly defeating GOP Strong-backed chairman challenger Carl Mazzie – which came a week after fending off a challenge to his assembly seat that was also backed by the group – Rumana said that he would look into creating a system of four co-chairmanships.  

GOP Strong co-chairman Michael Mecca, however, said that he hasn’t heard anything about the plan – or anything from Rumana -- over the last two weeks.

Bravo Photo

New Jersey housewife Danielle Staub has not ruled out a campaign for Congress against U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) next year, according to her spokesman, Thom Ammirato.

"At this point Ms. Staub is fielding numerous offers and has ruled out nothing.  Her advisors will be discussing her future shortly," said Ammirato, a Republican strategist who recently signed on as Staub's official spokesman.

But is the controversial star of Bravo's TV reality show, The Real Housewives of New Jersey a Republican?

"I don't know, but she can become one," said Ammirato.  "She would have to of course meet with the approval of (Passaic County GOP) Chairman Scott Rumana to see if she could get the line."

Staub, a 48-year-old mother of two, recently moved from Franklin Lakes to Wayne, which is in Pascrell's district.

According to her Bravo bio, Staub is active in her local parish and attends mass regularly.  She has admitted to being arrested 25 years ago, but has denied reports that she was involved in prostitution or in a cocaine ring.

Bravo Photo

New Jersey housewife Danielle Staub has not ruled out a campaign for Congress against U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) next year, according to her spokesman, Thom Ammirato.

"At this point Ms. Staub is fielding numerous offers and has ruled out nothing.  Her advisors will be discussing her future shortly," said Ammirato, a Republican strategist who recently signed on as Staub's official spokesman.

But is the controversial star of Bravo's TV reality show, The Real Housewives of New Jersey a Republican?

"I don't know, but she can become one," said Ammirato.  "She would have to of course meet with the approval of (Passaic County GOP) Chairman Scott Rumana to see if she could get the line."

Staub, a 48-year-old mother of two, recently moved from Franklin Lakes to Wayne, which is in Pascrell's district.

According to her Bravo bio, Staub is active in her local parish and attends mass regularly.  She has admitted to being arrested 25 years ago, but has denied reports that she was involved in prostitution or in a cocaine ring.

Bringing peace to the Passaic County Regular Republican Organization (PCRRO) will not be easy, despite Chairman Scott Rumana's cruise to reelection last night.  

Michael Mecca, who co-chairs the Passaic County Republican splinter group GOP Strong, reacted skeptically today to Chairman Scott Rumana’s offer to explore the possibility of setting up a co-chairmanship.

“Actions are louder than words and we’ll see what happens, but there has been no outreach to us since the election. It’s up to him now to reach to us and we’ll consider all,” said Michael Mecca, who co-chairs GOP Strong. 

After easily winning reelection to head a beleaguered party, Passaic County Republican Chairman Scott Rumana extended a hand to a fierce rival group tonight.

Rumana said he would explore the possibility of forming a co-chairmanship. 

“We have been through very, very trying times, in and out of court and various battles,” he said.  “We all have to work to bring the party together. I have reached out my hand for the last three years.  You know what, maybe that wasn’t good enough. So we’re going to try a new tact.  We’re going to explore the possibility of looking into creating a co-chairmanship.  There are many issues we have to work through.”

Rumana cautioned that he could not say for sure that a co-chairmanship would work, but that he would explore the legal ramifications and necessary bylaw changes. 

Carl Mazzie, who challenged Rumana tonight, pledged his total support to the chairman and his slate in the November election.

PolitickerNJ.com

Assemblyman/Passaic County Republican Chairman Scott Rumana

WAYNE – Tonight is the culmination of a three year feud that has divided the Passaic County Republican Party, but Assemblyman Scott Rumana (R-Wayne) – whose chairmanship is on the line tonight – didn’t break a sweat.

Between glad handing with supporters and quickly dining on some salad and pasta at the Grand Chalet on Route 23, Rumana pinned the blame for the party’s lackluster decade on the leadership of former Chairman Peter Murphy, who founded GOP Strong – the group that has spent the last three years,and especially the last six months, going after him with a vengeance.  

Tonight, Rumana faces a challenge from Carl Mazzie, who has the support of GOP Strong but does not claim membership in the organization.  Voting was scheduled to end at 9:00, but 10 minutes past the hour dozens of committee members remained waiting in line.  

“We had everything.  At one time we had everything,” said Rumana, who began his political career when the Republican Party still dominated Passaic County.  Now it’s been seven years since they've won a county-wide election.

The Passaic County Regular Republican Organization’s meeting will go on after all.

Superior Court Judge Mary McVeigh ruled against Carl Mazzie, a Totowa attorney who’s challenging incumbent Scot Rumana for the organization’s chairmanship.  Mazzie had sought a delay of the reorganization meeting until election results for county committee members from all 16 of Passaic County’s towns were certified.

Voting starts at 6:30 tonight at the Grand Chalet in Wayne.

“Apparently the chairman wishes to force an election before the results are certified,” said Mazzie.

The hard fought battle for control of the Passaic County Regular Republican Organization (PCRRO) might come to a head tonight, when a splinter group allied with a former party leader will attempt to oust Chairman Scott Rumana.

Rumana, who is also an assemblyman and a former mayor of Wayne, wants to hold on to his chairmanship.  The rival organization, GOP Strong, is all but officially backing Totowa attorney Carl Mazzie, a former Rumana ally.

But, as the Herald News reported this morning, Mazzie went to court yesterday to delay the reorganization meeting until all sixteen of the county's municipal clerks have certified results for over 500 county committee races. Superior Court Judge Margaret Mary McVeigh said she would decide whether the meeting would go forward unless the opposing sides came up with a compromise.

Rumana was confident that the court would rule in his favor, and said no compromise was necessary.  By tonight, he said, most municipal clerks will have certified the results.  Committee candidates whose statuses are still unresolved will be able to cast provisional ballots

"About 95 percent or more of these people are unchallenged, guaranteed winners - they go into the voting machine. The balance of that 5%, if there's any question about whether they've won, they go to provisional ballots," he said.  "Every vote will be counted, and if those provisionals have any impact on this race, then we'll worry about it."