Scott Rumana

"I would have loved to had a dialogue with Scott on his weak position on Low Income Housing mandates and on the condition of the state’s educational system. But it seems that wherever we go on the campaign trail, Rumana makes a point to go somewhere else." Anthony Rottino  

Why does Mr. Rumana have on his fundraising team a man – Bob Pimienta -- who gave over $90,000 to the Bergen County Democrat Party Boss Joe Ferriero and his Democrat candidates. This is the same Mr. Ferriero who was indicted by Chris Christie, isn’t it?  Have you bothered to discuss with Mr. Christie why Mr. Rumana insists on giving this man --  Pimienta – who has a no bid Bergen County contract that has paid him about $250,000 – a prominent position on Mr. Rumana’s campaign fundraising committee?  

GOP gubernatorial candiate Steve Lonegan, right, with Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.)

CLARK – The operative adjective in Steve Lonegan’s speech Tuesday night was “ragtag,” as in the kind of men George Washington commanded when he crossed New Jersey for the Battle of Trenton, and indeed the contemporary forces this bespectacled, horseless leader championed Tuesday didn’t have the buttoned down look of an invincible army.

“From Mike Doherty to Ed Smith – I can’t name all of the candidates here tonight,” cried Lonegan, standing at the head of a horde of off-the-line or anti-establishment challengers.

Although they presented an impressive organizational front visibly as they marched out in front of the big crowd, even Lonegan acknowledged their overall lack of name ID when last week he told PolitickerNJ.com, “My goal is to have an Assemblyman Doherty in every county.”  

Arguably only Doherty – up against the establishment as a 23rd District state senate candidate, who appeared tonight accompanied by the strains of “Ironman” by Black Sabbath - and former Assembly Majority Leader Paul DiGaetano (R-Passaic), a 2005 gubernatorial candidate who served as the evening’s emcee, struck more than parochial chords of recognition among Lonegan’s retainers. 

Presented with a challenge by Lonegan allies in District 40, Assemblyman Scott Rumana (R-Wayne), chair of the Passaic County Republican Party and a supporter of Chris Christie for governor, this past weekend said it would be charitable to call his anti-establishment primary rivals just disaffected gadflies.

“As far as I am concerned Scott Rumana and Mark Semeraro are a big part of what is wrong with the Republican Party in Passaic County and I will not have my good name used to support the selfish political goals of Mr. Rumana."

State Assembly candidate Joseph Caruso said that he and his running mate, Anthony Rottino, have raised about $100,000 for their primary bid in District 40.

While it may not be a lot compared to the amount spent in other campaigns across the state, it could be enough to run a competitive race in what will likely be a low turnout primary.

Caruso and Rottino are taking on Assemblymen Scott Rumana (R-Wayne) and Dave Russo (R-Ridgewood), who have also raised about $100,000 so far, in a campaign that parallels a fight for control of the Republican Party in Passaic County.

One week after his Assembly primary, Rumana will compete for reelection to his post as Chairman of the Passaic County Regular Republican Organization (PCRRO) against a yet-to-be-determined challenger fielded by the splinter group GOP Strong.  Potential candidates include GOP Strong co-chair Mike Ramaglia and former West Milford Councilman Carmen Scangarello.

Despite running on the anti-Rumana line (With the slogan "Passaic County Republican Organization" as opposed to the Passaic County Regular Republican Organization) and saying he would like to see Rumana replaced as chairman, Caruso insists that he is his own man, and that his primary challenge is not playing second fiddle to the battle for control of the PCRRO - even if Rumana sees it that way.

In the 40th legislative district, where two Republican incumbents face primary challenges, the chain of custody of State Assembly seats comes from defeating sitting Assemblyman in primary elections.  The first Assemblyman elected when the 40th was John Spizziri, a young lawyer from Wyckoff who had first won election to the Legislature in 1971.  Spizziri, running on a line with gubernatorial candidate Raymond Bateman in 1977, lost the Republican primary to two young Republican lawyers, Cary Edwards and Walter Kern.  Edwards and Kern were backed by supporters of another candidate for Governor, Thomas Kean.  Bateman carried Bergen County, but Kean ran strongly in the 40th district towns.

When Kean was elected Governor four years later, Edwards became his Chief Counsel, and later the state Attorney General.  Edwards lost bids for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 1989 and 1993.  Kern went on to serve as Assembly Judiciary Committee Chairman.

Kern lost the 1989 Republican primary after a random audit of his attorney trust fund account led to his disbarment.  He was beaten by David Russo (R-Ridgewood), who has held the seat for the last twenty years.

We have proved we are prepared to fight for Republicans, while Scott Rumana and his organization are more concerned with fighting only for Scott Rumana,”

An open letter to Passaic County Republicans from Councilman Alan Purcell

Democrat Jane Bidwell has dropped her bid for State Assembly in the 40th district, deciding against a third run for the Legislature.  She will be replaced on the June primary ballot by Ridgewood Fire Captain Mark Bombace, a former school board member. Bombace and former Little Falls Councilman John Agostinelli will face the winners of the Republican primary, where incumbents David Russo (R-Ridgewood) and Scott Rumana (R-Wayne) face challenges from Joseph Caruso and Anthony  Rottino.

The death of Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Summit) nearly two weeks ago creates an opening in the Assembly Republican leadership.  Munoz had served as one of two Deputy Conference Leaders.  It is possible that Assemblyman Scott Rumana (R-Wayne) could move up from Assistant Minority Leader, and it is not likely that retiring Assemblyman John Rooney (R-Northvale), who is also an Assistant Minority Leader, would get a leadership promotion for his last eight months in the Legislature.

Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany) is a big Rumana fan -- he threatened to cut off funding for Assembly races in Bergen County this year if the organization didn't back Rumana for a second term -- and could give the freshman lawmaker a small boost in his contested primary by offering him what legislators view as a more important leadership position.