Vernon Walton

At a campaign event last night, Bergen County Republican freeholder candidates John Driscoll and Rob Hermansen embraced in front of a crowd of supporters.

It was a hug meant to demonstrate the unity that appeared early on to be missing from their campaign.  The two candidates – who are widely believed to be the Republicans with the best shot at winning a seat on the all-Democratic freeholder board since 2003 --  had separate campaign managers, Web sites and literature.  The split was said to be indicative of internal Bergen County Republican rivalries.  

But the hug was heartfelt, according to Hermansen.  

“It was exactly how we feel about each other. We cannot wait to sit next to each other on that board,” he said.

Nevertheless, the campaign of Democratic incumbents Julie O’Brien and Vernon Walton have seized on the candidates’ well-publicized split, airing a New York media market radio ad in which goofball impersonators of Herman, a stock broker, and Driscoll, a tobacco sales rep, bicker and accuse each other of marketing cigarettes to children and cheating senior citizens.  

“Hey Driscoll, how does it feel to push cigarettes on little kids?  Got any cool new flavors?” says the Hermansen impersonator.

O’BRIEN AND WALTON ENDORSED BY THE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

HACKENSACK - They say politics make strange bed fellows. Sometimes however, your political partners fit you like a glove. Take John Driscoll and the Bergen Republican Machine supporting his campaign. The Bergen Republicans backing Driscoll also helped push an extreme right-wing agenda in Henry McNamara's failed 2002 campaign for County Executive and Paul Duggan's doomed 2008 bid for Freeholder that would have allowed assault rifles to legal in Bergen County neighborhoods.

Driscoll and Hermansen Flub the Facts on Mail Piece as Their Campaign Continues to Flounder

Time for the ‘Dynamic Duo’ to Have a Talk With Their Team About Appropriate Placement of Campaign Materials

DRISCOLL PRIDE: 20% NICOTINE, 5% TAR, 75% CHUTZPAH

O’Brien and Walton Help Increase Access to Constituents in Need of Essential Services


Controversial Republican Candidate Opposes Construction of 2nd BCC Campus to Serve South Bergen

HACKENSACK – Chairman Michael Kasparian as well as Freeholders Julie O’Brien and Vernon Walton expressed their excitement after this afternoon’s announcement by the White House that President Barack Obama would be returning to New Jersey next week to campaign for Governor Jon Corzine and the Bergen County Democratic slate.

Driscoll's Ties to Big Tobacco Giant Threaten to Send His Campaign Down in Flames