Republican National Convention

Democratic State Chairman Joe Cryan said that he doesn’t know much about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, but he doubts she’ll be able to draw in New Jersey Hillary Clinton supporters to John McCain’s ticket.

“I don’t know her well enough,” he said. “I haven’t seen much on her background, but it seems as if she’s a fundamentalist that’s out of touch with mainstream America.”

Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson issued a statement today comparing John McCain’s new running mate to Gov. Jon Corzine.

“New Jersey is going to love Sarah Palin, She is everything that Jon Corzine isn’t. She is a straight talking fiscally conservative reformer who has fought corruption, attacked wasteful government and delivered real results. Like John McCain, she has a record of doing what’s right and working with those from both sides of the isle to deliver change and shake up the status quo,” he said. “When it comes to change the McCain Palin team hasn’t just talked the talk they’ve walked the walk.”

State Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Red Bank) never predicted that Sarah Palin would be John McCain’s Vice-Presidential pick, but she was the only candidate she talked about.

I know this sounds crazy, but the only name I have mentioned to anybody is Gov. Palin. I actually talked about it at the women’s political caucus months ago. I brought up her name as a young woman that’s a Republican leader,” said Beck, who thinks that Palin provides a fresh face that will “make people take a second look at the Republican Party.”

While some local conservatives have praised John McCain’s choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for Vice President, Assemblyman Michael Doherty isn’t thrilled politically or ideologically.

“Alaska is firmly in the Republican ranks, I’m sure. Just speaking through politics, I think it would make sense to pick somebody from a large state who may actually help to get you to 270,” he said.

Doherty, one of the most conservative Assemblymen, said that from a purely political standpoint Mitt Romney would have been a good choice, since he would make Michigan more competitive.

On the ideological front, Doherty was never a fan of McCain’s or any of the establishment Republican presidential candidates. He was the only New Jersey legislator to back Texas Rep. Ron Paul for President.

Doherty said he'll need to reserve judgment on Palin until he learns where she stands on foreign policy.

DENVER - Not allowing Democrats any daylight on the afternoon following Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) Mile High Stadium acceptance speech, members of the New Jersey delegation celebrated their presidential candidate’s selection today of Gov. Sarah Palin.

Among those GOP politicians psyched about Palin is state Sen. Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr., (R-Union).

"I think she’s a great pick," Kean said of Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz) running mate. "She has executive experience, and she has been a reformer since the beginning of her career. I’ve been saying for days that she’d be a great pick. My wife and daughters are thrilled."

In praising Palin, the Republican took a jab at New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine.

DENVER - It had to have been tough for state Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) to get the news that Gov. Sarah Palin would be the running mate of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz)..

It was Kyrillos, after all, who served as the point man for Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign in New Jersey, and the veteran state senator had hoped McCain would select Romney for vice president.

He has to learn more about Palin.

"Those of us who got to know Mitt - and there were many of us who got to know him - are obviously disappointed," said Kyrillos. "But it’s a very personal pick for Sen. McCain, and I’m looking forward to learning more about her and supporting the ticket."

Conservative activist Steve Lonegan, who’s returning from the Caribbean on a cruise ship, just caught wind that John McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for vice president.

His verdict: “I think it’s a terrific choice.”

That’s a strong endorsement coming from Lonegan, who has no qualms about making his dissatisfaction with mainstream Republicans public.

“I know she’s solidly pro-life. This woman is totally outspoken on the issues. She’s got an outstanding record of the governor. I think she’s attractive,” he said. “I think it’s going to unite the party from one end t the other. She’s going to bring excitement and energy."

After hearing the news that John McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, State Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington) said that she was proud of how far women have come in politics.

She related a story of a recent trip to the Adirondaks with her seven year old grandson, Jackson. The two met a local woman State Senator named Betty Little. Jackson, knowing his grandmother was also a state senator, turned to Allen with a question.

“He looked at me with big eyes and said ‘Grandy, can boys ever be Senators?,” she said. “I thought women around the world have been waiting for this question.”