The Mendham primary
By Wally EdgeIf Rick Merkt and Chris Christie both wind up in the race for the 2009 Republican nomination for Governor, it will be the first time in 28 years that two former running mates and two candidates from the same small town compete in a statewide primary. Merkt and Christie, who live in Mendham, ran as a team in the 1995 State Assembly primary in District 25; they lost to incumbent Anthony Bucco and newcomer Michael Patrick Carroll, who was seeking the open seat of retiring Assemblyman Arthur Albohn. Merkt went to the Assembly two years later when Bucco ran for the State Senate.
The 1981 Republican gubernatorial primary featured two ex-running mates: Thomas Kean, the former Assembly Speaker, and State Sen. James Wallwork. Kean and Wallwork represented the old 25th district, which in those days included parts of Essex, Morris and Passaic counties; they had run together in 1967, 1971 and 1973. Wallwork was from Short Hills, as was another candidate in the ’81 primary, Richard McGlynn, a former Judge and Board of Public Utilities Commissioner.
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Wally Edge
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Richard LaRossa
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Alan Steinberg
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Dr. Joseph Marbach
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Carla Katz
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Joey Novick
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Murray Sabrin
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Quote of the Day
"Please. I wouldn't have enough paper. So let’s not even bother writing one. This is now about governing. I won. The one thing I could never understand about people in politics was winners who are sore winners." -- Gov.-elect Christopher Christie, on putting together an enemis list.
“He’s a nice man with good intentions, but in the end he’ll be remembered for timidity. Being a business titan and issuing orders from the corner office is a lot different than having to cajole and persuade people in politics and having the toughness and fortitude to see your vision become reality.”-- Ross K. Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University, on Gov. Jon Corzine.
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