November 5, 2008 - 10:00pm
Inside Edge

After winning Bergen, Donovan could be on Lt. Governor short list

Bergen County Clerk Kathleen Donovan is expected to receive some consideration as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor next year if Christopher Christie is the gubernatorial candidate, according to GOP leaders with ties to the U.S. Attorney.  Donovan bucked the Democratic tide in to win re-election to a fifth term, defeating Democrat Diane Testa by a 51%-49 margin.  Donovan ran six percentage points ahead of John McCain and eight percentage points ahead of GOP U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer. She outpolled U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett in each of his Bergen County municipalities.

No Republican has ever won statewide without carrying Bergen, and Donovan, a former Assemblywoman and Republican State Chairwoman, could boost Christie's chances to carry the county -- although her candidacy would provoke the ire of conservatives in the home county of the federal prosecutor's likely primary opponent, former Bogota Mayor Steven Lonegan.

Wally Edge can be reached via email at politicsnj@aol.com.