In a reversal, Sette says he'll run again

MORRISTOWN - Morris County Republican Chairman John Sette has decided that he will seek reelection as chairman after all.

Sette told PolitickerNJ.com in April that he would not seek a fourth term as chairman in 2010.  He meant it at the time, but GOP officials prevailed upon him to change his mind. 

"A lot of the elected officials came to me and said, John, you have to do it," said Sette while taking a quick break from his duties as a commissioner for the Morris County Board of Elections.  "My wife gave it her blessing."

Sette started as chairman in 2002, the year after Democrat Jim McGreevey beat Republican Bret Schundler.  He takes pride in the fact that it's a weak chairmanship, and does not consider himself a party boss.  The party has open primaries, giving county committee members and, by extension, Sette, no coveted party line to award.  

In 2005, he presided over the party when Democrat Jon Corzine beat Republican Doug Forester.  This time, he says, Republicans have a better feeling about the race's outcome.

"There's a lot more enthusiasm.  Let's face it, the polls have been going our way so long you figure there has to be enthusiasm, especially when there are 700,000 more Democrats than registered Republicans," he said.

Sette predicted that Christie would win by 50,000 votes.

Although Republicans do not appear to be in danger of losing ground at a county level in genteel Morris, a Christie loss would likely be a major morale blow to the state GOP.  But Sette doesn't think that it will relegate them to minority status with a few strongholds like Morris and Ocean County. 

"No, we never give up. But I think we're going to win. I know we're going to win," he said.