March 5, 2008 - 12:45pm

Estabrook is the latest of the 21st century dropouts

New Jersey has become accustomed to statewide candidates dropping out of the race. Bob Torricelli dropped out twice in two years: he announced a bid for Governor in 2000 and then pulled out twelve days later, and he ended his own Senate re-election bid in 2002, five weeks before Election Day.

Christine Todd Whitman, then the Governor, announced her candidacy for an open U.S. Senate seat in 2000, but changed her mind a few months later. Donald DiFrancesco, who became Governor when Whitman resigned to become EPA Administrator, dropped out of the race for Governor after filing day following published reports of ethics violations. James Treffinger, the front runner for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination in 2002, ended his campaign four days after FBI agents raided his office. And Dick Codey, clearly a candidate for Governor after taking office following James E. McGreevey’s resignation, dropped out rather than face Jon Corzine in a primary.

The most famous drop out man might be Frank Pallone, who was offered the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate after Torricelli withdrew in 2002.  Pallone accepted, but after a quiet walk through Princeton, changed his mind and decided not to risk his House seat in a Senate race against Douglas Forrester.