March 27, 2008 - 7:55pm
Unanue wins Ocean County convention
By Matt Friedman
Tags: Frank Lautenberg, Murray Sabrin, Jack Kelly, Joe Pennacchio, George Gilmore, Carl Block, Joe Vicari, US Senate, Andy Unanue
TOMS RIVER - If you came to the Ocean County Republican convention hoping for a floor fight tonight for the party nod for U.S. Senate, you were disappointed.
In typical Ocean County Republican fashion, the party awarded its line with efficiency and brevity – easily selecting Goya Foods heir Andy Unanue as its choice for a U.S. Senate candidate. Unanue already had the backing of powerful Republican Chairman George Gilmore, and had won the hearts and minds of the screening committee from his vacation spot in Vail, Colo. via telephone conference.
The committee voted by voice, overwhelmingly ratifying the decision of the screening committee to endorse the man who’s come to be the establishment’s candidate over his two Republican rivals: state Sen. Joe Pennacchio and Ramapo Finance Professor Murray Sabrin.
Pennacchio and Sabrin did not attend.
As is custom at Republican conventions here, only the winner spoke. But since Unanue wasn’t here, he was represented by Bergen County Chairman Rob Ortiz – a close friend who recruited him into this race.
No mention was made of the recent negative stories surrounding Unanue’s brand new candidacy. Instead, Ortiz recounted his having to take time off his MBA program to donate bone marrow to his brother, who had come down with cancer. His brother’s eventual death led Unanue to take a new outlook on life, Ortiz said.
“After that point he knew that he needed to do more not only in business but for people in general,” he said. “So he’s very excited. Thank you for having me this evening and I look forward to talking to you about what we can bring to the table.”
On his way out of the convention, Ortiz said that, although Unanue doesn’t have a residence in New Jersey, he splits time between New York City and Alpine, and has offices for his financial firm in Fort Lee. The spate of attacks and negative stories he’s received this week, Ortiz said, are evidence that Democrats are worried.
“As I recall there wasn’t much talk about Prof. Sabrin and Sen. Pennacchio, and that’s no disrespect to them. I think it shows that they are very concerned and I think the fear they have is a real one –that Andy is going to be able to retire Fran Lautenberg,” he said.
The county committee also re-endorsed all the members of the all-Republican slate of countywide office holders who are up for reelection: Surrogate Jeffrey Moran, Freeholder Joe Vicari and County Clerk Carl Block.
None of those officials expressed any reservations about Unanue’s candidacy.
“If that’s all that’s going to come out for the Democrats to throw against him in the general election in November, we’re in great shape,” said Gilmore.
Vicari, however, stayed out of Senate endorsements altogether, saying that he was only focused on local issues.
Freeholder Jack Kelly, who’s running for Congress in the third district, blew off the question of Unanue’s residency.
“How long did Hillary Clinton live in New York before she ran for Senate there?” he said.
Meanwhile, Pennacchio Deputy Campaign Manager George Dredden stood in the corner and watched the tidal wave of Unanue support. Dredden said he would have liked to say something on behalf of Pennacchio, who was attending the concurrent Atlantic County Republican convention, but wouldn’t argue with the rules.
“Every chairman has every right to run their organizations the way they choose. Of course we would always like to speak,” he said.
But although the county committee’s mind was already clearly made up, the seeds of one more candidacy were apparent.
John Blakeslee, an 18-year-old Holmdel High School Senior, was trying to gather signatures on a petition for potential candidate John Crowley. Explaining to a group of committeemen and women that there was a book about Crowley starting a company and raising $100 million to find a cure for his childrens' Pompe disease, he was not met with an impassioned response.
“Is that the guy we just voted on?” asked one county committeewoman.
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Quote of the Day
August 29, 2008
"Oh, I know, there will be quite a scrum if" - he pauses and then doesn't say anything about a federal appointment - "if I get hit by a truck. A second time."
Gov. Jon Corzine, speculating on the mass of potential gubernatoial candidates eager to take his place.
--- The Jersey Journal, 8/29/08
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Politicker Poaches From Politico― News from Politicker.com
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Welcome to New Jersey, Media Wasteland― NEW YORK OBSERVER
Divorce McGreevey style ― ALFRED DOBLIN
The judge got it right ― JAMES AHEARN
Capital Games― HERB JACKSON
Teen will get chance to sue a top N.J. judge ― ROBERTO RIVERA-SOTO
Mayor refusing to apologize for anti-Semitic slur ― WOODCLIFF LAKE
Court decision likely to have far-reaching implications in N.J. ― EMINENT DOMAIN
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Great Strategy
"The spate of attacks and negative stories he’s received this week, Ortiz said, are evidence that Democrats are worried."
Now, if they can just find out that he's a serial murderer, he'll be on his way!
Does Unanue report what he
Does Unanue report what he pays his housekeeper to the IRS?
Just asking.
Ocean County Republicans
Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore and the machine faithful have lost touch with conservative Republicans all over Ocean County.
The Gilmore machine has trashed Republican values in every town they have control, and the tax increases have been enormous.
The June primary election will be an exciting one in Ocean County.
Behind the mind of the NJ GOP establishment
Robert Ortiz revealed more than he intended to: “As I recall there wasn’t much talk about Prof. Sabrin and Sen. Pennacchio, and that’s no disrespect to them. I think it shows that they are very concerned and I think the fear they have is a real one –that Andy is going to be able to retire Fran Lautenberg.” Where is the logic here?
You have to be really naive to say something like that. Just a few weeks ago the New York Times suggested that the NJ GOP needs to select a moderate Republican in order to have any chances against Lautenberg. Democrat machine eagerly attacked Pennacchio over his Manifesto, they basically discarded Andy "the bean" Unanue.
However, there is a strange silence about Dr. Sabrin. Usually, such silence is reserved for a serious threat. Do not even mention his name. The best way to defeat that person is a total silence and ignorance of his candidacy. If you must mention him just say "a fringe candidate", "a former Libertarian", "a Professor", etc.
The reason is simple. A family man has no baggage of a nightclub. A serious businessman has no history of family disputes. A selfmade man has no sibling rivalry. A respected Professor has no Manifestos to hide. A prolific writer has no silly essays on his record. If he did, we would have already heard about it from the front page of the New York Times.
So, it is time for a corrupted GOP leadership in NJ to wake up to a reality call.
IT IS THE ECONOMY, STUPID, AND FINANCES, STUPID.
Ocean County Chairman
This guy Gilmore really thinks he is going to be the big power player in the NJ GOP?
Wake up and smell the coffee. The people in this State want real leadership and stand up people, not the same old BS. Gilmore is nothing more then a sneaky deal maker who thinks he can make a pay day for his cronies. A wanna be George Norcross.
The rest of the State GOP should support this wealthy rich guy because??
This county boss and a few others are showing how cash gets their support and everything else gets filled in later.
What about, principals, platform. issues, back ground, electability?
What a discrace as a chairman this guy is.
Didn't Gilmore take huge amounts of money from Shroeder for Governor in 2003? Shroeder got the Ocean County line and went no where.
This lame candidate he is pushing now won't last 2 weeks with all his baggage and the clowns who are perpetrating this will have to be re elected after the primary at their County Reorganizations.
A grass roots effort is going on all over NJ for reform. A good place to start would be these county Chairman taking big bucks and pushing un worthy candidates.
DON"T THINK FOR A SECOND PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO REMEMBER THIS IN JUNE!
2005 Schroeder
Am I "misremembering" press accounts of the 2005 O.C. convention. Didn't Bret Schundler throw his 3rd-place votes to Schroeder after Schundler was eliminated in the first round of voting, giving Schroeder the surprise win over the presumptive county-ordained choice Forrester?
CASH
Surprise win?
You sound like some one on the team. If you are, this BS is being reported in all GOP circles around the State.
After this bush leauge play, No one from Ocean county better not ever run for State wide office, people have long memories , and you can thank the stupid chairman you have for that.
What goes around comes around.
John Murphy was the committee choice
John Murphy was actually the choice of the screening committee. Schroeder won the vote from the floor. Also, I think George Gilmore has done a pretty good job in becoming a powerful force in NJ politics as well.
Pathetic
Ocean County is pathetic. They pick Unanue who couldn't bother to get his lazy a$$ to the convention. Having too much fun vacationing at mommy and daddy's condo. Nice job!
John Murphy in 2005
Thanks Beach Guy for the correction, its tough keeping all of these failed GOP candidates straight.
Where are the true Conservatives...Real Republicans???
The NJ GOP seems desparate to find anyone...anyone with a pulse. What NJ GOP is looking for is another machine candidate. A candidate that takes orders and platforms from party boss's. They themselves have no platform, in the case of Unanue and now Crowley. Neither have any political experience or real ambition. They are being dragged in. Lets ask each candidate "why they feel so strongly to enter a important race?"
What the party needs is a genuine candidate that actually believes and practices true conservative values. The values the Republican party once stood for: limited government, low taxes, free markets, individual liberty, strenght through peace foriegn policy.
The Republican party under the Bush administration has become the party of big government, more entitlements, borrow and spend policies. Romney was right when he said Washington is broken, and thats because Republicans are acting like Democrats.
And that is EXACTLY what Unanue and Crowley are...Democrats. Giving alot of money to the Republican party doesnt not give you a automatic pass.
Right now the only candidate that speaks of the great Republican platform of Taft, Goldwater and Reagan is Murray Sabrin.
Do we tow the party line, or do we send a real conservative to Washington?
p.s. i admit posting same reply to oither post as im going on vacation for a week....i feel a point needs to be made.
If Crowley gets in........I think you will see some quick exits.
So far everything from what we know about Unanue is all bad.......
Found this on youtube about Crowley......I think alot of people will be supporting him when they see this..........
http://www.youtube.com/user/CrowleyFamily5
Crowley
I signed his petition last night, although his young surrogate could have done a better job of explaining his rationale for running. Some of us are not lambs or George Gilmore's toadies.
It appears that here in NJ, if you have the money to run, you are considered credible. FRL has a ton of money to spend and will likely hold on to his seat. Corzine would never have made into the Senate or the Gov's seat if not for his personal wealth. The most interesting part of last night's covention was the recall petition to remove the Governor. It caused quite a stir which the reporter from this site missed completely.
OE
2005 Ocean County Screening Committee
John Murphy had already been selected by the Ocean County Republican Organization Screening Committee when George Gilmore reminded the faithful that Bob Schroeder, because Schroeder had contributed over $50,000 to Gilmore’s Pacs, would be the selection in the 2005 primary.
The faithful listened.