January 10, 2008 - 1:46pm
Ron Paul supporter ready to enter U.S. Senate race
By Wally EdgeRamapo College Professor Murray Sabrin, a former Libertarian candidate for Governor and a leader in Ron Paul’s New Jersey campaign, appears to be ready to announce that he will seek the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
Sabrin, who has been mulling a Senate bid for the last few weeks, would join State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio and former New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Chair Anne Evans Estabrook as possible GOP challengers to four-term Democratic Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg.
A longtime friend of Paul, who was the 1988 Libertarian presidential candidate, Sabrin could seek to harness some of the grass roots organization and fundraising network built by Paul supporters in New Jersey in a primary that has so far attracted little enthusiasm among Republicans. But one top Paul backer, Assemblyman Michael Doherty, told PolitickerNJ.com on Wednesday that he was likely to back Pennacchio, a Morris County conservative who moved up to the Senate this week after nearly seven years in the Assembly.
The 61-year-old Fort Lee resident received 114,172 votes in his 1997 bid for Governor, winning 5% after becoming the first third party candidate to qualify for public financing and participate in debates. He switched to the GOP and finished last in the 2000 U.S. Senate primary with 13% of the vote.
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A Real Conservative
This is great news for traditional conservatives in New Jersey, since Sabrin will most adhere to our principles. Estabrook, who can barely be considered a Republican, shows signs of the same failed NJ-GOP strategy of running to the left. How many times has that failed? Let's not repeat that again. And as for Pennacchio, while he is a great guy and overall a good conservative, I feel it was a strategic error for him to run. He does not seem ready for such high office and his staff is certainly questionable. Sabrin, in my opinion, will present a different Republican candidacy that we have not seen in a long time. It's time for a different strategy and Sabrin is the one to offer it.
I’ve always found amusing
I’ve always found it amusing that someone whose sole paid professional experience was a professor at a state university and who received a public education K through PhD is the key spokesperson on libertarianism in this state. Maybe in his mind its really big government versus really really big government.
Sabrin is NOT a "real conservative"
He is a libertarian. All he would do by entering the race is ensure Lautenberg's re-election. .... Of course that would also be the result if Estabrook were the Republican nominee.
While Pennachio is not a true conservative either, he is much more conservative than Estabroook and might have a chance against Lautenberg so long as there was a solid conservative at the top of the ticket. Sabrin will lose some support - and credibility - with his isolationist national defense positions and the blame America, we already lost the war, Ron Paul mantra .... especially as the surge continues to show progress.
Either after the primaries
Either after the primaries or the election Frank Lautenberg is going to retire and the Democrats will be able to replace him with a Democrat of their choice without splitting up their party during a primary. In the end there is going to be a Democrat representing New Jersey in the Senate. Any thoughts?
Disappointing
Sabrin will draw votes away from JP and that will help Estabrook.
Response
It seems as though some people do not understand what traditional conservatism is. Ron Paul and Dr. Sabrin are most closely linked with this philosopy. Libertarianism is similar to what traditional conservatives believe in, just not the entire package. I never said Sabrin was a lock-step paleoconservative, but he is certainly the most similar.
True Republican Ideals
If you call maintaining a 130+ country empire a "Republican" virtue, then your truly misinformed.
If you think citizens should sacrifice their civil liberties in the name of "Homeland Security", then your very misguided.
If you think we should borrow endless amounts of money, support both sides of a conflict in the middle east, and pass the debt onto the future citizens of the United States, then your very selfish.
One thing I noticed alot about "Conservatives" in New Jersey recently, they have no problem using the democrat tax and spend playbook as long as they themselves have a personal way to be exempted, and if it helps them secure campaign contributions for their next electoral race.
Political Elitism in both parties needs to come to an end, and the only way that will happen is when the average working class American starts taking back the control of their own government.
And this, my friends, is starting to happen,
TO LIBERTY!
J. Douglas Fisher