David Russo

So far, Democrats haven’t seemed anxious to field and financially support a real challenger to Rep. E. Scott Garrett. But amongst Republicans, there’s discontent with Garrett brewing just beneath the surface of the fifth congressional district.

Some complain of Garrett’s steadfast conservative ideological commitment which has led to cast votes against bills considered no-brainers to Democrats and more moderate Republicans. Whether this is a strength or weakness is up for debate, however.

Running off the line, attorney Camille Abate won 40% in the 2006 Democratic congressional primary

At a breakfast hosted by the Democratic State Committee today, congressional candidate Camille Abate mentioned to Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean that she is running for Congress against Scott Garrett.

“He’s the worst,” said Dean.

But despite Dean’s personal opinion, national Democrats apparently don’t think enough of it to pump many resources into a fight against him. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced that they have three targets in 2008, and Garrett isn’t one of them.

The Private Enterprise Political Action Committee endorsed four Republican candidates for next month’s primaries.

The Republican primary battle in that district echoes last week’s reverence for Ronald Reagan at the Republican Presidential debate, with both of the leading State Senate candidates evoking the Gipper to set them apart from the rest of the state’s Republican Party.

Former Bergen County Freeholder Todd Caliguire and Assemblyman Kevin O’Toole are the main contenders for the Republican nomination for the Senate seat of Henry P. McNamara, who’s retiring after serving as a Senator for 22 years. Caliguire is running with two Assembly candidates: conservative activist John Ginty and Wayne Councilman Joseph Schweighardt. O’Toole, the frontrunner, shares a line with incumbent Assemblyman David Russo and Wayne Mayor Scott Rumana. A third candidate, Wayne attorney Victor K. Rabbat, is in the race as well.

The spokesman for two Republican County Chairman running for the Legislature says that GOP State Chairman Tom Wilson should either "demand" the resignation of Bergen County Republican Chairman Guy Talarico, or "someone should be calling on Wilson to step aside."

Thom Ammirato, who works for Assemblyman Kevin O'Toole, the Essex GOP Chairman running for State Senate, and Wayne Mayor Scott Rumana, the Passaic GOP Chairman seeking an Assemby seat, says that "Rome in is buring and Tom Wilson, aka Nero, is fiddling."