Guy Talarico

As the dust settles in Bergen County and the political parties spin the election results, you can expect to hear the Republicans talking a lot about Rutherford.

It’s where Republican challenger John Hipp trampled Democratic incumbent Mayor Bernadette McPherson -- beating her by a margin of 2-1, and tying the council 3-3, with two Republican candidates ousting incumbent Democrats.

It's hard to tell whether Rob Ortiz really is the favorite contender for Bergen County GOP Chairman.

Among the 75 of supporters named on Ortiz’s website are some pretty powerful local Republicans like state Senate nominee Kevin O’Toole, Assemblyman David Russo, Assembly nominee Scott Rumana and former Bergen County Executive Pat Schuber.

But Ortiz’s two opponents for the volunteer post, Bill Thomson and Ben Focarino, won’t divulge who’s supporting their campaigns.

Guy Talarico’s resignation was pleasant news for many Bergen County Republicans.

The loss of Todd Caliguire in a State Senate primary last night was widely considered the last straw for Talarico’s four-year chairmanship.

He’s left behind a county party that many local Republicans consider to be broke and in shambles, having spent considerable dollars fighting primary battles – with no money left to take on the Democrats.

Now the question of a replacement, which has been bandied about hypothetically for months, is real.

Guy Talarico announced today that he is retiring as Bergen County Republican Chair.

“I’m proud of my record and the advancements we have made,” he said in a statement. “I have decided that it is time for someone else to take the helm.”

An “insurgent” Republican primary campaign against a popular, prominent figure. Campaign literature that refers to an opponent as a “loser.” An inflammatory flyer that has brought accusations of race baiting.

Depending on who you’re talking to, the 40th district Republican primary is either a spirited campaign by the underdog, Todd Caliguire, or Guy Talarico’s last grasp at power and influence within the Bergen County Republican Party.

Republican fundraiser Joseph Caruso has accused Guy Talarico of hogging money raised at a Giuliani fundraiser for his own pet primary battle. The money, he said, was intended for local Republican campaigns against Democrats – not primaries.

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."

Bergen County Republican Finance Chairman Joseph Caruso has resigned in protest to GOP County Chairman Guy Talarico's handling of the 40th legislative district. Talarico dumped nine-term Assemblyman David Russo from the organization line and his backing a local ticket headed by State Senate candidate Todd Caliguire.

Caruso says that when he accepted the finance role, it was "with the express understanding that we would be working to unify the party and to use our resources to mount credible, professional campaigns against Democrats.