Joe Caruso

Bergen County Republicans feel that the scene is set for a competitive freeholder race.

Three incumbent Democrats are up for reelection to the all-Democrat board. There’s Bernadette McPherson, who just lost her mayoral seat in Rutherford by a landslide; David Ganz, who lost his mayoral seat in Fair Lawn to Republican Ed Trawinski in 2005 (although he was reelected to the freeholder board that same year); and the brand new Vernon Walton, a former Englewood councilman who lost that seat to Democratic Assemblyman Gordon Johnson in 2006.

“McPherson and Ganz, I think, are the soft underbelly of the Democratic freeholder board,” said Republican state Sen. Gerald Cardinale.

Add to the chastened incumbents a few local circumstances, like the growing EnCap controversy, the indictment of former Democratic state Sen. Joe Coniglio and having the popular Republican Kathleen Donovan on the ballot for reelection as county clerk, and some Republicans feel that they have the makings for a good race and a chance to win a Freeholder seat for the first time since Lisa Randall won one in 2003.

“The (Democrats) each have baggage,” said Republican strategist Thom Ammirato. “You’ve got great issues floating around them.”

A Republican activist suspects that Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney may have violated his own campaign promise from 2002.

Joe Caruso, founder of the Republican group Red Faction, said that McNerney pledged to ban politicking on county property during his original campaign for the county executive seat.

“Either there is a no politicking policy in place or there isn’t,” said Caruso.

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.