John Kingston

The word came down from Sen. Thomas Kean, Jr., on Tuesday.

Trying to change the look of the GOP Upper House team, the incoming Senate Minority Leader fired Rick England, a political operative who was director of constituent relations, in addition to several members of the minority office's support staff, Republican staff sources say.

While there is speculation that Director of Research John Hutchison is also slated to lose his job, he was absent from work on Tuesday and his status is unknown, according to sources.

Averting a firing, Communications Director Mike Jennings told PolitickerNj.com that he has accepted a communications job with PSE&G.

James Harkness, a former Chief Counsel to Governor Donald DiFrancesco, has emerged as a serious candidate for Executive Director of the Senate Republican Office.  The incoming Minority Leader, Thomas Kean, Jr., has decided to replace John Samerjan, and is now looking at Harkness and John Kingston, the Assembly Republican Research Director, as the most likely replacements. 

John Samerjan will be removed as Executive Director of the Senate Republican Minority Office and replaced by John Kingston, the Assembly Republican Research Director, according to sources close to incoming Senate Minority Leader Thomas Kean, Jr.  

Kean will also repalce Rick England, a political operative who was Director of Constituent Relations, and John Hutchison, the Director of Research.  Michael Jennings is in danger of losing his post as Communications Director.

Senate Minority Leader-designate Thomas Kean, Jr. is expected to fire John Samerjan as Executive Director of the Senate Republican office. Samerjan, who served as Press Secretary for Governor Thomas Kean's 1985 re-election campaign, was hired by John Bennett and has held the post during Leonard Lance's four years as Minority Leader.

There is considerable speculation that John Kingston, now the Assembly Republican Research Director, is the leading candidate to replace Samerjan.