Littell

The race for State Senate in the 24th district, where Robert Littell is retiring after nearly 40 years in Trenton, has already become the nastiest campaign in the state -- and that includes some real contentious intra-party battles in Hudson and Bergen counties. In that contest, seven-term Assemblyman Guy Gregg faces the Littell family candidate, Sussex County Freeholder Steve Oroho. The Littell family -- most specifically Virginia Littell, a former Republican State Chairwoman and the Senator's wife -- despise Gregg, who had been prepared to challenge the aging Senator in the Republican primary.

Oroho is running on a ticket with incumbent Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose, the Senator's daughter. In her role as an Oroho surrogate, McHose has created quite a stir in recent days by attacking individuals and organizations that are supporting Gregg -- including some who also support her own re-election bid. Baffled Republicans who know McHose say that she is not possibly as doltish as she seems to be coming across as the spokeswoman for her campaign strategist, Bill Winkler.

Sussex County Freeholder Steve Oroho, who is seeking Bob Littell's northwestern New Jersey State Senate seat, sharply criticized rival Guy Gregg for accepting the endorsement of "liberal" GOP Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen.

Gregg, a seven-term Assemblyman, was also endorsed by conservative Rep. Scott Garrett.

"Who is Guy Gregg and what does he stand for?," Oroho asked. “Is Guy Gregg the pro-choice candidate running statewide for U.S. Senate in 2002, or the pro-life candidate for Senate in the conservative 224th district today? Does he embrace the vision of conservative Congressman Scott Garrett, or the liberal record of Rodney Freylinghuesen (sic)?�

TEN SENATORS RETIRING IN 2007

So far, ten of the forty Senators who started the year will not return to Trenton in January, 2008.

Tewksbury Mayor Shaun Van Doren has dropped his bid for the GOP Assembly nomination in the 24th district, and has endorsed a slate backed by retiring State Senator Robert Littell: Steve Oroho for Senate, and Alison Littell McHose and Gary Chiusano for State Assembly. Van Doren, viewed as a young politician with promise by Hunterdon County Republicans, needs to tread carefully: he could become the Joe DiBella of Northwest New Jersey.

Susan Zellman, Alison Littell McHose, Glen Vetrano, Guy Gregg, and Bob Littell

It looked as though the 24th district race for State Senate was going to be a classic showdown between the patrician chieftan and upstart blue collar pupil. Then State Sen. Robert E. Littell announced this week he wouldn’t pursue another term, and endorsed Sussex County Freeholder Steven V. Oroho to run for his seat on a ticket with the Senator’s daughter, Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose.