U.S. Republican Party

ZIMMER ANNOUNCES FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF TOP SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP

- Campaign Highlights Key Supporters -

Passaic County Republicans are meeting tonight to consider candidates for the 2007 general election, but some insiders expect the session to be rather short one. With a 7:00 PM deadline for submitting resumes to party leaders for consideration as the endorsed organization candidates, the GOP still has no candidates for Sheriff, Surrogate, and for State Assembly in the 34th, 35th and 36th districts. The lack of candidates is causing some party leaders to question the strength and political future of the Republican County Chairman, Wayne Mayor Scott Rumana. Two Republicans, '06 candidate Arturo Soto and Clifton Firefighter Tony Latona, are seeking support for two Freeholder seats. There are unconfirmed reports that Rumana has agreed to allow Democratic Sheriff Jerry Speziale to run unopposed in November -- perhaps because Rumana doesn't want Speziale engaged in Wayne Council races this year.

LACKAWANNA CUT-OFF BILL ROLLING FORWARD

Legislation Sponsored by Senate Republican Budget Officer Robert E. Littell (R-Sussex/Morris/Hunterdon) calling for the reactivation of the “Lackawanna Cutoff passenger rail line in northwestern New Jersey passed the full Senate today.

Frank Blee, who took a beating in a Special Election Convention for State Senate yesterday, will not seek re-election to an eighth term in the State Assembly. That means the second district will have two open seats in 2007: Democrat James Whelan, the former Mayor of Atlantic City who was elected to the Assembly in 2005, is running for State Senator against the new GOP incumbent, James "Sonny" McCullough.

Some insiders say there will be pressure on Blee to resign early, as Bill Gormley did, so that Republicans will have a chance to appoint a new Assemblyman, who could seek re-election as an incumbent.

There is no question that Monmouth County Republicans have a huge problem on their hands: Freeholder Anna Little's possible defection -- she has not decided whether she will run for re-election as a Republican, a Democrat, or as an Independent -- clearly puts their longtime control of county government in serious jeopardy. Republican margins in Monmouth have been shrinking in recent years, and they would have a hard time handling a defection of GOP voters to Little. Two of the four Republican seats are up in 2007, and the Democrats need to win both to take conrol for the first time in more than twenty years.

Many political insiders view Monmouth as a battleground county this year. In addition to control of the Freeholder Board, both parties view the 11th (three open seats), 12th (Democratic Senator Ellen Karcher faces GOP Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck) and 13th legislative districts as potentially competitive.

CALIENDO CRITICIZES GOP BLOGGERS

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP (MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ): Middletown Democratic Chairman Joe Caliendo said that some anonymous bloggers from the GOP are being too malicious to their own party, as well as to Republican critics.

Belmar Councilman Matthew Doherty has decided not to seek a State Assembly seat in 2007. Doherty, the husband of Corzine Deputy Chief of Staff Maggie Moran, ran a strong race in 2005 against GOP incumbents Sean Kean and Steve Corodemus. He had been expected to run again.

As part of the ongoing probe into Christmas Tree items that were added to the annual state budget since 2004, the Senate Republican Office and my legislative office in my capacity as Senate Minority Leader were today served subpoenas from the U.S. Attorney s Office for the District of New Jersey.
The Republican Senate Office and I intend to comply completely and expeditiously with these subpoenas. We have been in no way involved in the dead of night budget additions of recent years. I commend U.S. Attorney Chris Christie for investigating the situation as exhaustively as possible.
There needs to be total transparency with regard to legislative additions to the annual state budget. The sponsor of each expenditure must be identified and the legislative addition must have a clearly stated public purpose. My past calls for such reform have not been heeded.
Since 2004 the budget process has become dysfunctional. This was particularly true last summer when the state government shutdown was prolonged for more than a day while at least $200 million worth of Christmas Tree items earmarked for Democratic districts were added to the budget.
The Republican members of the Legislature demand immediate reform of the process of adding legislative additions to the annual state budget.

LANCE AND DeCROCE EXPRESS DISAPPOINTMENT AT FAILURE OF DEMOCRATS TO RESPOND ON SUBPOENA ISSUE

NEEDED JUST ONE DEMOCRAT TO JOIN REPUBLICANS TO CONVENE LEGISLATIVE SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING

REPUBLICANS CALL FOR IMMEDIATE MEETING OF THE LEGISLATIVE SERVICES COMMISSION

NEED JUST ONE DEMOCRAT TO JOIN REPUBLICANS TO PROVIDE QUORUM NECESSARY TO CONVENE MEETING