Somerset GOP moving toward Zimmer endorsement

Joseph Pennacchio won the Somerset County Republican convention last month in a race where he was essentially unopposed.  Andy Unanue, in the race a few days and still vacationing in Vail, declined to compete, and Murray Sabrin was ineligible because he refused to sign a pledge required by the party to support the organization slate.  Now Pennacchio is in danger of losing the Somerset endorsement as GOP County Chairman Dale Florio maneuvers behind the scenes to add Dick Zimmer to the line.  Sources close to Florio say that he has discussed either a do-over vote based on the new field of candidates -- Zimmer represented part of Somerset County in Congress from 1991 to 1997 --  or simply creating a limited open primary, where Pennacchio and Zimmer – but not Sabrin – would run on the organization line.

Zimmer will also get the organization line in Burlington County, which has not endorsed anyone since Anne Evans Estabrook withdrew from the race last month.

Yesterday, Hunterdon County Republican Chairman Henry Kuhl told PolitickerNJ.com that he will hold an Executive Committee meeting next week to replace Pennacchio on their line with Zimmer, a Hunterdon resident.