The race for Senate: Another Republican declines to run against Booker

The race for Senate: Another Republican declines to run against Booker (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Yet another Republican has declined to seek the party nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker in November. Chris Isola, a marine veteran who had the backing of powerful Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore, said today…

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Essex Republicans back Goldberg for U.S. Senate

Essex Republicans back Goldberg for U.S. Senate (via NJ.com)

NEWARK — The Essex County Republican party announced today they will back Brian Goldberg to unseat Sen. Cory Booker in his 2014 re-election bid. “I’m very pleased to support Essex County’s own Brian Goldberg for U.S. Senate,” said county party…

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Ron Paul Endorses Murray Sabrin for U.S. Senate

Former Texas Congressman Ron Paul endorsed Ramapo College Finance Professor Murray Sabrin for the New Jersey GOP U.S. Senate nomination, Sabrin’s campaign announced today.

In a letter to Sabrin expressing his endorsement, Paul said that the professor recognizes the dramatic overreach of ObamaCare will impact all Americans for decades to come.  Paul cited Sabrin’s opposition to NSA spying on American citizens.

“I have known Murray for 30 years, and he is a

true champion of liberty. I am proud to endorse

his campaign for U.S. Senate in New Jersey.”

“I’m honored and humbled to have the support of my friend, Ron Paul,” said Murray, “and I know his endorsement sends a strong message throughout New Jersey that I’m in this race all the way and in it to win.”

“America and New Jersey cannot afford Cory Booker in the Senate for a full, six-year term given his support of job-killing taxes, environmental regulations that will cost almost 8,500 New Jerseyans their jobs over the next 10 years and, of course the increasingly problematic Obamacare. We can’t afford to let Cory Booker pay attention to the nation’s business in the same way The New York Times recently exposed he failed to pay attention to the city of Newark’s business when he was mayor. The hard working people of New Jersey deserve better, and I will give that to them when I’m elected to the United States Senate.”

The Sabrin campaign said they are proud of Paul’s endorsement not only because of their shared principles, but because of the access to Paul’s grassroots fundraising apparatus that raised millions of dollars during the former congressman’s presidential campaigns.

• Tweet

Isola considering jumping into the U.S. Senate race

Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore told MMM that he is actively encouraging Chris Isola, a declared candidate for the CD-3 GOP nomination, to seek the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate instead.

Isola, of Malton in Burlington County, is close to making a decision, according to Gilmore.

The Ocean County GOP’s screening committee endorsed former Randolph Mayor Tom MacArthur to replace Congressman Jon Runyan in the House of Representatives last weekend.  Gilmore’s committee interviewed Murray Sabrin and Jeff Bell for the Senate nomination on Saturday but did not select a candidate. “There are two other candidates we want to interview and a fifth who I want to get in, Chris Isola,” Gilmore said after Governor Chris Christie’s Town Hall meeting in Toms River.

Isola’s LinkedIn profile lists his profession as “Candidate at 113th United States Congress.”   A U.S. Marine Corp veteran, Isola served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Upon his honorable discharge in 2005 Isola entered the financial services industry.

• Tweet

2 NJ lawmakers urge corruption probe of Newark watershed agency

2 NJ lawmakers urge corruption probe of Newark watershed agency (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Two state senators today called on the legislative committee investigating the George Washington Bridge scandal to turn its attention to Newark, where they said tax dollars have been wasted for years amid malfeasance and incompetence. State…

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Newark watershed’s lucrative payouts were no secret, contractor says

Newark watershed’s lucrative payouts were no secret, contractor says (via NJ.com)

The culture of corruption at the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corp. — alleged last week in a scathing 45-page report by the state comptroller — was apparently no secret to some in Newark’s political world. When queried by state…

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Chirp Chirp Chirp. Where are the GOP U.S. Senate Candidates? Congressional Candidates?

© Jim Urquhart / Reuters

New Jersey’s Comptroller issued a scathing report yesterday alleging that Newark’s Watershed Director stole millions of dollars during the Booker Administration.

The report included an referral to the Attorney General for a criminal investigation and was sharply critical of Cory Booker, the former Newark Mayor who is now a U.S. Senator, completing the term of the late Senator Frank Lautenberg.

Not a peep out of Murray Sabrin, Brian Goldberg, Rich Pezzullo or any of the other candidates for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate whose names I don’t know.

Yesterday’s news that HUD is preventing victims of Superstorm Sandy from rebuilding their homes is another layup that Republican candidates for federal office, challengers or incumbents, missed.

Joe Kyrillos stepped up about HUD prolonging the agony for New Jersey residents with the strongest statement I’ve heard from him in the eight years I’ve been covering New Jersey  politics.  How about someone who is actually running for office this year stepping up and getting from free media?

Can we get a Republican who wants to be on the ballot this year grow some balls please?

• Tweet

Murray Sabrin is running for U.S. Senate

Ramapo College Professor Murray Sabrin made it official yesterday.  He is running for the GOP nomination to challenge Senator Cory Booker.

Sabrin made his announcement on NJ 101.5’s Dennis and Judy Show yesterday followed  by a fundraising appeal to supporters via email.

Sabrin’s announcement is an indication that he received sufficient encouragement from Republican county chairmen and other party leaders over the last two weeks since he announced his interest in challenging Booker that believes he has enough support to win the majority of establishment party lines in the primary.  Sabrin told WHDT 9 News, that he would only enter the primary if he had sufficient establishment support to avoid a competitive primary.

As a three time statewide candidate, once for governor as a Libertarian and twice as a Republican primary candidate for U.S. Senate, Sabrin is the favorite to win the GOP nomination by virtue of the name recognition and relationships built during those earlier races.

• Tweet

Opinion: NJ Republicans and U.S. Senate — The Five-Decade Losing Streak

Opinion: NJ Republicans and U.S. Senate — The Five-Decade Losing Streak (via NJSpotlight)

In any field of human endeavor, a half century of futility, of reaching for a goal, coming tantalizingly close but ultimately falling short, is understandable cause for frustration, discouragement, and a temptation to throw up one’s hands, surrender…

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Murray Sabrin Seeking Support For U.S. Senate Bid

Murray Sabrin, right, with Jay Lassiter, Jeff Gardner, then BlueJersey bloggers, Michael Aron, then of NJN, and MMM publisher Art Gallagher at a November 2010 shooting of Reporters Roundtable.

Murray Sabrin, PhD, the Ramapo College finance professor who challenged Governor Christine Whitman’s 1997 reelection as a Libertarian candidate and sought the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in 2000 and 2008, wants another shot at the seat now occupied by Senator Cory Booker.

The professor has started the process of reaching out to party leaders, previous Republican Senate candidates and county chairmen to gauge and seek their support for the nomination that no mainstream Republican seems to want. Thus far, only little known small businessmen have taken steps to secure the nomination.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet