Jeff Bell wins the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate

With 94% of the voting districts reporting statewide, Jeff Bell is leading Rich Pezzullo  by 3,200 votes in the race to take on Senator Cory Booker in November.

Save Jersey called the race for Bell.  Bell has 38,959 votes, 29%, according to The Associated Press.  Pezzullo had 35,733, 27%.

Establishment favorite Brian Goldberg has 33,194 votes, 25%.  Murray Sabrin has 20% of the vote, 26,249.

Bell defeated the last Republican U.S. Senator from New Jersey, Clifford Case, in 1978 GOP primary and lost the general election to Bill Bradley, a Rhodes Scholar and famous NBA basketball star.  This year he will take on Booker, a Rhodes Scholar and famous social media star.

Bell did not participate in any of the Republican County conventions this year. He has won the nomination without any county “Party Lines” on the primary ballot.

Bell sent out mail that Republican primary voters are used to receiving and he advertised MMM.

Follow Jeff Bell on twitter.  He has 175 followers to Booker’s 1.47 million.

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Backlash from Bennett’s “Endorsement”

Eatontown Councilman Richard “Duke” Robinson, the Eatontown GOP Chairman, Sheriff Shaun Golden and Councilman Kevin Gonzalez. Photo via EatontownGOP.com

Monmouth GOP Chairman John Bennett was apparently too enthusiastic in his use of language in the endorsement released yesterday from Republican leaders from Rumson, Shrewsbury Township, Eatontown, Oceanport, Red Bank and Tinton Falls.  In addition to the endorsement letter released to MMM, Bennett posted comments on his facebook page and in a email to County Committee Members to the effect that he had picked up the support of  “7 towns in the 2 Rivers area…. “

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MacArthur Defeats Lonegan in CD-3 GOP Primary

Tom MacArthur

Save Jersey has called the contentious Republican primary in the third Congressional District for former Randolph Mayor Tom MacArthur.

In a contest of carpetbaggers to replace retiring Congressman Jon Runyan in the House of Representatives, MacArthur beat former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan handedly.

With 70% of the votes counted in the Burlington County portion of the district and 63% counted in Ocean County, MacArthur is leading with 63% of the vote.

MacArthur will face off against Burlington County Freeholder Aimee Belgard in November. Belgard trounced Howard Kleinhendler of Lakewood with almost 80% of the vote.  Kleinhendler was the Democratic nominee against Congressman Chris Smith in the 4th district in 2010.

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Pomanowski Endorses Golden For Chairman

photo via facebook

By Wayne Pomanowski

While there is no shortage of charges rumbling through Monmouth County political circles one can easily get bogged down in what the issue of this chairman’s election is all about. While I was President of The Affiliated Republican Club, I learned many things about heading up a political organization. There are four questions any county committee person is faced with.

Who has the talent to raise money?
Who has peacemaking ability to unify the party?
Who has the enthusiasm to grow the grassroots in each and every town in Monmouth County?
Who has the tactical skill to out think our Democratic counterparts?

If we look at the number of county committee seats – 204 are now empty.  The Affiliated Club is down in membership from close to 600 to over 200. The County Republican treasury alleged to having raised $700,000, ended the year with just over $4,000 on hand. And, here are the sad statistics – Registered Republicans in Monmouth County 96,820; Registered Democrats 99,820.

John Bennett is a fine man who has served his party; he is part of our rich past. As many of you know I have always poured my heart and soul into this party to keep this county Republican. I take nothing from John Bennett.
I am supporting Shaun Golden. Shaun will make a fine chairman and is part of our bright future.

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Chris Christie’s court pick has a pro-choice, anti-free press record

Chris Christie’s court pick has a pro-choice, anti-free press record (via NJ.com)

Don’t look now, but our self-avowed “pro-life” governor just nominated a pro-choicer to the state Supreme Court. I’m not talking about Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, the liberal Democrat whom Christie reappointed in a deal with the Democrats. If Rabner…

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Explainer: How Do Our Judges Make It to the Bench in New Jersey?

Explainer: How Do Our Judges Make It to the Bench in New Jersey? (via NJSpotlight)

The current judicial crisis offers and excellent opportunity to take a look at how New Jersey chooses and installs its judges — and how that process differs from many other states. In 38 states, at least some appellate and major trial court judges…

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Four decades of Democrats: A look at how Republicans have lost U.S. Senate races in NJ

Four decades of Democrats: A look at how Republicans have lost U.S. Senate races in NJ (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Four Republicans are in a primary battle today for the right to face Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker. Whomever wins the GOP nod will have an uphill battle as none of the candidates has big name recognition or much cash against the popular…

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As Tourists Flock to Shore, Need to Protect Endangered Nesting Birds Poses Dilemma

As Tourists Flock to Shore, Need to Protect Endangered Nesting Birds Poses Dilemma (via NJSpotlight)

You might call them birds of a feather flocking together. The Jersey Shore provides habitat for people, both year-round residents and summer visitors – and for ocean birds that rely on the beaches and dunes for nesting. Both people and birds had their…

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Chairman Bennett Calls on Voters to Support Republicans on Primary Day

By John O. Bennett, Chairman, Monmouth County Republican Organization

John Benentt

Today is a great day to be a Republican! Once again, the opportunity to exercise one of our greatest Constitutional rights is upon us. Days like today reinforce the utmost pride I have to be your Monmouth County Republican Chairman.

It is my great honor to call upon all Republicans from western and central Monmouth County to the bayshore and coastal areas and ask them to support our candidates in today’s Primary Election. As always, we have a fantastic slate of Republican candidates, including our incumbent Freeholders Director Lillian Burry and Deputy Director Gary Rich and every municipal official who is up for election. I know that with a good showing today of voter turnout, we can send the  Democratic candidates a preview of what is waiting for them come November.

Please check the following list to see our Monmouth County Republican endorsed Candidates:

Rich Pezzullo for U.S. Senate
Chris Smith for Congress, 4th District
Anthony Wilkerson for Congress, 6th District
Lillian Burry & Gary Rich for County Freeholder

Don’t forget to vote for your local municipal offices!

So, before you head home tonight, please stop in at your local polling location and let your voice be heard. Cast your ballot for your local and county Republican candidates!

On to Victory

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Keyport Republicans Endorse Golden For Chairman

In the race for Monmouth GOP Chairman, Sheriff Shaun Golden picked up the endorsement of the Keyport Republican Committee over the weekend.

Keyport Republicans at the 2014 Lincoln Day Dinner. Photo via facebook

In a letter dated May 30 and released this morning, Bob Burlew, GOP Chairman of The Pearl of the Bayshore, wrote,

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