Middlesex County GOP endorses its slate of candidates

[My Central Jersey]

Middlesex County GOP endorses its slate of candidates
Staff Report • April 1, 2009

WOODBRIDGE — A Rutgers College student from Edison, a American Legion Post commander from South Plainfield and a South Brunswick woman have been endorsed as Middlesex County Freeholder candidates by the Middlesex County Republican Organization, according to the party chairman.

"We have a young person and an experienced person," said Joseph Leo, Middlesex County Republican chairman. "It was a very exciting convention."

The county Republicans held their convention Saturday, March 28 at Royal Albert's Place in Fords. More than 900 delegates attended, Leo said.

Former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie was endorsed for the governor's race by county Republicans. All five GOP gubernatorial candidates addressed the party delegates, Leo said.

Leo said Linda Woods Cleary of South Brunswick, Richard Frank, an American Legion Post commander from South Plainfield and Candace Greaux of Edison, a senior at Rutgers College were endorsed as the party's freeholder candidates.

Greaux wasn't the only college student selected to run on the Republican ticket. Brian Hackett of Monroe, a student at The College of New Jersey was endorsed in his bid to seek a state Assembly seat in the 14th Legislative District which includes Cranbury, Jamesburg, Monroe, Plainsboro and South Brunswick. Hackett is running with Robert Calabro of Hamilton, a businessman, who was also endorsed by the party.

In the 13th Legislative District, the Republicans endorsed incumbent Assemblywoman Amy Handlin of Belford and incumbent Assemblyman Samuel Thompson of Matawan. The district includes Old Bridge.

In the 17th Legislative District, the Republicans endorsed Salim Nathoo of Piscataway, a dentist and Anthony Mazzola of Somerset in the state Assembly race, Leo said. The district includes Highland Park, Milltown, New Brunswick, North Brunswick and Piscataway.

Robert Jones of South Plainfield and Joseph Sinagra of Helmetta were endorsed as 18th District State Assembly candidates by the Republican organization. The district includes East Brunswick, Edison, Helmetta, Metuchen, South Plainfield, South River and Spotwood.

In the 19th Legislative District, Peter Kothari of Woodbridge and Richard Piatkowski of Perth Amboy were endorsed for the state Assembly race.

The Republican Organization endorsed in the 22nd District state Assembly race Scotch Plains Mayor Martin Marks and William Vastine of Scotch Plains, who is a businessman in Plainfield, Leo said. The district includes Dunellen and Middlesex.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090401/NEWS/904010317/1003/newsfront

[Guest]

[Guest]

Republicans settle on Calabro for District 14By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter

HAMILTON -- Mercer County Republicans endorsed restaurant owner Rob Calabro as their candidate in the 14th Legislative District at their convention tonight.

Calabro, a Hamilton resident who ran unsuccessfully for freeholder in 2007, did not attend tonight’s event, opting instead to stay home with his pregnant wife and two young children. He was nominated by Hamilton Republican Municipal Chairman Frank Ragazzo and introduced by state Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Mercer). He fills the spot in which Republicans hoped to have Hamilton Council President Kelly Yaede, who flirted with a run but decided against it, leaving the local GOP scrambling to find a suitable replacement.

Calabro’s name was the only one entered for the party’s endorsement to run against incumbents Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer) and Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex).

Baroni said that Calabro, who owns Porfirio’s Market and Café, will not merely be a placeholder until the party can find someone higher profile.

“What you need in a challenger in this district is someone who will work very hard and knock on doors, and he’s going to do that,” said Baroni. “He’s got a small business background, he’s a Hamilton hometown kid who went to school here, built a business here, has invested in our community and is very well known here.”

Hamilton Councilman Tom Goodwin, who ran for assembly in 2007 and barely lost to Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer), said that the political climate this year is more favorable for Republicans. He said that Calabro would make a good candidate.

“Rob gets along very well with people,” he said. “He’s a regular guy who can communicate well with regular people.”

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http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/28515/mercer-republicans-settle-calabro-district-14

[Guest]

[Guest]

Did teh Republicans simply thrw in the towel? I can't vote for Wayne or Linda, but a college kid? Seriously, couldn't the have found someone, anyone with a record or at least work experience?

[Guest]

Middlesex Republicans pick 21-year-old for District 14 assembly seatBy Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter

Brian Hackett, 21, will be the Middlesex Republicans' candidate for assembly in District 14FORDS -- Middlesex County Republicans chose a 21-year-old college junior as their candidate for a 14th District Legislative assembly seat during their convention today.

Brian Hackett, a Monroe Township resident who’s the College Republican President at The College of New Jersey, was unopposed for the Middlesex County Republican Organization’s endorsement, giving him the party line along with restauranter Rob Calabro of Hamilton.

If elected, he’ll spend the second half of his senior year in the legislature.

The 14th District is supposed to be one of the most competitive in the state this year, with Assembly members Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) and Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) up for reelection. DeAngelo, a freshman, is considered particularly vulnerable.

Hackett, who ran for the school board in Monroe in 2006, said that he is not a placeholder candidate. He became the party screening committee’s unanimous choice after South Brunswick Municipal Chairwoman Lynda Woods Cleary decided to run for freeholder instead of assembly.

“I think I can talk to people beyond party about issues that affect people across the board,” he said.

The District is represented by a Republican, Bill Baroni of Hamilton, in the state Senate.

“I plan to knock on 10,000 doors, just as Senator Baroni did,” he said. “Money is something, but it’s not everything."

http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/28588/middlesex-republicans-pick-21-year-old-district-14-assembly-seat

[Guest]

I don't want to pre-judge and he may be great, but really? The Republicans have a shot at taking a Democratic district and they put forward a college junior? Was there no one with existing state-level public service they could nominate?

[Guest]

With property and business taxes skyrocketing, and out of control spending on programs like COAH, Abbott districts and "special" municipal aid; times like these call for...


Eddie Haskell???


Gee Beave, looks like Greenstein in '09.

[Guest]

[Guest]

Wow - DeAngelo has no apparent basis for support (aside from his union friends and special interests). This would be the time to run even a moderately qualified candidate and take the seat. I don't know this young gentleman, but will certainly try to sit down with him and understand his platform.

[Guest]

[Guest]

I agree and was not downplaying DeAngelo's base. Unfortunately you are right. My point was that this is not a large, numerically, group when compared to the number of constituents in the district he SHOULD be serving. The reality is that the constituent base is much larger, but less organized. So, as is common, the vocal minority overpowers the silent majority.