Kevin Collins is a busy man these days. The Republican strategist, named to the PoliticsNJ.com Best Operatives List in 2001, 2002 and 2003, is the Campaign Manager for John Spencer, the former Mayor of Yonkers who is running against U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. He is also the Political Director of the Bergen County Republican Organization, where the Wood-Ridge resident has emerged as a key supporter in Guy Talarico’s bid for re-election as GOP County Chairman. Collins, who managed Paul DiGaetano’s campaigns for State Assembly and Governor and Howard Mills’ bid for the U.S. Senate against Chuck Schumer in 2004, signed up with Spencer back when the New York GOP establishment was backing Westchester County District Attorney Jeannine Pirro for the Senate nomination. (Pirro’s campaign manager was another Republican on the best operatives list, Brian Donahue.) With Pirro and attorney Edward Cox (Richard Nixon’s son-in-law) out of the race, Spencer is now viewed as the front runner for the Senate nod against a new candidate, K.T. MacFarland, an obscure former Reagan Defense Department official. Collins has been out front in the Bergen GOP fight, bashing the Republican credentials of Talarico’s challenger, lobbyist Alan Marcus. Collins is not necessarily a huge Talarico fan — he gave serious consideration to running against him — but he seems to be strong opponent of Marcus.
