Senate candidate Murray Sabrin plans to attend the Somerset County Republican convention tonight, but he may not be allowed to participate.
Republican Chairman Dale Florio told Sabrin spokesman George Ajjan that Sabrin is welcome to take part, but only if he pledges not to run an alternate slate of freeholder candidates.
The convention will formally endorse a U.S. Senate candidate, along with a Congressional candidate in the seventh district — which is expected to be the real contest of the evening.
“They could not commit to me that they would not run a slate of candidates, so I advised them that they would be unable to participate in our screening process,” said Florio.
Ajjan said, however, that Sabrin plans to show up anyway, with every intention of addressing the gathered county committee men and women.
“We’re going there and expecting to have the opportunity to addreses the committee of somerset county,” he said.
Meanwhile, potential Republican candidate John Crowley is not expected to attend the event, according to Florio. While the county will endorse a candidate tonight, the Chairman reserves the right to give someone else the line before the filing deadline.
“Truth be told, you really don’t have to finalize your ticket until your clerk goes to print – as long as candidates are filed as of the 7th,” said Florio. “I would just think that if he’s going to get in, he’s cutting it a little close.”
