MORRISTOWN — Two and a half hours after the polls closed, state Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris) conceded to challenger former U.S. Representative Dick Zimmer for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate.
With 90 percent of districts reporting, Pennacchio netted 39 percent (64,643 votes), seven points behind Zimmer.
"This is a very Norman Rockwell moment," said Pennacchio in his concession speech, mentioning that the experience brought a sense of "validation" that he, the son of immigrant parents, could be a viable contender for the U.S. Senate.
Pennacchio continued, offering his support for Zimmer in the upcoming general election.
After his speech, Pennacchio told PolitickerNJ.com that he plans to return to the state Senate to begin work with other legislators hammering out a budget for New Jersey. Whether or not he will pursue the GOP senate spot again remains to be seen, although Pennacchio did mention that while he never says never, tonight made him "feel like and old man – and in six years I know I'll be an old man."
Earlier in the evening, George Dredden, Pennacchio's deputy campaign manager, said he remained "cautiously optimistic" that the state senator could pull off a win.
Yet the mood among supporters in Morristown was less cautious and more optimistic. Some people had turned up hours before the polls closed. Louise Patterson of Madison, who had just returned from putting up 115 signs around the area, said she voted for Pennacchio because "he was going to stick to his word." Her friend Helen Artigliere, also of Madison, admired his passion. Both women knew Pennacchio personally and spoke of his warm personality.
Over the past months, Pennacchio presented stiff opposition to Zimmer despite many setbacks throughout his campaign including a lack of support from party leaders, few newspaper endorsements, and fundraising troubles. Dredden maintained that Pennacchio's campaign was made for the "average voter in New Jersey" and he would not pander simply to earn another person's vote.
When asked if he had any regrets, Pennacchio smiled and said no.
"We've done the best we could," he said. "We couldn't have done anything else."
