Winners and Losers: GOP Screenings Up and Down the Garden State

The weekly roundup of how political players fared in New Jersey

Middlesex GOP Chairman/State Senator Sam Thompson and LG Kim Guadagno at the Ocean County GOP Convention on March 8, 2017. Kevin B. Sanders for Observer

Winners

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Jack Ciattarelli

The Republican gubernatorial candidate won the organization line in Mercer County, and got the most votes from Middlesex County GOP screening committee.

Kim Guadagno

The Lt. Governor won the endorsement of the Bergen GOP Policy Committee in her quest become the Republican nominee for Governor; she also scooped up Cumberland County and some key Morris County endorsers.

Jason Redd

The Gibbons superlawyer rejoins the Senate Democratic staff as senior counselor to Senate President Steve Sweeney.

Frank Guarini

Actually, maybe Dartmouth College should be the winner here; the 92-year-old former Congressman from Jersey City donated $10 million to his alma mater.

Paul Fishman

The former U.S. Attorney from New Jersey is now a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Seton Hall Law School – the alma mater of his predecessor, Governor Chris Christie.

Cory Booker

The junior Senator from New Jersey runs second in a PPP poll of Iowa Democrats in the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. He’s behind former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. Booker is headed to Hollywood this weekend. He’s already been to Sesame Street.

Mixed

Gerald Cardinale

The 83-year-old State Senator, now in his 38th year in the Legislature, is facing some political gamesmanship in Bergen County as he seeks re-election. He has solid support from GOP leaders in his own legislative district, but could miss out on his home county line county if Bergen GOP Chairman Paul DiGaetano tries to oust him.

Losers

Lisa Richford

The Mercer County Republican Chair was unable to deliver the organization line to Kim Guadagno, who she had endorsed earlier this year. It’s always embarrassing when a county Chair can’t produce votes for a handpicked candidate at their own party convention. Jack Ciattarelli won 68 percent of the vote on Mercer.

Vince Mazzeo

The Democratic Assemblyman from Atlantic County dropped out of the race for State Senator after Jamestown Associates dropped this brutal video of him stumbling to explain his failure to fight casinos in North Jersey. Despite his excuses, it’s clear party leaders viewed him as a weak candidate to hold Jim Whelan’s Senate seat.

Sam Thompson

The 82-year-old Republican Senator will face a primary challenge from a hometown rival, former Middlesex County Freeholder Art Haney.

Andrew Cuomo

The Governor of New York has a plan to create an NY-centric Inspector General at the Port Authority with the legal powers of a District Attorney, but the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services says he can’t do it without New Jersey’s consent.

Hank Lyon

BettyLou DeCroce hired top GOP consultant Chris Russell as she defends her 26th district Assembly seat.

NEW YORK YANKEES

A new Quinnipiac University poll says 45% of New Jerseyans think die-hard Mets fan Chris Christie should take a sports radio job next year.

Winners and Losers: GOP Screenings Up and Down the Garden State