March 6, 2008 - 6:39am
News

Bateman considers U.S. Senate bid

State Sen. Kip Bateman might enter the U.S. Senate raceState Sen. Kip Bateman might enter the U.S. Senate race
State Sen. Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R-Somerset) began making calls late yesterday to express some interest in the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, and has spoken with several GOP County Chairmen about entering the race to challenge incumbent Frank Lautenberg.

Bateman, 50, is the son of former Senate President Raymond Bateman, the 1977 GOP candidate for Governor, and is a law partner of former Gov. Donald DiFrancesco. He spent fourteen years representing Somerset County in the State Assembly before winning a State Senate seat last November.

The race changed yesterday with the surprise withdrawal of Anne Evans Estabrook, a millionaire businesswoman who had courted party leaders for almost a year. Estabrook suffered a mini-stroke on Monday and decided to quickly exit the contest. State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris) and college professor Murray Sabrin, a former Libertarian gubernatorial candidate and the leader of Ron Paul’s New Jersey campaign, are the only two candidates seeking to challenge the 83-year-old Lautenberg, who wants a fifth term.

Pennacchio has already won GOP county organization endorsements in Union and Hunterdon counties, and seems poised to win Bergen County tonight in a head-to-head contest against Sabrin. He also has substantial support in his home county, Morris, which generates the most Republican primary votes statewide, and picked up the endorsement of the Warren County Chairman earlier this week.

Editor can be reached via email at editor@politicsnj.com.

Comments

Abortion on Demand


Why would conservatives put up with this?  Country Club RINOs should stay on the golf course and sip their mojitos.

03/06/08 7:05 am

DONNIE D


Another Donnie D special.

Remember Milt Campbell? 

  BTW isn't this guy and DiFransesco in the middle of a nasty sexual harrassment suit at their law firm right now?

03/06/08 7:18 am

Did I Miss Something?


John,

I thought Bateman was Pro-Life, which is what I was told was the reason he voted FOR repealing the Death Penalty at the beginning of the year. 

03/06/08 8:09 am

Pennacchio MUST be stopped!


He's a Catholic and Italian no less. 

Republicans have not nominated a Catholic in 35 years and it's critical that the GOP keep the party pure and free from Popish influences.

03/06/08 8:44 am

His Sister Justine is Hot


I bet we been together for a million years,
And I bet we'll be together for a million more.

Oh, It's like I started breathing on the night we kissed,
And I can't remember what I ever did before.

What would we do baby, Without Us?
What would we do baby, Without Us?

And there ain't no nothing we can't love each other through.

What would we do baby, Without Us?

03/06/08 9:28 am

.


 .

03/06/08 9:50 am

Just What the Party Needs


    How is the partner of Donnie D ever going to be able to take the high road against all the New jersey Democrats' ethical transgressions?

    And is the son of someone who could not even defeat the most unpopular NJ Governor in modern history really the guy the GOP wants to run for statewide office?

    Jersey Joe is looking better and better. 

 

03/06/08 9:57 am

Mountaintop


May be that is why we have not won either.  Let's see, a heavy Catholic state with 1 out of 4 claiming an Italian grandparent.  Duh!

03/06/08 10:01 am

It is business as usual


Republicans seem to be able to screw up a 2-car parade. It reminds me of the commercial with a tennis match and everyone comes out of the stands to whack the ball, "when everyone plays, nobody wins."

If we ever want to fix this sinkhole of a state we need a law that says: "To qualify to put your name on the ballot, you cannot be holding any other elected office." We will be able to see who is serious about running. Would Pennaccio, Lance, or Bateman, seek higher office if they had to resign their legislative seat?

Lets put the State elections on an "even year" so it coordinates with Federal elections. While we are at it lets make State Senate Seats 2 year seats instead of the stupid 2-4-4 system that only allows one electiton every 20 years to correspond to a Gubernatorial Election. That way the cost of odd year elections could allow actual budget cuts.

Additionally, the School Board Elections should be in Novermber, too. That would save not only the cost of the separate elections, but we would actually have a chance to elect accountable people, who would watch the cost.

Let start demanding "public service" rather than self-service from our officials.

 

"Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state." - Thomas Jefferson

03/06/08 12:44 pm

Rep Con.


I'll vote for your proposal yesterday.  If you're taking "stepping stone" out of elections....the people win. Resign to run.

03/06/08 7:06 pm

Best of the Best


Isn't he being sued for wrongful termination of a female law partner?

He also has like 5000 public jobs from what I hear... I'm glad to see the best of the best looking to run.

03/06/08 2:18 pm

Hey Kip!


Wouldn't running for U.S. Senate be just fabulous!  You could join the Congressional Country Club... as you vote against the Death Penalty for terrorists.  Mojitos all around!  

03/07/08 7:29 am