Kean to endorse Lance; Bramnick and Munoz back Hatfield; conservative leader supports Whitman
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterThe Seventh district Republican congressional race saw some new – and in some cases surprising – endorsements this morning.
Today Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr. will appear with State Sen. Leonard Lance to promote him to replace outgoing Rep. Mike Ferguson.
But Kean’s two Assembly running mates, Minority Whip Jon Bramnick and Dr. Eric Munoz, announced today that they are backing former Summit Council President P. Kelly Hatfield for the seat.
Both Kean and Bramnick were early frontrunners to seek the seat, but they declined.
Hatfield, 54, has a PhD in microbiology and served on the Summit Council for nine years. She has not released fundraising totals yet.
More surprising, former professional wrestler Michael Illions, who was up until now considering running for the seat, has decided to throw his support behind former gubernatorial daughter Kate Whitman, a moderate.
Illions, a pro-life conservative who has criticized state Sen. Leonard Lance as too liberal, did not seem bothered by Whitman’s pro-choice stance. Instead, he noted that she’s opposed to partial birth abortion, public funding for abortion parental notification. He also talked up her conservative credentials on taxes, spending and abortion.
“As a Conservative, nothing is more important to me than the issues. I have never looked at who had the best chance to win or who had the most money as criteria; it was always who was the best candidate to represent my Conservative principles, regardless of their chances,” said Illions.
Whoever Republicans pick as their candidate will go on to challenge Assemblywoman Linda Stender, the only Democratic candidate, in November.
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Syndicate
Deals and Marks
So, I guess that was the deal made between Lance and Kean, Jr. His support in exchange for his graceful stepping down as Minority Leader.
Marks' candidacy took a severe, fatal, blow. Can't get the endorsement of his own county legislative leaders.
What's surprising is that Kean, Sr. was the treasurer for Kate's freeholder bid. It'll be interesting if Kean, Sr. supports Kate again.
How does this hurt Marks?
Who the hell actually listens to Kean, Bramick and Munoz? Stevie Wonder could have seen this coming a month ago...no surprise here. And someone explain to me why being endorsed by Illion's is good for Kate? Who is this guy?
Endorsements
Kean going with Lance... I'm glad to see Tom following through on his end of the bargain. Hope he enjoys the backlash from his natives in Union County.
Munoz and Bramnick also made obvious moves... Munoz and Hatfield are both from Summit and Bramnick is trying to become the leader of the Union County GOP so he needed to go with the local candidate.
And ClarkVIP... if you don't know who Mike Illions is... and you're supporting Marks because you think he is the only "true conservative" in this race... then you are obviously as new to the "true conservative" movement as Marks is. This is a major upset for Marks and anyone else that tries to enter this race under the "I'm the only conservative" banner.
Sloburn please
Not buying into your little promo of Mike. Interesting to see someone who is a "true conservative" as you put it, would settle for a pro-choice candidate like Whitman...he must have gotten a good deal.
Conservative credentials on spending and taxes
The Whitman fiscal resume:
(1) Balanced the family checkbook;
(2) Paid utility bills in a timely manner;
(3) Thinks her taxes are too high, especially when she doesn't get the "farm" property tax loophole from which mommy and daddy benefited;
(4) Uses just her maiden name Whitman (sans Annis) to save on printing costs for campaign materials ...
Let's see ... have I missed anything ... oh yeah ...
(5) Opposes taxpayers subsidizing the killing of unborn children, which, public funding aside, is just hunky dory with Kate.
Now this is the kind of conservative resume Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Mr. Fuji and the Iron Sheik could all support!
Kean
Junior should have just sat this one out. It was Union County that laid down for him when he carpetbagged it into to Westfield a couple of years back. What gratitude!
Re: Kean Jr.
I don't see why anyone who campaigns as a conservative would expect Kean Jr. to endorse him. I doubt this will have much impact on the race.
Granted
But he should have just stayed out of it until a candidate was selected. He deserves the wrath of Union County GOP though but it won't make a difference. He is the Prince after all.