Robert Schroeder

Assemblyman John Rooney says he may retireAfter serving in the Legislature since 1983, Republican Assemblyman John Rooney calls himself the Dean of the Assembly, having been there longer than any other current member.

But a combination of health issues and weariness of the way he says business is done in Trenton today has led Rooney to consider retirement, even after he won a solid victory in last month’s hotly contested election. Rooney, who at 68 is the youngest of the three 39th district legislators, will evaluate his political future after undergoing hip replacement surgery later this month. Depending on how his recovery goes, he may decide to retire early or not to seek another term in 2009.

Reflecting on his legislative record over the last 25 years, Rooney admitted that the current state of Trenton politics had him dispirited. And he had already been dealt a painful blow in 2006, after a well-funded Democrat tossed him out of the Northvale’s mayor’s office – a seat that he had held from 1979-1986, and again from 1991 until his defeat.

Bergen County Republicans seem to assume that Guy Talarico will not seek re-election as GOP County Chairman, although he has not yet made a formal announcement. Two candidates are already actively courting County Committee members for votes: Alan Marcus, a successful lobbyist and public relations executive who served as Executive Director of the Bergen GOP in 1968 and 1969; and William Thomson, the former Chairman of the New Jersey Christian Coalition and campaign manager of Robert Schroeder's 2005 gubernatorial bid. Thomson entered the race this week with an announcement letter to Republican leaders. Marcus' unexpected candidacy seems to have generated some enthusiasm, especially from Republicans anxious to benefit from Marcus' fundraising skills.

A few Republican County Chairmen are not sure they want to support Ocean GOP Chairman George Gilmore for another term in the largely ceremonial but potentially powerful post of Chair of the Chairs. Gilmore is still taking heat for his decision to award the organization line to Robert Schroeder in the Republican gubernatorial primary. Schroeder finished a weak third in Ocean County and won only 5.5% statewide.