I like this guy, State Sen. Joe Pennacchio
Good Reagan Republican/Conservative Republican
Holds Lautenberg to a 46-38% race, best of the three
Posted on 03/05/2008 12:53:42 PM PST by Cagey
Anne Evans Estabrook dropped out of the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in New Jersey today, saying she had suffered a minor stroke. In a statement from her campaign, Estabrook said that when she looked in the mirror Monday morning she noticed "the left side of my face was drooping slightly and I was losing control of my left arm."
The 63-year-old went to Monmouth Medical Center, near her Spring Lake home, where doctors confirmed she had suffered a stroke.
She reported she did not suffer long-term damage, but she noted it could happen again.
"Make no mistake, until Monday I was ready to fight for the Republican nomination and the chance to defeat (Democratic U.S. Sen.) Frank Lautenberg," she wrote. "I have never backed down from a fight and I am convinced we would have been successful."
From the Democrats' perspective, Estabrook was the most feared of the three Republican candidates because the wealthy developer was able to finance her own campaign and because she comes from the moderate wing of the Republican Party in this blue state.
She had already made subtle work of Lautenberg's age; academic polls have said voters think he is too old at 84 to seek another six-year term.
That theme was hit by GOP State Committee Chairman Tom Wilson this morning in reacting to Estabrook's withdrawal.
"Which candidate is best able to endure the rigors of a campaign and who is up for the demands of serving every day, for six years, to fight for New Jersey?" Wilson asked. "Senator Lautenberg is 84 years old and has served in the Senate for nearly 25 years. ... Frank Lautenberg had his chance and his best days, which really weren't very good, are behind him."
The two remaining GOP candidates are dentist and state Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R., Morris), and Murray Sabrin, a Ramapo College finance professor.
one D hold...
Let’s hope that the GOP can forward a strong candidate to run against this silly man.
The GOP here in NJ may have to import one from another state.
They can always call Alan Keyes...
Dear Lord.. My prayers go out to Anne and her family.
Lautenberg is a mindless old fool - an embarrassment to the Senate and to New Jersey.
Well, one less RINO... best of luck to her in recovery and rehab.
GO MURRAY GO!
Estabrook out. Prayers for her health.
It looks like this incident will cancel out my fears of the two conservatives splitting the anti-RINO vote and allowing the powers that be to run another "moderate". It's down to Sabrin and Jersey Joe now.
Hopefully all freepers, and more importantly, all NJ conservatives, will rally around Jersey Joe now. Sabrin's scholarly conservative-libertarian philosophy is admirable, but he's too close to the Ron Paul wing of the party and he can't win a general election.
If Jersey Joe can even give a scary to the NJ Dems in November, he'll be a rising star for the party. Give this guy a speaking slot in Minneapolis!
Ditto that.
Here’s praying for a full recovery by Mrs. Estabrook.
In other matters, I hope that her exit from the race doesn’t spur a liberal RINO to run. “Jersey Joe” Pennacchio is a solid conservative and our strongest general-election candidate against Lautenberg, but if a RINO runs and the conservative vote is split among Pennacchio and other conservative candidates the RINO may slip in (and lose to Lautenberg in November).
May Estabrook have a full and speedy recovery.
Joe Pennacchio, aka Jersey Joe, has great promise.
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