Tonight’s the big night, Save Jerseyans.
Bergen County Republicans will gather in Hackensack to select their official 2012 freeholder candidates. But “select” may be a poor word choice; it doesn’t convey the possible probable carnage at what might be the climax of a vicious internal power struggle.
It’s been a particularly dramatic lead up to the convention (even by Bergen standards), with committeemen loyal to Freeholder Rob Hermansen and County Executive Kathe Donovan feuding bitterly with a faction led by embattled County Chairman Bob Yudin. Alfred Doblin recently did a pretty good job of breaking down the battle lines.
To get a feel for how bad it’s gotten, just check out the comments to this seemingly uncontroversial post recounting my trip to Save Jersey contributor James Beattie’s Young Republican swearing in ceremony. Even your Blogger-in-Chief was taken aback! And I’m hardly a stranger to political crossfire, folks.
At stake? Republican unity (and a fledgling governing majority) in the state’s most populous county.
And what’s going to happen tonight? 133 Save Jerseyans voted in our online freeholder straw poll; your selections comport with the information from our sources who expect a clear win for the incumbent Hermansen but a tight battle for the second slot. Peg Watkins appears to have the “edge” heading in but hey, who knows. These conventions are often unpredictable…
The Bergen GOP is the definition of a sinking ship.
…. and the crew sunk its own ship!
What else is new with the BCRO? Same old dumb bullsh*t.