New Jersey Republican State Committee (NJGOP) Chairman Michael Lavery is backing Bob Hugin to be his successor, a move which could avoid a bloody intra-party political battle for control of the organization.
“I am happy to endorse Bob Hugin to be my successor as Chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee, and I encourage all of our Committee members to support him not only at our June 15th meeting but in the years to come,” Lavery offered in a late Thursday statement. “I am confident that through Bob’s strong leadership, the Republican Party in New Jersey will continue to build, grow, and expand so that we can provide our candidates with the knowledge, tools and resources to be successful in 2021 and beyond.”
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Hugin filed a letter of intent with the committee on Wednesday.
Lavery is a close ally of former NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt. An attorney and the nephew of George Gilmore, Lavery narrowly defeated Hugin (the party’s well-heeled 2020 U.S. Senate nominee) for the chairmanship last year following Steinhardt’s resignation to run for governor.
The rest, as they say, “is history.” Steinhardt’s primary run was abruptly aborted, Jack Ciattarelli is now the nominee, and Hugin (who Team Ciattarelli wanted to fill the role the first time) apparently still wants the job. So there you go.
That’s politics, folks!
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