Andrew Ciesla

Although three Ocean County state Senators had already thrown their support behind state Sen. Joe Pennacchio prior to Anne Evans Estabrook’s departure from the U.S. Senate race, the county’s Republican chairman, George Gilmore, has not yet committed to a candidate.

“We’re going to wait for the smoke to clear, see who the potential viable candidates are, then have our screening process,” said Gilmore.

The county committee will hold its nominating convention on March 27th. 

State Sen. Joe Pennacchio has won some important Ocean County endorsements for his U.S. Senate race.

Pennacchio today announced the support of State Senators Andrew Ciesla, Robert Singer and Chris Connors -- all three of whom represent Ocean County.

The Republican Party on Thursday united behind state Sen. Thomas Kean, Jr., as its new Senate Minority Leader, while state Sen. Leonard Lance stepped aside in the face of a torrent of young blood.

Descendent of the state's first governor, son of a former two-term governor, and with a failed U.S. Senate run behind him and still only in his late 30s, Kean sees last Tuesday's election results as a rejection of Democratic leadership over the course of the last six years.

"Today there are more Republicans in the State Legislature, more Republican freeholders than before, more mayors than there were and more council seats," says Kean.