Lewis Eisenberg

RED BANK - In quintessential New Jersey fashion, potential First Lady Cindy McCain made her first solo public campaign stop today at a diner.

With State Sens. Jennifer Beck (R-Red Bank) and Bill Baroni (R-Hamilton) at her side, McCain shook hands and briefly conversed with patrons at the Broadway Diner in Red Bank, sharing the usual niceties we’ve come to expect at such events.

On her way out, McCain took one question from reporters about whether her husband, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, actually had a shot at carrying a state no GOP presidential candidate has carried since 1988.

“Absolutely. We’ve not written off New Jersey,” she said. “This is a very important state. We’re going to be up very late on November 4th, and New Jersey is a very important part of that. We intend to be here quite a bit before the election. I’m happy to be here on a great day. It was stormy a few days ago so maybe I brought the sunshine with me.”

Republican presidential candidate John McCain has added a campaign stop in Bergen County today, prior to his fundraising event at the Teaneck Marriott.  Cindy McCain, who is attending a fundraiser this morning at the Rumson home of former Port Authority Chairman Lewis Eisenberg, will also add a campaign stop in Monmouth County to her schedule.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain will be in New Jersey next Tuesday for an evening fundraiser at the Marriott in Teaneck.  McCain’s wife, Cindy, will attend a fundraiser that morning at the Rumson home of GOP fundraiser Lewis Eisenberg.  Both events will benefit the McCain campaign.

James Maggs says he resigned his post as Alternate Delegate to the 2008 Republican National Convention from New Jersey’s 12th district because he couldn’t take off the first week of September. The problem is Maggs isn’t telling the truth. Maggs – despite his spin – resigned because of policy differences with the presumed GOP presidential nominee, John McCain.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain will file a slate of delegate candidates today that represents huge representation from supporters of his vanquished rivals – there are more Rudy Giuliani supporters on the ticket than early McCain backers, and the list includes some Mitt Romney backers.  None of Mike Huckabee’s state campaign leaders are running as McCain delegates, and retiring Rep. Jim Saxton, who backed Duncan Hunter, was not offered a delegate slot.

There was a fairly fierce internal battle over delegates in District 12, where State Senator Jennifer Beck and former Senate President John Bennett -- both originally Giuliani supporters – were both in competition for one Monmouth County slot.  Adam Puharic, the Monmouth GOP Chairman, picked Bennett, designating Beck for an alternate slot.

The McCain delegates:

Republican presidential candidate John McCain will be in New Jersey on May 8 to raise money for his own campaign and for the Republican National Committee.  The event is being organized by former Port Authority Chairman Lewis Eisenberg, who is playing a national role in McCain’s fundraising effort.

PolitickerNJ.com's Special Edition: 2008 New Jersey Presidential Primary Winners & Losers: Click Here

Just a few end-of-the day observations:

What would Frank Hague have thought of a Mayor of Jersey City (who is also the Hudson County Democratic Chairman) who could not deliver most of the key Hudson party leadership and elected officials to his candidate for President?  And could the gullible Brad Abelow be the only one who believes Bob Menendez is no longer involved in Hudson County politics?

An impressive list of finance committee members, led by Lewis Eisenberg, has raised just $100,000 for Anne Evans Estabrook’s bid for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination; that’s about half what Dennis Shulman, the blind Rabbi/Psychologist, has raised for his fledgling congressional campaign against Scott Garrett.  Luckily for Estabrook, she put $1.6 million of her own money into the race.  Estabrook still won’t say how much she’ll invest to unseat Frank Lautenberg.