Webber contests DeNeufville slogan

Two  Republican congressional candidates are feuding over a ballot slogan.

Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-Morris Plains), on Friday, challenged self-funder Peter DeNeufville’s use of the slogan “New Jersey Reagan Republican,” claiming that the slogan violates New Jersey law by using the name of former President Ronald Reagan without the permission of his estate.

“It’s a violation of the law,” Webber said. “For that reason alone, it needs to be corrected.”

New Jersey’s Title 19, which governs election law, requires that a candidate obtain written consent to before using the name of a person other than his or herself in a ballot slogan.

In this case, Webber argues, Reagan’s estate could provide permission to use the president’s name.

However, Gregg Edwards, DeNeufville’s campaign manager, said that the Department of State had greenlit the use of Reagan’s name.

A dead person, he said, could not give permission.

“This is just an example of a desperate Republican trying to stop another Republican from using the name of Ronald Reagan,” Edwards said.

Webber, who is a friend of the former president’s son, Michael Reagan, said he had not yet spoken to the Reagan family about the matter.

He declined to say whether or not he would discuss the matter with the family.

Reagan Challenge