Christopher Bateman Archives

Bengivenga emerges as strong front-runner for Middlesex GOP chairman

June 17, 2021 12:05 pm

South Plainfield Councilman Rob Bengivenga has received endorsements from 21 of 22 Republican municipal chairs in his bid to become the next Middlesex County GOP Chairman. The incumbent, Lucille Panos, is not seeking re-election and has endorsed Bengivenga, a 38-year-old...

Texas congressman with N.J. roots headlining Pappas fundraiser

May 14, 2021 3:51 pmMay 14, 2021 3:55 pm

The former scoutmaster of Boy Scouts Troop 88 in Bridgewater will return to New Jersey on Saturday to raise money for former Rep. Michael Pappas’s bid for a State Senate seat in the 16th legislative district. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas),...

Zwicker will get Somerset backing for Senate, Jaffer will be Assembly candidate

February 26, 2021 11:51 amFebruary 27, 2021 11:45 pm

Andrew Zwicker has secured the organization line for State Senate in Somerset County, ending a stalemate with Democratic County Chair Peg Schaffer over residency issues and making him the front runner to become the first Democrat since 1902 to win...

Former congressman Mike Pappas will run for State Senate

February 17, 2021 3:12 pmFebruary 17, 2021 8:12 pm

Update: Somerset County Republicans awarded the organization line for State Senate in the 16th district to former Rep. Michael Pappas. The Assembly candidates on the line will be Manville Councilman Joe Lukac and Hunterdon Central Regional Board of Education President...

Murphy won’t take sides in Zwicker, Schaffer conflict

February 12, 2021 2:51 pmFebruary 12, 2021 3:24 pm

Gov. Phil Murphy today side-stepped a question about a Democratic county chair telling Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker (D-South Brunswick) that he needs to move to her county to get the organization line for Senate. POLITICO reported that Peg Schaffer offered Zwicker...

Ex-Congressman Pappas mulls State Senate bid for Bateman seat

February 8, 2021 6:48 pmFebruary 9, 2021 11:01 am

Former Rep. Michael J. Pappas is mulling a State Senate bid in the 16th district, setting up a potentially epic primary between two former congressmen in pursuit of a seat in the New Jersey Legislature. Pappas has been discussing a...

Murphy picks Schaffer for Sports Authority post

February 4, 2021 11:00 amFebruary 4, 2021 10:57 am

Gov. Phil Murphy will nominate Peg Schaffer, the Somerset County Democratic Chair, and the vice chair of the Democratic State Committee, for a seat on the Sports and Exposition Authority. She will replace Bob Yudin, a former Bergen County Republican...