| MIDDLESEX COUNTY GOP UPDATE Written and distributed since 2003 by Donald Katz, Esq., Republican State Committeeman for Middlesex County and Counsel, Middlesex County Republican Organization MCRO SCREENING AND NOMINATING CONVENTION DATES SET FORTH BELOW IN THE CALENDAR – IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE PAY ATTENTION TO THE DATES If you want to participate in the selection of our Republican county and legislative candidates, please pay attention to the dates and information in the Calendar, below. Our candidate selection process, culminating with our nominating convention, is the most democratic (note the small “d”), in the State of New Jersey. Any registered Republican, who timely pre-registered, (by the March 5th deadline), is eligible to come out and vote for the candidates of their choice on Saturday, March 18th. Delegate Convention Registration forms have been provided to each GOP municipal chair and you can obtain a form from your chair and you can also submit the form, with your registration fee, to your municipal chair for submittal by the deadline date. If for some reason you are not otherwise able to obtain a Convention Registration form in advance, which is preferable, if necessary, you can show up, on March 5th and register and pay your registration fee, in person. POLITICAL TRIVIA: Here are some political trivia questions. I hope you enjoy them. The answers are below, immediately above the calendar: 1. Which U.S. President’s last words were: “No you certainly can’t”? 2. George Clinton was the first U.S. Vice President to do what? 3. In U.S. President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, how long ago is: “four score and seven years”? 4. Who is the only U.S. President to be born in Hawaii? 5. Which city was the capital of the U.S. for only one day? 6. Which three U.S. Presidents earlier served as mayors? 7. The first White House cats, Tabby and Dixie, were pets of which U.S. President? REMINDER: REPUBLICAN WOMEN ARE RUNNING THE POPULAR ANNUAL REAGAN DAY EVENT ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH. THERE ARE STILL SOME SEATS AVAILABLE As previously reported, the Middlesex County Republican Women’s Club is holding its Annual Middlesex County Reagan Day on Sunday, February 26th, at Pierre’s of South Brunswick, 582 Georges Road, Monmouth Junction. The price is only $75.00 per person. (Note that I previously incorrectly listed the name of another restaurant, carrying it over from a prior location of the event, although I had the address correct.) This is a fun event, with great speakers, a silent auction, guess the jelly bean contest, Reagan memorabilia, sponsorship opportunities, etc. This Women’s Club event is so popular that it has been sold out on several occasions and it outgrew its first and second locations. If you want to attend and not risk being shut out of the event, send in your money right away. (Address below in the calendar) or buy tickets online at: https://sbgop.wufoo.com/forms/reagan-day-2023 This is the Women’s Club’s primary fundraising event of the year. Over the years they have donated tens of thousands of dollars to Republican candidates in Middlesex County You can help them continue these and other activities by attending this event and getting others to attend. Detailed information is set forth in the Calendar, below. CANDIDATES WANTED As previously reported, this year we will screen for a State Senate and two State Assembly Candidates in each of our 7 Legislative Districts and 2 County Commissioner Candidates. Although we already have people interested in running for most of the positions, if you are interested in running or being considered to run for one of the positions, (or you know someone who is), to the extent they are not presently filled by Republican incumbents, you, or they, should contact MCRO Chair, Robert Bengivenga, at 908-966-1491 or at robertbengivenga@gmail.com. There are also opportunities to run for local office in many of our municipalities and, if you or someone you know is interested, you or they should contact your local GOP municipal chair. ANSWERS TO POLITICAL TRIVIA: 1. John F. Kennedy who was assassinated while being driven in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. Kennedy and the first lady were in a car with Texas Governor John Connally and his wife Nellie Connally. His final words were in response to Nellie Connally’s comment to him that: “ Mr. President, you can’t say Dallas doesn’t love and respect you.” 2. Serve under 2 U.S. Presidents. Clinton served as Thomas Jefferson’s Vice President during Jefferson’s second term, from 1805–1809, and continued his service under James Madison from 1809–1812. 3. 87 Years 4. Barack Obama 5. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. As British soldiers advanced on Philadelphia in the summer of 1777, the Continental Congress fled the city, which was then the capital. They met inside Lancaster’s county courthouse on September 27, 1777, but they didn’t stay long — they moved again to York, Pennsylvania, after just one day of business. 6. Andrew Johnson who served as Mayor of Greeneville, Tennessee. Calvin Coolidge who served as Mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts, and Grover Cleveland who served as Mayor of Buffalo, New York. 7. Abraham Lincoln. They were gifts from Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of state, William Seward, and Lincoln loved them. His wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, even once described cats as her husband’s “hobby,” and one official wrote that he watched Lincoln pet a cat for an hour straight. Lincoln also respected his cats’ intelligence, saying, “Dixie is smarter than my whole cabinet! And furthermore, she doesn’t talk back!” UPDATED CALENDAR What follows is an updated calendar. If you have any municipal or countywide fundraisers or functions you would like me to include in my e-mail calendar from time to time, please contact me at dkatzlaw@aol.com. Please note that organizations and campaigns sometimes provide added information, change dates, or cancel events, which information I include in this calendar if I receive the information in time. Therefore, if you plan to attend an event, please make sure you review the calendar listing in my latest e-mail and, to the extent you may not have pre-registered for the particular event so the sponsoring group will be able to contact you about any changes, you may want to check with the sponsoring group before you go, to make sure the information has not changed. Also, please be aware that these e-mails are not official MCRO notices or mailings; they are just something I do, voluntarily, to help our Republican Party. February 18 (Saturday) – Fire District Elections (In those municipalities with Fire Districts) February 21 (Tuesday 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm) – Middlesex County Republican Women’s Club Meeting. East Brunswick Library, Civic Center Drive, (Off Ryders Lane), East Brunswick. February 22 (Wednesday) – Date by which names, addresses and phone numbers of proposed bonus voters to be placed on the MCRO Screening Committee are to be submitted to MCRO Chairman Rob Bengivenga at robert.bengivenga@gmail.com so that, pursuant to the MCRO by-laws, he may select the “bonus votes … based upon the recommendations from the affected Municipal Committee.” February 22 (Wednesday) – Deadline by which people who want to be delegates to the MCRO Candidate Nominating Convention must be registered Republicans February 23 (Thursday 7:00 pm -) – NJ Conservative GOP Meeting. Keller Williams Elite Realtors, 481 Memorial Parkway, Metuchen. Guest Speaker: State Senator Edward Durr. You are highly encouraged to bring conservative friends with you to the meeting. Questions, contact Paul Danielczyk at 848-248-0172 or njcgop@aol.com. February 26 (Sunday 1:00 pm –) – Middlesex County Republican Women’s Club Annual Reagan Day Event. Pierre’s of South Brunswick, 582 Georges Road, Monmouth Junction. $75.00 per person. Checks payable to “MCRWC” should be mailed to P.O. Box 5274, Old Bridge, NJ 08857, or buy tickets online at: https://sbgop.wufoo.com/forms/reagan-day-2023. March 5 (Sunday 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm) – Registration forms and fees for MCRO Candidate Nominating Convention delegates are to be turned in to the Registration Committee. Location: 499 Plainfield Avenue, 2nd Floor, Edison March 7 (Tuesday 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm) – Dunellen GOP Campaign Kickoff Event. Dunellen Art Annex, 131 North Washington Avenue, Dunellen. $250.00 sponsor, $35.00 per person for the public and committee people. Food, drinks, and live entertainment. Special guests: State Senator Jon Bramnick and State Assemblywomen Nancy Munoz and Michelle Matsikoudis. Pay online at www.dunellensfuturetogether.comor checks payable to Cilento Lantz & Vandermark for Dunellen may be mailed c/o Kathleen Piedici, 73 Sycamore Court, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. March 8 & 9 (Wednesday & Thursday 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm) – MCRO Screening Committee Meetings. Location: Old Bridge Senior Center, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge (The county commissioner candidates will be screened on March 8th, along with most of the legislative candidates, depending on the time available.) March 12 (Sunday 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm) – MCRO Credentials Committee convenes to hear any appeals of MCRO Candidate Nominating Convention delegate eligibility determinations. Location: 499 Plainfield Avenue, 2nd Floor, Edison. (Anyone ruled ineligible must bring written proof from the Middlesex County Board of Elections that he or she was a registered Republican voter in Middlesex County as of February 22, 2023). In addition, any delegates who have registered for the convention and noted on their registration form that they require a Religious Sabbath Exception, because they were unable for religious reasons to vote on a Saturday, may vote in person, by secret ballot, during the same time period, (1:00 pm – 4:00 pm), at the same location, (499 Plainfield Avenue, 2nd Floor, Edison). Note that only those with a Religious Sabbath Exception may vote before the day of the Convention. March 16 (Thursday 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm) – South Brunswick Republican Club St. Patrick’s Day Party. American Legion Post 401, 148 Major Road, Monmouth Junction. Early Bird: $25 per person ($35.00 after March 3). Dinner, soft drinks and live Irish music. Cash bar. RSVP to kathyhsbro@gmail.com. Buy tickets online at https://tinyurl.com/stpat2023 or make your check payable to SBRO and mail to PO Box 55, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852. March 18 (Saturday) – MCRO Candidate Nominating Convention (Note: this is a corrected date.) Location: Old Bridge Senior Center, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge. All delegates who have provided their required e-mail address on their registration form will be able to see and hear the candidate presentations on Zoom, starting at 9:30 am. In-person voting by delegates will take place between the hours of 11:30 am and 4:30 pm. Delegates may come and vote at any time that is convenient for them during those hours. March 21 (Tuesday 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm) – Middlesex County Republican Women’s Club Meeting. East Brunswick Library, Civic Center Drive, (Off Ryders Lane), East Brunswick. March 25 (Saturday 9:00 am – ) – Sayreville GOP Casino Bus Bash Trip to Caesar’s, Atlantic City. To reserve tickets, call Michael Colaci 917-414-7781. Bus leaves from Sayreville Senior Center, 423 Main St., Sayreville at 9:00 am and departs back to Sayreville 6 hours after arrival time at the Casino. Includes casino voucher, light snacks, refreshments, games and, raffles with prizes. All participants must be 21 or over. (Price added when available). March 27 (Monday 4:00 pm) – Candidate petition filing deadline for Primary Election April 18 (Tuesday 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm) – Middlesex County Republican Women’s Club Meeting. East Brunswick Library, Civic Center Drive, (Off Ryders Lane), East Brunswick May 16 (Tuesday 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm) – Middlesex County Republican Women’s Club Meeting. East Brunswick Library, Civic Center Drive, (Off Ryders Lane), East Brunswick. June 6 (Tuesday 6:00 am – 8:00 pm) – Primary Election Day July 15 (Saturday 9:00 am – ) – Sayreville GOP Casino Bus Bash Trip to Tropicana, Atlantic City. To reserve tickets, call Michael Colaci 917-414-7781. Bus leaves from Sayreville Senior Center, 423 Main St., Sayreville at 9:00 am and departs back to Sayreville 6 hours after arrival time at the Casino. Includes casino voucher, light snacks, refreshments, games and raffles with prizes. All participants must be 21 or over. (Price added when available). September 23 (Saturday 9:00 am – ) – Sayreville GOP Casino Bus Bash Trip to Wind Creek, Bethlehem, PA. To reserve tickets, call Michael Colaci 917-414-7781. Bus leaves from Sayreville Senior Center, 423 Main St., Sayreville at 9:00 am and departs back to Sayreville 6 hours after arrival time at the Casino. Includes casino voucher, light snacks, refreshments, games, and raffles with prizes. All participants must be 21 or over. (Price added when available). Please forward this information to any Middlesex County Republican, or other individuals, who you think might be interested in seeing it. Further, if you know of any Middlesex County Republicans who would like to receive periodic e-mail reports about NJ Republican State Committee meetings and other information I believe might be interesting or useful, please have them send me, Donald Katz, an e-mail to dkatzlaw@aol.com, and I will add them to my e-mail list. By the same token, if you ever want to be removed from my e-mail list, click “unsubscribe” at the foot of this e-mail. Donald Katz, Esq. Republican State Committeeman – Middlesex County and Counsel, Middlesex County Republican Organization dkatzlaw@aol.com 17 Buffalo Run East Brunswick, New Jersey 08816 (H) 732-251-3804 (C) 908-227-9239 Copyright © 2023 Donald Katz, All rights reserved, except forwarding of entire newsletter to Republicans is permitted and encouraged and excerpts may be used for non-commercial purposes provided the excerpts are attributed to Donald Katz |
MIDDLESEX COUNTY GOP UPDATE
