County GOP Asks Town Parties to Send Debate Audience Members

The Union County Republicans are encouraging town parties to send attendees to Thursday night's debate for county freeholder, but said the attendance will be not be used to decide which town parties will receive funding from the county organization.

A widely read weekly e-mail newsletter put out by the Roselle Republican Committee to Republicans said in the Oct. 11 issue that the debate would be Thursday night and attendance was required by town parties.

"And don't forget the Freeholders' debate attendance on the 22nd as a campaign funding requirement!" the e-mail read.

A source within the county Republican organization confirmed that in past years the county used multiple criteria to decide which town parties received funding from the county party for local races, but said the party did not use just the debate attendance. In prior years, questions for the freeholder debates were submitted by the audience and both parties packed the room with supporters in order to get the most questions submitted. Starting this year, the debate questions will be generated by a media panel.

County Republican Chairman Philip Morin III confirmed that his organization does look at multiple criteria in deciding which towns will be funded and that one has been participation in the annual freeholder debate. But he said it was not the only criteria used.

"(Town parties) are always encouraged to participate in county activities and be a part of the county organization," he said. "We want total participation."

Morin, a former Cranford mayor, said that the local parties are asked to participate in order to be to help the countywide slate of candidates. The county GOP has not elected a countywide candidate since 1994 but has been successful in a series of local races countywide.

Morin said the other criterias used include the type of race the local party is seeing that year along with what is at stake. A town that could flip control or maintain control for the Republicans will gain more priority from the party than one where control is not at stake. In addition, towns where there is a chance to put Republican into office will gain support.

Westfield has not made a request for funds for this year's election. Morin said the town party has been supportive of the county organization. Scotch Plains is likely to receive support since this year's special election for a Township Council seat could flip control of the town government.

Morin declined to go into specifics of the county party's campaign strategy noting that he would like to know who is talking about the party's internal discussions first.

"There is no party litmus test on this," Morin said of the issue.