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DiGaetano Moving Forward with State Senate Challenge LD40

Paul DiGaetano
February 3,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, according to sources  Bergen County Republican Chairman Paul DiGaetano is moving forward with his plans to run for the state senate in the 40th Legislative District.

DiGaetano is finalizing a slate that will oppose the Republican ticket topped by Passaic County Clerk Kristin Corrado. If the chairman (a former assemblyman) moves forward, the winner of a Corrado versus DiGaetano contest would succeed retiring state Senator Kevin O’Toole.
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DiGaetano Picks Carlo Ghione to become the new interim Executive Director of the Bergen County Republican Organization

Carlo Ghione BCRO

September 4,2016

the staff of the Rmidgewood blog

Hackensack NJ,  Paul DiGaetano continues to reshape the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO). Once again reaching for youth DiGaetano has picked Bergen County Young Republicans Treasurer Carlo Ghione to become the new interim Executive Director of the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO).

Ghione  24 ,is currently pursuing a law degree at New York Law School, will serve as interim executive director through at least November’s general election. Ghione will be in the office daily and focus on communications and digital platforms.

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DiGaetano leads BCRO back to life with Beef Steak Dinner overflow crowd

DiGaetano leads BCRO back to life with Beef Steak Dinner overflow crowd

 

July 15,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hackensack NJ, Chairman DiGaetano’s first two events are totally sold out! The ‘New Leadership Now’ team put together a sold out beefsteak (a tradition akin to the “beef and beer”) which was attended by an overflow crowd of over 350.

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After years of strife and political infighting as well as much skepticism as to party motivations ,Republicans from all over the county descended upon the Hackensack headquarters for some good food and trade political gossip . The over flow crowd provided an impressive show of force at the advent of a new era for the BCRO.

The newly elected Bergen County Republican Chairman Paul DiGaetano leadership style is not about “me or I” he always talks about “us and we”. It is a refreshing approach to politics .

Between this fundraiser and the big-ticket event with Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno event earlier this week led by BCRO Finance Chair Chuck Shotmeyer, the BCRO looks to once again be on the road to recovering its financial footing.

The GOP consensus was that a BCRO event had not been that crowded since its Golden Era of the 1980s. With six county offices up this year including the last remaining Freeholder incumbents, the Republicans are only beginning the rebuilding task.

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DiGaetano defeats Yudin for Bergen County GOP Chairmanship

Paul DiGaetano

June 22,2016
the staff  of the Ridgewood blog

Hackensack NJ,  After what can be best described as a contentious, race between two local political allies-turned-rivals, Bergen county Republicans have chosen a new leader in former state Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano, who defeated controversial eight-year incumbent Chairman Bob Yudin in a party election held Tuesday.

The vote tally showed DiGaetano who was backed by the Ridgewood blog with and almost 2-1 margin of 539 votes and Yudin with 274.

DiGaetano has inherited a GOP in disarray and reeling from years of infighting . The Bergen GOP has suffered election loss after election loss and was once accused by the Ridgewood blog of losing on purpose . DiGaetano must now lead his embattled party in an effort to gain footing at the county level of politics after a steady decline in party power at that level in recent years.

While we have always liked Bob Yudin , the issues to the Ridgewood blog has been one of winning or in this case not wining .

The once sleepy chairmanship election ended a bitter race, which included allegations of ethnic slurs, a decade-old alleged death threat against a state senator and last-minute campaign literature, political endorsements and emails to party members urging support.

Bergen County Republican Organization Committee members cast their votes determining the outcome.

During Bob Yudin’s tenure as party chairman, BCRO members have watched the party go from having the county executive’s office, the sheriff’s office and a majority on the Board of Freeholders to now having only one incumbent Republican official running for office, Freeholder Maura DeNicola who was also endorsed by this blog.

With six county-level positions Sheriff, three freeholder seats, clerk and surrogate are all up for election on the ballot in November, the Republicans face the prospect of a shut out of county government or political Armageddon.

As repored on this blog a decade-old rumor surfaced when state Sen. Kevin O’Toole claimed that in 2005, when he was the Essex County Republican chairman, DiGaetano threatened his life after O’Toole refused to endorse DiGaetano’s bid for governor. We felt the allegations were fallacious given the source ,O’Tool is a known hot head and has been known to make threats himself.

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Yudin and DiGaetano Supporters Spar in Bergen

BCRO-logo-v2

 

Members of the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO) are currently divided on what direction the county party organization should take during next Tuesday’s chairman election. Some back current chairman Bob Yudin while others back his challenger Paul DiGaetano. Things have taken a messy turn between the two sides. Alyana Alfaro, PolitickerNJ Read more

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One Week Before Chairman’s Race, Yudin and DiGaetano Prepare To Face Off

BCRO-logo-v2

 

Just one week remains until members of the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO) will decide if current chairman Bob Yudin will remain in his post or if his challenger former Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano will usurp the chairman’s spot. OnJune 21, members of the organization will gather to vote in the bi-annual reorganization. Alyana Alfaro, PolitickerNJ Read more

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State Sen. Kevin O’Toole Makes Fallacious accusations against Rival Republican Paul DiGaetano

Senator_Kevin_OToole_theridgewoodblog
June 10,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, we have to laugh at this one , NJ.COM is reporting that State Sen. Kevin O’Toole (R-Essex) claims that a threat was made in 2005 by Paul DiGaetano, then a leading Republican assemblyman dreaming about a long-shot bid for governor against him. In the article O’Tool claimed  that he was threatened by Paul DiGaetano in a meeting over his endorsement of DiGaetano for Governor.

Wow is this a case of the pot calling the Kettle black !

The funny thing is that State Sen. Kevin O’Toole is a well know political bully who has threatened his opponents in the past and gone as far as calling their bosses at work claiming they were campaigning on company time and trying to get them fired.

O’Tool has also threatened the Ridgewood blog and it founder , in that instance he made threats from his car on Route 17 north near the Bendex Diner and only backed off when a blog staff member pulled out a camera.

O’Tool is also rumored to be plotting with with Democrat soon to be Former Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn to make a run for the current seat held by Rep.Scott Garrett (R).