DiFrancesco gains endorsements in bid for Somerset GOP chair

New Jersey Globe

By David Wildstein

A group of Somerset County Republican party leaders, along with past and present elected officials, have endorsed Tracy DiFrancesco in her bid to unseat two-term county chairman Tim Howes.

DiFrancesco, the Watchung GOP municipal chair, announced late last month that she would mount a challenge to Howes when the county party organization reorganizes after the primary election.

Among the endorsers is former State Sen. Christopher Bateman (R-Branchburg), a big name in Somerset politics and a law partner of DiFrancesco’s father, former Gov. Donald DiFrancesco.

Public supporters of DiFrancesco include the GOP municipal chairs of Bernardsville, Branchburg, Franklin, Green Brook, Hillsborough, and Somerville, and Janice Fields, the Republican state committeewoman and a Bernards township committeewoman.  She also Somerville Mayor Brian Gallagher, a former freeholder, and Brittany Wheeler, an executive board member of the county GOP organization. 

Five former Somerset County freeholders — Pat Walsh, Mark Caliguire, John Kitchen, Pat Fittipaldo, and Mike Kerwin — and former Surrrogate Frank Bruno, are backing DiFrancesco, along with Mayors Anna Columbus (Branchburg), Jim Van Arsdale (Green Brook), Robert Brittiing (Hillsborough), Victor Sordillo (Warren), and Ron Jubin (Watchung).