BREAKING NEWS: Gallagher’s Important Message to the SCRO

The Somerset County GOP leadership… where are we going?

I have spent most of my adult life serving the people of Somerville and Somerset County as an elected official. While I am a proud Republican, I have always carried myself in what I believe to be a non-partisan manner when it comes to governance. However, to get elected, we need a healthy and functioning Republican Party, but currently our county party is broken.

Let’s cut out all the noise and address the issues. 4 years ago, this organization gave Tim Howes an overwhelming opportunity to recreate and bring our party forward. To push forward new ideas and ideals set forth by a Republican dominance that has crafted Somerset County into what it is today. What an awesome opportunity, but unfortunately it is in turmoil because we are more fractured now than ever. 

When we hire someone to do a job, whether in the public or private sector, we expect positive results. As an organization we are bound then to evaluate that performance. Here is how I see the current performance review: 

• We have not won a county wide election since Mr. Howes took the helm. As a former countywide candidate under Tim and his predecessor, I can tell you my campaigns were night and day. I received no guidance, support or adequate fundraising from Tim and the results are clear.

• Mr. Howes did not file required ELEC forms for years. As a self-avowed election law expert, this is basic compliance to willfully ignore, repeatedly. 

• By not filing these forms, the organization is now facing the potential for more than $100,000 in fines. I’m not sure what plans are in place to address these massive fines that were self inflicted, and that the organization may be responsible for.

• During this period of failed election law compliance, Mr. Howes also significantly delayed paying multiple vendor bills. Why?

• Mr Howes has been censured by the NJ State Supreme Court on 3 separate occasions for unethical behavior. 

• For those that have disagreed publicly with Mr. Howes, he has targeted those individual county committee seats, dedicated Republicans, and ran people against them for no other reason than they were questioning direction of the SCRO. We are supposed to campaign against democrats, not our own team. 

• Mr. Howes has claimed a part of my Somerville Mayoral victory, yet he did nothing for my local campaign. He did not attend any events, and worked against me by not sharing any fundraising efforts with the county committee. How do you not support the retaking of the Mayor’s office in our County seat?!?!?  

4 years ago a new slate of leadership was presented a great opportunity. It is now our responsibility to evaluate that performance, and determine if it has been successful, or not.

In my opinion, we must do better, and it is now time for change.

I am supporting Tracy DiFrancesco to be our next County Chairwoman. 

Tracy has exhibited real leadership and has a plan to turn the SCRO around. She took Watchung from Democrat control to full Republican control and has proven that she can raise the necessary funds to support a winning campaign effort. She has put forth a clear plan for the SCRO that brings all 21 towns into the fold, not being directed by a chosen few. To win countywide again it will take a leader that wants to raise the tide for all Republican committees at the municipal level. 

Finally, in addition to once again electing Republicans at the County level, we desperately need to fix our broken county organization in advance of electing Somerset County’s own Jack Ciattarelli as Governor next year.