Last night, long-time Bergen County Clerk, Kathe Donovan, announced her candidacy for the County Excecutive position before a packed house at the BCRO (see video of Miss Donovan's announcement below). The context of the night was one of "unity" and Donovan's message was couched in rhetoric of fiscal responsibility. 

Of course, all that "unity" really means is putting aside principles. And Donovan's message of fiscal responsibility belies her record. Quite frankly, I was a little surprised to see such enthusiasm in the room for her candidacy this evening. But then again I think the Bergen Republican Organization suffers from the same malady afflicting all too many Republican organizations across the country - a win at any cost mentality. R over D seems to be all that matters.

Of course, there is a certain amount of irony in BCRO Chairman Bob Yudin endorsing Donovan. While their personal animus appears to have been put aside, it wasn't that long ago that the BCRO itself lambasted Donovan's record. Back in 2006, when Donovan was trying to wrest the nomination for County Exec from Todd Caliguire, the BCRO issued the following scathing press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: DANIEL MILLER // 201-394-7641

MEMO

To: Bergen County Republicans
Fr: Bergen Republican Victory 2006
Re: Whitman protegee Kathe Donovan's liberal record

Dear Fellow Republican,

There are many reasons we belong to the Republican Party. One of the most significant is the shared belief that taxes are too high. Sadly, Whitman protegee Kathe Donovan doesn't think so. Through the course of 20 years in politics and over a dozen campaigns for public office, Ms. Donovan has compiled a record of supporting higher taxes, in addition to other liberal positions that we'll touch on later.

Any Republican interested in lower taxes should know that during her two decades in politics Donovan has supported:

Higher income taxes
Increased gas taxes
Increased corporate taxes
Increased fees on air travel

In fact, Kathe Donovan is so liberal that she allowed Steve Rothman to run as the fiscal conservative, while she ran as the socially progressive Whitman Protegee. That's right. Kathe Donovan ran so far to the left that Steve Rothman was able to label himself as the conservative when he beat her for congress.

Think about it, the same Steve Rothman who has compiled failing grades from taxpayer and conservative groups such as the National Taxpayers Union, Americans for Tax Reform, Taxpayers for Commonsense and the American Conservative Union for his liberal voting record actually beat Donovan by running to her right!

In fact, according The Record, "Kathleen Donovan and Democrat Steve Rothman, the two major-party candidates for Congress in the 9th District, are so close on the major issues that it's difficult to tell them apart."

The New York Times hailed Kathe Donovan as the "socially progressive Republican" running against the "fiscally conservative Democrat." No wonder they endorsed her!

In an election year wrap up about the stunning failures of what he termed "the media's favorite moderate," Fred Barnes wrote the following with regard to Christie Whitman and the candidates she backed: "In the district vacated by Torricelli, Republican Kathleen Donovan, a protegee of Gov. Christie Whitman, won the endorsement of the New York Times. She described herself as a social progressive who's pro-choice, pro-gun control, and pro-environmental protection. Also, she played up the fact that she's a single mother with an adopted child. Donovan's campaign manager labeled her 'the right fit' for the district. She lost by 11 points." (The Weekly Standard, 12/2/96)

In the coming weeks, we will lay out the truth about Kathe Donovan's recklessly liberal record, a record that includes support for higher taxes, fiscal mismanagement, ineptitude and the misuse of taxpayer funds.

Of course we expect Donovan and her merry band of Whitman RINOs to attack us for going negative. Nothing could be further from the truth. All we are doing is informing our fellow Republicans as to which candidate represents the failed Whitman wing of the party. Unfortunately for Ms. Donovan, the fact remains that there is nothing we are pointing out about her record that the Democrats won't. In fact while we will lay out her record in a factually correct manner, were she to win, the Democrats would twist her record to make it seem even worse.

To optout please send an e-mail to OptOut@TheTruthAboutKathe.US

Please forward this e-mail to any Reagan-Republicans you know.

Paid for by the BCRO.

And during their fierce battle for the nomination in 2006, Caliguire exposed Donovan's big spending at the Clerk's Office.

"She can blame the Democrats if she wants, but the truth is that Kathe Donovan continually overspends her budget no matter which party is in control of county government," said Caliguire. "She is a free spending liberal, not a fiscal conservative. Giving Kathe Donovan the reins to county government will be just as bad as having Dennis McNerney as county executive. There will be no difference and no relief for taxpayers."

Now, this is the person the BCRO is endorsing to be the top dog of Bergen County government. One wonders, just what has changed about Donovan's record? What has changed that should lead Bergen Republicans to suddenly think she would govern any differently than she has run the County Clerk's office?

From speaking to a few people, I believe the 180 degree turn on Donovan's candidacy is attributable, at least in part, to the incoming Governor. After losing out on the Lieutenant Governor's spot, it's likely she sought Christie's support for her County Exec candidacy. And at a recent "victory breakfast" here in Bergen, Christie was preaching unity at the BCRO. So, logically, Chairman Yudin was likely under a lot of pressure to make amends and accept the Donovan candidacy.

Regardless of the political machinations behind the BCRO endorsement of the Donovan candidacy, the bottom line is the party is supporting someone who for all intents and purposes is a Democrat. A Donovan victory next November would be a nominal one at best.

Bergen Republicans owe it to themselves, and to the people of Bergen County, to find a better candidate. Because the candidate they are asking us to support is no better than the one who was selected last year in upsate New York. 

Cross-posted at Garden State Patriot.