Hackensack – Last night at Bergen GOP Headquarters, a raucous crowd gathered for the 2008 reorganization meeting.   Yet the question on all of the attendees' minds was "where is Kathe Donovan? Kathe Donovan, County Clerk since 1988, is the Bergen GOP's sole remaining countywide elected official.    She was embroiled in a nasty primary in 2006 with Todd Caliguire against the backdrop of an equally nasty Chairman race. 

Kathe Donovan is expected to be running for reelection.   Last night was the final meeting before candidates file to run.  So why where there no candidates?  And where was the woman who should be leading the ticket?  

Any GOP candidates now have 13 days left to file their letter of intent with the BCRO to run in the BCRO convention.  Yet we know only that Paul Duggan has submitted a letter for candidacy, though without specifying for what office, and that Bob Yudin is not running for freeholder as we have covered earlier.   We also have heard rumors that newcomer Chris Calabrese will be running for Freeholder.  Few know who he is.  

Yet no one knows what Donovan intends to do, and the clock is ticking.    Many said her absence was an insult to the party, and will certainly not serve her best interests.  

Perhaps Donovan may be considering flipping to the Democrats in order to keep her seat.    It is not an unheard of practice in Bergen County; Lou Tedesco flipped sides just a few years ago.  Lyndhurst Republicans on the Mayor and Council and nearly the entire county committee flipped as well.  Doing the same would nearly guarantee her continued Clerkship for a few more years.    And after all, as was pointed out to one of our reporters last night, "she is almost a Democrat already."

There has also been speculation that Donovan has been offered a judgeship position on the State Superior Court.   These rumors first floated in 2003, when Kathe began to build bridges with county Democrats. 

Donovan's acceptance of the Judgeship would allow Corzine to appoint an acting county clerk for the interim, thus giving the Democrats an incumbent seat to defend, rather then running an expensive campaign against an entrenched County Clerk.   This outcome would be a coup de grace for BCDO boss Joe Ferriero. 

Only the Bergen Senatorial delegation stands in the way of a Justice Donovan.  Specifically, one question is whether Senator Cardinale would approve of a Donovan appointment.  The second question is, with all that Ferriero would gain by Donovan's appointment, some in the GOP wonder if Senator rank and file Democrats call Grandma Norcross would approve appointing Kathe to the Superior Court.   

Ever since her divisive 2006 campaign, Kathe Donovan has had little to do with the Bergen GOP.  She has not even filed any campaign finance papers since the primary.  And many at the GOP meeting say she has no right to be bitter about 2006 since her candidate Ortiz was been elected Chairman. 

If Donovan has not yet filed by the Feb 2nd deadline, she will not receive the County line.  Donovan will almost be forced to go to the Democrats. But if they want her, remains to be seen. As for Ortiz, he seems to be finally reaching out to some of Bergen's inside crowd. 

The Chairman has begun a program of communicating with Municipal Chairs and elected officials on a weekly basis.  He has opened up the BCRO facilities, such as printers and copiers to any and all local races.   And they put some real effort into getting the backroom of the headquaters in order.  Actually, Mike Alfone actually did the cleaning.  Some said they hoped that Ortiz felt it just to compensate Alfone, given the stories we had heard about the level of filth in the building. 

Also notable was Congressman Scott Garrett's presence at the meeting.  Garrett took the stage with Ortiz and presented his update from Washington.  Their joint appearance allays some of the rumors of a pending feud between the BCRO and Garrett.   

We would like to have written more on the developments at the BCRO, but right after interviewing Paul Duggan and duly noting his positive thoughts on the night, we were rudely ejected by Jim Derrig and his wife Stephanie Colello, who informed us that Inside Bergen "skews everything."   (Are they friends with Senator Weinberg?)  This BCRO power couple's biggest claim to fame is helping the Edgewater GOP backed independent slate lose in a spectacular fashion.  While he was doing that Derrig also attempted to muscle Young Republican Chairman Vince Micco out of his position in the organization while Micco was away in Iraqserving his country.

In other news last night, Henry Wallace lost the battle of the Vice Chairs for Bergen Young Republican Chairman.  Wallace, vice chair of the Lodi County Committee, lost his Presidency to Gregory Lois, vice chairman of Ridgewood.  Some grumbled that this is an unfortunate happenstance, as Wallace is been a long-time BCRO loyalist.  Most have never heard of Gregory Lois.