By Steve Morris

Dark horse Senate hopeful Joe Pennacchio scored a huge victory on Thursday night at a meeting of the BCRO policy committee, defeating libertarian stalwart Murray Sabrin and the presumed frontrunner Anne Estabrook for the BCRO endorsement. 

This means that when the Bergen Convention for the coveted Organization line on the ballot comes around, Pennacchio's name will be listed with a "star" next to it, according to Chairman Rob Ortiz. 

Pennacchio's victory over Estabrook comes as a surprise, as Estabrook has had Bergen County in her sights for quite sometime and Sabrin is no stranger to Bergen GOPers.  Estabrook donated more than $6,000 to the BCRO in 2007, but apparently that wasn't enough to sway policy committee members to her side as she finished third in voting with a mere six votes, while Sabrin scored a respectable 14 and "Jersey Joe" garnered a strong total of 25. 

Pennacchio told those in attendance that "road to Trenton and Washington runs through Bergen," as he thanked his supporters. 

Later on in the evening, Ortiz declared the meeting an "introduction of bylaws" after dropping a fully revised set of by-laws on the unsuspecting county committee. 

Included in the revisions of the bylaws is the removal of a "technicality" which allowed former Bergen Chairman Guy Talarico to ramrod his slate of candidates through the nomination process, thereby preventing a convention contest between 2006 Bergen County Executive candidates Todd Caliguire and Kathe Donovan.  Without the vote of the full county committee Donovan and Caliguire were forced into a primary. 

As could be predicted members of the county committee raised catcalls at the introduction of the new by-laws. Many demanded that every county committee member receive a copy and Ortiz's staff quickly disseminated copies. 

In other events, Donovan is now running unopposed for County Clerk.  Although some had called for a primary against Donovan, stemming from the 2006 incident, the hard edges of the BCRO seem to have subsided and the Bergen GOP looks to be having a fairly peaceful year, especially with news that a fourth freeholder candidate withdrew their name from consideration.    Now the Freeholder backed ticket is Deirdre Woodbyrne and Jeff Heller.  Chris Calabrese wasn't endorsed, but is on the ballot.

Other candidates running on the BCRO line include Kathe Donovan for county clerk, Vince Micco for the 9th district congressional seat, and Paul Duggan for the unexpired freeholder position vacated by Connie Wagner.