Attorney [bubbleLink text="Fernando Alonso" id="alonso"] will not pursue the [bubbleAutoLink text="chairmanship of the Bergen County Republican Organization" id="26850"] (BCRO).

"I spoke to members of the BCRO who encouraged me to run for Chairman and for that I’m grateful of their trust," Alonso told InsiderNJ.

"I want the party to be unified without further fighting and vendettas with fractured groups," he added. "After talking with many I see that staying in the race will only further the discord among groups even if I win. I’m hoping that younger people get involved in the party and take leadership roles to make the party a winning organization again."

Alonso's announcement leaves former [bubbleLink text="Hackensack Mayor Jack Zisa" id="zisa"] in the contest to succeed sitting BCRO Chairman Paul DiGaetano.

[bubbleLink text="Kelly Langschultz" id="lang"] of New Milford may challenge Zisa, a Bergen source told InsiderNJ.*

*Editor's Note: Langschultz is backing Zisa, she told InsiderNJ.