In a preview of the gubernatorial primary and intensified pushing and shoving among Republicans as they try to rebuild in the aftermath of President Donald J. Trump, former Somerset GOP Chairman Al Gaburo emphatically objected to comments made earlier this week by State Party Chairman Doug Steinhardt.

“As a state committee person in Somerset, here’s the deal, Doug Steinhardt, either apologize to the Republican of the Somerset County Republican Organization who worked their ass off for Tom Kean and countywide candidates to be helpful – apologize or resign, period, because you can’t have it both ways,” Gaburo said. “You cant take credit for gains Republicans made last year and then not take blame for the shit show that happened in New Jersey this year.” Singling out and blaming county organizations is like a quarterback who fails to make plays blaming the team and not taking responsibility himself, the former ten-year chair added.

Trump lost New Jersey to Joe Biden by nearly 20 points, and Steinhardt, searching for a cause to the damage, engaged in a conversation with Save Jersey Editor Matt Rooney. The chairman acknowledged that Central Jersey and in particular Somerset County is becoming progressively more Democrat. Though he highlighted “bright spots,” including Bridgewater Mayor Matt Moench and Bernards Township Committeewoman Janice Fields. “Unfortunately it hasn’t shown itself at the county level,” said Steinhardt. “We need to be building parties all over, not having that support… makes it a little difficult [for failed 7th District congressional candidate Tom Kean, Jr.).

One of several Republican leaders eyeballing a gubernatorial run against incumbent Democratic Governor Phil Murphy next year, Steinhardt bewailed “way too many Republicans actively working against the president; prominent Republicans actively work against the president, which made a significant impact on Republicans.”

Gaburo backs Steinhardt’s rival, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-16), who has crisscrossed the state as a visible critic of the sitting governor, while connecting with rank and party Repuublican Party members.

“It’s tough enough with a million more Democrats [in New Jersey] when you have Republicans feeding it,” said Steinhardt, who hails from Republican Warren County in western New Jersey. “Problem number one is Republicans looking to undermine [Trump].”

Trump’s public detractors include former Governor Christie Todd Whitman, a Republican from Somerset who backed Biden for president.  But Gaburo said he voted for Trump – twice – and made no apologies for the efforts by the GOP in his home county. “Brian Levine, Frank Bruno and Brian Gallagher were the right candidates for Somerset,” the former chairman said of the countywide ticket. “The problem has been in the last handful of years [trends away from the party].” Gaburo said the county party organization has a history of cobbling together Republicans, suburban women and unaffiliated voters to get to 50% plus one, and this year they labored no less hard at maintaining a governing coalition.

“This is where I take issue with Steinhardt,” said Gaburo. “It’s easy to cast blame when you lose. [Sitting Chairman] Tim Howes did a good job of rallying the base. I’m the first one to give my successor all that credit. On the presidential front, there were issues there, particularly in suburban Morris, Monmouth and Somerset counties.

“Somerset is suburban New Jersey, and something else was going on,” he added. “Unless and until we figure out how to win suburban votes, and appeal to women and minorities, we won’t win. That’s where the party needs to be in New Jersey. We don’t live in Alabama or Arkansas. We live in New Jersey. Unless we’re going to embrace a candidate who can win, we’re not going to win. Do we want to have a next ten years of Pyrrhic victories or do we want to put together a governing coalition?”

Gaburo blamed Steinhardt’s team around Kean for not doing a better job, and bitterly resented Steinhardt singling out Somerset but for those “pockets” that happen to be his individual allies here.

“I have been a supporter of Tom Kean for 25 years,” Gaburo said. “I think Tom Kean is everything Somerset. The Tom Kean team, specifically Harrison Neely and Teresa Winegar, completely blew it. That was not the Kean brand. They let down the Kean brand. His campaign decided they were going in a different direction, so when the state chairman does an interview with Save Jersey and [disrespects] Somerset County and the county Republican organization, that’s offensive. These are the people who made the phone calls, wrote the letters, did the blogging. We are completely for Tom Kean, Jr.”

Gaburo said he did not appreciate Steinhardt picking and choosing based on where he believes he has support toward a gubernatorial run. “That’s not what the state Republican chairman’s job is,” he said. “The job is to represent all the counties, and all the candidates. But if you want to try to divide us based on where your support is, bro, bring it on. This is abhorrent. You should be ashamed of yourself. We support Trump in Somerset. He is the better candidate, by far, than Biden. Not even close.  We’re not going to win the governorship with someone who wants to cater to those counties where he thinks he has support.”

Sources expect Steinhardt to resign anyway as he likely prepares to formally tackle a 2021 gubernatorial run. In addition to Steinhardt and Ciattarelli, look for a possible self-funder to job into the fray. At least one enduring wing of the party continues to scour for “a Bob Hugin type” to run against Murphy. Whatever happens, the Steinhardt v. Gaburo atmosphere signals a steep departure from 2017, when Gaburo stood by Steinhardt for state party chairman (one of a handful of county chairs to do so) when then Republican nominee Kim Guadagno threw him under the bus. It also is a sign of the coming very animated and out in the open statewide tussle of Steinhardt v. Ciattarelli.