Lonegan Endorses Byrne and Penna for State Committee

New Jersey Republicans Need More Energy from Leaders Willing to Fight

New Jersey – Steve Lonegan, the godfather of the conservative movement in New Jersey, announced his endorsement of Michael D. Byrne and Sue Ann Penna for Republican State Committee in Essex County.

“I can think of no two candidates better suited to stand up to cancel culture, marxism, and the woke radicalism of today’s Democrat Party,” Lonegan declared.

Citing the pair’s fearless commitment to conservative principles, policies, and candidates, Lonegan said the New Jersey Republican State Committee would get a much needed shot-in-the-arm with their election.

“Mike and Sue Ann have demonstrated unwavering fortitude in the struggle for the soul of our Party,” Lonegan said. “They have been on the front lines in fights for life, religious liberty, the second amendment, medical freedom, lower taxes, fewer regulations, sound money, voter integrity, and America First immigration policy.”

Lonegan said Essex County Republicans can trust Byrne and Penna to fight for them just as they fought for him.

“Every time I took on the Never-Trumper types who refuse to fight for the right to life, the second amendment, election integrity or any other crucial issue where Republican leaders go soft, Mike and Sue Ann were there to help me.”

In particular, Lonegan said Byrne’s track record fighting for the right to life and tackling voter fraud is exactly what New Jersey Republicans need right now. “Mike Byrne served as the National Director of Catholic Engagement for our Party and he has been a leader combatting voter fraud in states across the country including for President Trump’s 2016 campaign.”

Penna’s record of accomplishments building the Tea Party movement in Essex County, fighting for the Second Amendment, and most recently resisting mask mandates is second to none, according to Loengan. “At a time when establishment republicans are more interested in cutting deals with liberal democrats, Sue Ann’s fearlessness in fighting for our individual rights is desperately needed.”

ABOUT
Steve Lonegan is the owner and proprietor of Lido’s Restaurant in Hackensack. A former three term mayor of Bogota, he has rightly been called the godfather of the conservtive movement in New Jersey. During his career, Lonegan took on and defeated schemes to approve borrowing without voter approval, a proposal to fund risky and unethical fetal research. He was the Republican Party’s standard bearer in the special election for United States Senate against Cory Booker where he turned a 35 point deficit into a 10 point race in a matter of weeks. In 2015, Lonegan organized the Jackson Hole Summit in Wyoming bringing together scores of conservative leaders in monetary policy and media to rebut the fiat monetary policy of the Federal Reserve. In 2016, he was a national surrogate for presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz before enthusiastically endorsing President Trump.

Michael D. Byrne has been a conservative leader and committed Republican since he could walk. As a child, he distributed campaign literature for Ronald Reagan, Tom Kean Sr. and Pete Dawkins to name a few. On the eve of the 1993 gubernatorial election — at the tender age of 14 — he appeared on the front page of the Star-Leger above the fold with Sen. Bob Dole, Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytain, and a then-conservative candidate who would go on to win the gubernatorial race the following day. Since then Byrne has worked for conservative leaders and conservaitve causes across the country most notably serving as election integrity leader for the Republican Party in New Mexico in 2008 and 2010 as well as in Ohio in 2012, Steve Lonegan’s Campaign Manager in 2013, Col. Rob Maness’s Campagn Manager in 2014 (Louisiana), Marco Rubio’s National Director of Ballot Access in 2015, President Trump’s Election Day Director in New Hampshire in 2016, and National Director of Catholic Engagement for the Republican National Committee in 2018. From 2010-2019, Byrne served as General Chairman of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee in Newark and he currently serves as President of the One Hundred Club of Montclair.

Sue Ann Penna, founder of the Essex County Tea Party, and has been championing conservative causes for over 10 years. She has worked on campaigns for conservative candidates Steve Lonegan and Ted Cruz, as well as running for office herself. She hosted podcast “Common Sense NJ” as well as having written bi-weekly columns championing conservative causes for local news outlets.