BRANCHBURG – New Jersey Republican State Party Chairman Doug Steinhardt this morning told Central Jersey Republicans that the Republican National Committee (RNC) sees New Jersey in 2018 as a key political proving ground.

“They see this as one of three top states they want to focus on,” Steinhardt told a roomful of GOP power brokers at a breakfast sponsored by the Somerset County Federation of Republican Women.

Steinhardt made his comments with reference to both the congressional races and to the U.S. Senate contest.

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) faces reelection this year with the encumbrance of the feds seeking to reopen a corruption case against him. When they tried the case last year, Menendez escaped with a hung jury.

The GOP sees opportunity, as talks progress concerning the potential statewide candidacy of Celgene exec. Bob Hugin.

Steinhardt ticked off the districts where national Republicans plan the placement of resources, including CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD7, and CD11.

The room included Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean, Jr. (R-21), Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick (R-21), Senator Tony Bucco (R-25), Senator Kip Bateman (R-16), Senator Mike Doherty (R-23), Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz (R-21), Assemblyman Tony Bucco (R-25), Assemblyman Erik Peterson (R-23), Assemblyman John DiMaio (R-23), former Assemblywoman Donna Simon (R-16), Somerset County Freeholder Director Pat Scaglione, Freeholder Pat Walsh, Freeholder Brian Levine, Morris County Freeholder Heather Darling, Bedminster Mayor Steven Parker, Bernards Twp. Committeewoman Carol Bianchi, and many others, all corralled in the room by ringleader Cathy Callahan.

They were there at the breakfast mostly to pay tribute to former Somerset County Freeholder Peter Palmer, roasted by Bateman and Walsh.