Unanue ends N.J. Senate campaign

The sputtering campaign of Goya Foods' millionaire Andy Unanue came to a halt yesterday when he pulled out of the Republican primary for U.S. Senate and gave his ballot spot to former U.S. Rep. Dick Zimmer, a Washington lobbyist.

In a statement, Unanue said: "I have no regrets."

From the earliest moments of his campaign, Unanue was slashed by critics in both parties, who pointed out that he lives in New York and had pleaded guilty in the past to driving drunk. Some claimed he seemed uninterested in the race because he did not cut short a family vacation in Vail, Colo., to campaign.

As Unanue's campaign unraveled, Republicans tried to field a replacement for him, turning to John Crowley, another young millionaire. Crowley, 40, whose money comes from biotech startups, mulled it over, but even the subtle urging of GOP presidential candidate John McCain could not coax him into the race.

The cash-strapped party's rush to find a rich candidate began when millionaire developer Anne Evans Estabrook dropped out of the race after suffering a minor stroke.

Now, Republicans have Zimmer as a big-name candidate.

Party Chairman Tom Wilson said Unanue's campaign manager, Mark Duffy, filed papers with the state to substitute Zimmer for Unanue on the ballot.

As a result of the substitution, Zimmer will inherit Unanue's slots on county ballots around the state. Zimmer did not return calls for comment but he issued a statement saying, "This is a critical time for the people of my home state and for all Americans. We need to strengthen our economy, keep our families safe and meet our challenges around the world. I am running for the United States Senate to ensure that New Jersey's future is one of opportunity, affordability and hope."

Zimmer is a lobbyist and former congressman who has run for U.S. Senate before. In 1996, Democrat Robert Torricelli beat Zimmer by 10 points to replace the retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley.

At $19 million, that race was one of most expensive in the country at the time and one of the nastiest. Zimmer attacked Torricelli as an ethically challenged liberal extremist and Torricelli hammered at Zimmer for supporting former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's policies and opposing gun control laws.

Zimmer, of Delaware Township in Hunterdon County, went for a comeback play for his House seat in the central Jersey swing district against Democrat U.S. Rep. Rush Holt in 2000, but Holt prevailed by just 101 votes.

A Yale-educated lawyer, Zimmer, 63, is of counsel to the Washington firm of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Zimmer hails from the party's moderate wing, which successfully elected Christie Whitman and Thomas H. Kean Sr. to the governor's mansion. But no Republican has won a U.S. Senate seat in the state since 1972.

He begins his battle by inheriting Unanue's party support in some of the state's strongest Republican machine counties, including Burlington, Ocean and Monmouth.

But he also has missed a round of fund-raising. Wilson, however, said Zimmer's "zeal for fund-raising is legendary. This is a man who would sit at a phone for four hours a day dialing away and talking to people and asking for the order - not just sitting on the phone and gabbing."

In the primary, Zimmer faces two candidates who have already been running around the state, raising money and building support.

Murray Sabrin, a Ramapo College professor, fielded a slate to run against the machine candidates in Ocean County and called for Wilson to resign.

State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, a Morris County dentist, is considering suing Zimmer or Unanue or whomever it takes to keep Zimmer from running.

His campaign manager, Dan Gallic, said yesterday: "I don't believe that the Unanue candidacy was properly petitioned, because I question whether he really wanted to run or not."

Unanue, 40, was not available for comment yesterday.

A member of the family that founded Goya Foods, Inc., a nightclub owner and venture capitalist, Unanue said in his statement, "I have concluded that my extensive business commitments along with new business opportunities that have recently presented themselves would prevent me from dedicating myself fully to a statewide campaign."

Republicans aren't the only ones whose heads are spinning this primary season. Democrats were shaken up April 2 when U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, a Camden County Democrat, decided to leap into the Democratic primary against incumbent U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg.