Bob Hugin and Rich Pezzullo
Rich Pezzullo declared that he would suspend his candidacy for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate if Bob Hugin, the recently retired Executive Chairman of Celgene Corporation becomes a candidate.
Speaking to several hundred Monmouth County Republicans at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner, Pezzullo, of Freehold, said, ” I actually like the guy and trust him to advance our agenda vigorously and fearlessly. I encourage him to quit waffling and get into the race.”
“Bob is knowledgeable about the issues facing us and has a commitment to service that carried him as a Marine to missions on distant shores, as a banker to stoke the engines of our economy and as a leader in biotechnology who took action to save lives and bring miraculous treatments to families around the world. I actually like the guy. I know why he earned all the promotions is his life. – He gets the job done.
So here we are – staring at a chance to take down Bob Menendez and elect a Republican for the first time in generations.
“I will have no part in tearing down our best chance to defeat Bob Menendez”
“My objective is to defeat Bob Menendez, Pezzullo said in a phone interview with MMM. “I don’t have to be the tip of the spear. An expensive primary where will exploit our candidates’ weaknesses would be counterproductive, especially this year when we’re looking to unseat flawed incumbent like Menendez.”
Hugin retired from is position of Executive Chairman of Celgene, a Summit, NJ based global biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer and immune-inflammatory related diseases, on February 5. He attended the Lincoln Day Dinner accompanied by former Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno. He is expected to declare his candidacy for U.S. Senate within the next few weeks.