Ann Estabrook Drops out of NJ Senate Race!

Monmouth County, NJ - Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate Anne Estabrook released the following statement today:

It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I announce my withdrawal from the race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.

On Monday morning, at approximately 7:45 a.m., I noticed in the mirror that the left side of my face was drooping slightly and that I was losing control of my left arm.

Some of you may know these are the early symptoms of a possible stroke. I was driven to the emergency room at Monmouth Medical Center by one of my staff and after several hours of testing, the doctors confirmed that I had suffered a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or mini-stroke.

Thankfully, the initial assessment is that I have not suffered any long term consequences as a result of the attack. However, the bad news is that once the condition presents itself, there is a high likelihood it could happen again.

As important as it is to me to stay in this race, I am, unfortunately, all too familiar with the seriousness of this particular condition. While many of you may know I am a widow, you may not know that my late husband, Ken, passed away as a result of a stroke that happened on a Sunday morning with not a single warning sign.

Make no mistake, until Monday I was ready to fight for the Republican nomination and the chance to defeat Frank Lautenberg. I have never backed down from a fight and I am convinced we would have been successful.

This was an extremely difficult decision for me to reach, but I know it is the right one for my family, myself, and our Party.

I would like to thank everyone who has given me support, the county and local Republican organizations who have endorsed me, and the volunteers who have made phone calls and gotten petition signatures, and worked to help my campaign.

I know that our Party will be successful this fall and I will do all I can to assist whomever the eventual Republican nominee is.