Christie Whitman's daughter loses again

PEAPACK-GLADSTONE, N.J., June 2 (UPI) -- The daughter of former New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman lost a third effort to start a political career when she was defeated Tuesday in a local council race.

Kate Whitman, 32, came in third in a contest for two seats on the Peapack-Gladstone borough council, The Star-Ledger of Newark reported.

Whitman, who is married but uses her well-known family name, lost a Republican primary for Congress last year. She also made an effort to become a candidate for Somerset County freeholder, failing to get backing from a screening committee.

In Tuesday's race, technically the Republican primary in a town with almost no Democrats, Whitman received 302 votes to 361 for Katherine Howes and 357 for an incumbent, Michael Seboria.

Her mother, the last Republican to win a statewide race in New Jersey, defeated Gov. Jim Florio in 1993 to become New Jersey's first and so far only female governor and won a second term in 1997. She resigned a year before the end of her second term to join the administration of President George W. Bush.

Kate Whitman has said she is more conservative than her mother, who has become a spokeswoman for the Republican Party's dwindling moderate wing.