After late internal negotiations by the Bergen County GOP, attorney John McCann has abandoned his bid to challenge incumbent state Senator Gerald Cardinale (R-39).

McCann had taken heart when he received the support of the Passaic GOP last month but found himself up against the cold reality of numbers in his opponent’s favor when he resoundingly lost the Bergen convention.

McCann agreed to back down following a meeting earlier today attended by the two principals, as the party prevailed on “gently trying to provide guidance,” in the words of one participant, to a party that appeared to be killing itself in sections.

In a turn-around later in the day, however, McCann said reports of his demise were premature, and vowed to fight on. More later.