The Republican establishment may not be paying attention, but Mayor Anna Little's Conservative credibility continues to quietly pile up.

In a press release, Mayor Little picked up the official endorsement of the Conservative Party (NJ) today. The endorsement reads in part:

Chairman Steven Spinosa said that “Miss Little was the most impressive of all the candidates that spoke at the Americans For Prosperity Congressional Forum on March 27th, and is a perfect fit with the Conservative Party of New Jersey’s platform and principles.”

Conservative Party of New Jersey’s Executive Director & Vice Chairman Michael Illions said that it was a proud moment for the entire organization; “This is not an endorsement for the Conservative Party of New Jersey, but rather FROM the Conservative Party of New Jersey to all Conservative Republicans in the 6th Congressional District as they head into the voting booth in June. The only true Conservative running in this race is Anna Little and she deserves their support.”

The Conservative Party endorsement follows on the heels of last month's Saddle Brook straw poll at which Mayor Little took first place out of 14 participants with 272 points. The straw poll was sponsored by Steve Lonegan's Americans for Prosperity and the Club for Growth. Other candidates receiving strong marks were Alan Bateman, 139, (R-NJ4), David Corsi, 122, (R-NJ12) and Scott Sipprelle, 74, (R-NJ12). Mayor Little's opponent in the 6th District primary, Diane Gooch, did not participate in the forum.

A somewhat stark contrast has developed between the two Republican challengers vying for the opportunity to unseat the dreadful Frank Pallone in the 6th District. Ms. Gooch, well-funded but politically untested, is the top-line Republican nominee in both Monmouth and Middlesex Counties while Mayor Little, grassroots-fueled and a four-time election winner, has relied thus far on an expanding conservative volunteer base and endorsements from smaller but more principled organizations than the county selection committees.

It has been relatively difficult thus far to pin down Ms. Gooch on policy matters as her website is incomplete and her participation in conservative forums has been limited. By contrast, Mayor Little is unabashed in her Conservatism and she expresses such publicly with an aura of increasing confidence and expertise. With just a little over a month to go before the primary, it remains to be seen whether Mayor Little can harness the anger and frustration of 6th district voters securely enough to overcome Ms. Gooch's quarter-million cash on hand and top-line status.