THE CONVENTION

The Monmouth County Republican Convention was held earlier today at Freehold Township High School, attended by over 400 people. The official Party endorsements were given for the 2014 candidates.
Congressman Chris Smith was given an acclamation endorsement in the Fourth Congressional District. Hari Eppanapally having withdrawn his name from the race, Anthony E. Wilkinson in the Sixth CD was also given an endorsement by acclamation.
Four U. S. Senate hopefuls participated in the convention; Richard Pezzullo, Brian Goldberg, Murray Sabrin and Bob Turkavage. Jeffrey Bell did not participate. Goldberg and Turkavage were eliminated in the first round of balloting. In the runoff, Pezzullo bested Sabrin for the Monmouth County endorsement.
For Freeholders, Director Lillian Burry and Deputy Director Gary Rich held off a close challenge by Howell Councilman and former Mayor Bob Walsh. After the winners were announced, Walsh endorsed Burry and Rich and urged all to get behind the slate.
The time is now to set our sights on defeating the Democrats this November.

2014 CANDIDATES

Let's start with the candidates for U. S. Senate, of which there are at least five vying to go against incumbent Cory Booker. We will start with the ones with a Monmouth County connection.
Richard Pezzullo is a resident of Freehold Township and was a Major in the U. S. Army Reserve. He has worked with the United Taxpayers of New Jersey.
Brian Goldberg of West Orange Township is a 1991 graduate of Freehold High School (he doesn't specify Boro or Twp.). He is general manager of the family business, Beyond Concrete, located in Old Bridge Township.
From Freehold we go all the way to Bavaria, where Murray Sabrin was born in Bad Wörishofen. Son of Holocaust survivors, the Sabrin family came to America while Murray was a small child. He is a resident of Fort Lee.
Former FBI agent Robert "Turk" Turkavage is a resident of Cranford Township and was an independent senate candidate in 2012 (the website is from his independent run, he does not appear to have one yet this year).
Although not as far away as Bavaria, Virginia has been the home of Jeffrey Bell since the early 1980s. He was the GOP nominee way back in 1978, having defeated incumbent Sen. Clifford P. Case in the primary; Bell was then defeated by Democrat Bill Bradley in the general. He ran against Rep. Millicent Fenwick for the 1982 nomination and was defeated, after which he moved to Virginia. He has rented a home in Leonia for this year's run.

For Congress we have more of a quandary. Congressman Chris Smith clearly presents no quandary. A proven vote getter, he is the dean of the New Jersey delegation and his stellar record on veterans issues and human rights is well known.
The Affiliated website lists two congressional candidates, both presumably for the Sixth District. They are Anthony Wilkinson and Hari Eppanapally. A search of their names is inconclusive. We found no reference to any 2014 congressional campaigns for either man. Anthony Wilkinson is a common name, and searching brings up thousands of results, and for thousands of people. Eppanapally is not a common name, and while searching his name shows his past connections with liberal Democrat Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, there is nothing to be found on a 2014 House run.
Advice to these guys: Get known. Get a website, and/or a blog. Reach out to party leaders as well as the rank and file.

Next, the Freeholder race.


UPDATE


Art Gallagher of More Monmouth Musings has picked up the ball and researched both Hari Epanapally and Anthony Wilkinson.

 

 

WHO READS THE MONMOUTH COUNTY REPUBLICAN BLOG? PALLONE.

    Last week we asked, "Who reads the Monmouth County Republican Blog?" The answer is, among others, Congressman Frank Pallone. Or, more likely, one of his minions.
    On Wednesday he was searching Monmouth County 287 (g) and found our July 2009 post on then-Sheriff Kim Guadagno getting the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office accepted into the Federal 287 (g) program. And today they were reading all about the fact that Frank Pallone ignored the League of Women Voters debate request.
    Keep reading, Frank. You might learn something.

FRANK PALLONE IGNORES LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS' DEBATE REQUEST

Press Release from Anna C. Little for Congress. Posted by Pat Iurilli.

 

HIGHLANDS, NJ, October 12 – Incumbent Congressman Frank Pallone has failed to respond to a request from the League of Women Voters to attend a debate with Congressional Candidate Anna Little on October 28th.

"The voters in the Sixth District should not be ignored," said Little. "I am disappointed in Congressman Pallone's decision to avoid a debate. Because of redistricting, voters in the newly drawn Sixth Congressional District who were not previously represented by Congressman Pallone deserve the chance to see the candidates who are asking to represent them in Congress side-by-side discussing their perspectives on the critical problems we face in New Jersey and the nation. As an almost-24-year incumbent,” continued Little, “Congressman Pallone may feel as though he doesn't need to participate in the campaign process, but I believe that voters in the Sixth Congressional District should not be taken for granted."

When requested to participate in the debate, Little immediately and enthusiastically responded that she would attend. Little said that she is ready and willing to discuss the issues that are important to voters in the Sixth Congressional District: Jobs, the Economy, Taxes, and the Health Care Bill. Congressman Pallone has yet to respond. His failure to participate could cause the debate to be cancelled.

"I welcome the opportunity to debate the issues with the other candidates at any time and any place,” said Little. “I question Congressman Pallone's resistance to participate. Why is someone who was elected to represent the voters afraid to face the voters in a debate? New Jersey’s unemployment rate has climbed to 9.9 percent, the highest since 1977. Almost 10 percent of homeowners are 90 days or more behind on their mortgage payments, the second-worst delinquency rate in the nation. Voters cannot afford to be kept in the dark on economic issues any longer. It is time to face the voters and have an open and honest dialogue about the issues that concern them. I stand ready to debate Congressman Pallone and I urge him to join the rest of us in this important discussion.”

If Congressman Pallone does not respond in the affirmative, the league of Women Voters will cancel the debate. If that should happen, as long as the venue is still willing to host the debate, it will become an open town hall-style meeting. Candidates for the Republican and Democrat parties in congressional districts 4 and 12 were also invited to participate in the debate, but as only one of those four candidates has responded, the League of Women Voters has decided that as of yet there is no cause to hold the debate.

The debate is coordinated and sponsored by the League of Women Voters and will be held on October 28 from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM at Temple Shalom of Aberdeen, 5 Ayrmont Lane at Church Street, Aberdeen, NJ 07747.

For more information about Anna Little for Congress, or to volunteer, please visit

www.annalittleforcongress.com.