WEEKEND RANDOMNESS

A top Monmouth County news item this past week was the flipping of former freeholder candidate Jeff Cantor, who put his knees in the breeze, cowboyed up and rode a donkey into the sunset world of the Democratic Party. We're not yet sure whether that move now makes him a former county commissioner candidate.
I had intended to write a post on this subject, but Tom DeSeno at the Jersey Shore Blog wrote about everything I would have, so I held off. I posted a comment on Art Gallagher's More Monmouth Musings where I offered some opinions on the subject. (Read Art's posts here and here.) In the end though, it seems that the flip is just the result of a local split in the Marlboro GOP.
Which is why I was intrigued by some comments on Art's blog, particularly "There are problems with many local GOP organizations. That is why many rank and file are giving up."
Our local situation in many towns is a bit soft. There is a disturbing amount of infighting in many towns and it favors the Democrats. Places like Marlboro, Howell, Manalapan, Holmdel and Wall are too big to concede to the other side. Gone are the days when we could win with the votes of Middletown and Wall, and neglect the rest of the county.
Some are blaming Chairman Joe Oxley, but this is a problem that has been festering for many years, at least as far back as Bill Dowd's chairmanship. During that time, the Democrats were building local organizations and getting stronger (often with wheeled bucks), while our priority was reelecting Harry.
This problem did not develop under Oxley's watch, but it has been thrown into his lap. Joe needs to grab this bull by the horns before it sinks our great party once and for all. And you local people: Joe cannot solve this problem alone. It's time to put egos aside, because that's where these local splits begin, pull together, and work for the common good.

MAYHEM IN MARLBORO

UPDATE!!!

Barry Goldwater at The Voice of Reason has offered a rebuttal to the below account. In fairness to all involved, I recommend reading his post. Simply click the linc.

*****

This just in.
Our sources report that at a recent Marlboro Republican Club meeting, County Chairman Adam Puharic walked in, along with an as yet unidentified woman who had not been to a club meeting in some time. The woman proceeded to criticize the club's president, Captain Shital Rajan and call for his resignation.

Captain Rajan has been identified with the Republicans for Hornik faction, which backed Democrat Jonathan Hornik for mayor over the Republican incumbent, Dr. Robert Kleinberg. Hornik overwhelmingly defeated Kleinberg, sweeping in two Democrats for Council as well. The split in Marlboro, the New Howell, is said to have cost Jeff Cantor the election for freeholder.
Voices in the crowd then criticized the woman for her absence from Republican Club meetings. Others then questioned who Puharic was, to which Puharic replied, "I'm your Monmouth County Republican Chairman who just won one seat!"
This was met with catcalls of, "You mean you just lost one seat!" This was apparently in reference to Jeff Cantor's narrow defeat by Democrat John "Flippy" D'Amico.
Puharic is said to have left the meeting at that time.

LUCAS & LITTLE WIN!

No, sports fans, you're not reading a draft from last year's election. Mayor Andrew Lucas of Manalapan was reelected to the Township Committee along with his running mate Susan Cohen, overcoming both an independent candidate and a local party split to defeat two Democratic opponents. And in Highlands, Freeholder Anna Little handily won election as that borough's next mayor, defeating a Democrat, an independent and a write-in candidate backed by Middletown Republican Judith Stanley-Coleman. Earth to Judy: While Highlands may be somewhat surrounded by Middletown (Sandy Hook is part of Middletown.), it is not a part of Middletown, having seceded many decades ago. Butt out.
Election night was, all in all, not too shabby for Monmouth County Republicans.

Stick a fork in him. He's "Well Done."

That's right. Assemblyman Sean Kean coasted to victory over former assemblyman, former freeholder and all-around supporter of curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton, John "Well Done" Villapiano; Dave Rible and Mary Pat Angelini defeated the other two Democratic johns in the 11th District.

Back to the Christmas tree farm, Ellen!

Jen BECK! romped to victory over incumbent Democratic Senator Ellen Kärcher. Kärcher was rocked by ethical questions about her Camden County connections and her property's farmland assessment. Desperate, she went viciously negative against BECK! and that was all she wrote. Democratic assemblyman Mike Panter will pant no more in Trenton; he and his running mate Amy Mallet having been bested by Declan O'Scanlon and the underestimated Caroline Casagrande. The 12th District thus returns after a brief hiatus to the G. O. P. column.

13th an easy GOP win.

In the 13th District, Sen. Joe Kyrillos soundly defeated Democrat Lenny "ELEC" Inzerillo for another term representing that district. Inzerillo's campaign was known for the pink placards pasted to his posters promoting pandering points. (Like that? I wish I thought of it before the election!) Assembly members Amy Handlin and Sam Thompson crushed Democrats Pat Walsh and Robert Brown, keeping the 13th solidly Republican.

Had Enough?

The voters in the 30th District clearly spoke that they had had enough of the Trenton Democrats and their games and defeated the Democratic ticket of Steven Morlino for senate and Jeffrey Williamson and Sharon Atkinson for assembly. Sen. Bob Singer and Assemblymen Ron Dancer and Joe Malone soundly defeated the Democrats. The 30th, like all districts representing Monmouth County in Trenton, will be solidly Republican.

County to remain under GOP control; Silent Steve silenced

In the county races, we won at least three out of four, with Jeff Cantor's race up in the air. Kim Guadagno was elected Sheriff over Democrat Jack Hill. She will become the first woman to hold the Sheriff's office in Monmouth County. In 2008, all Monmouth County Constitutional officers will be women.
County Clerk Claire French roared to victory over Amod Choudhary of Colts Neck for another five year term. Claire has run the Clerk's office in a modern and professional manner, and will continue to do so.
On the freeholder level, things were closer. Freeholder Rob Clifton was high vote getter. For the second seat, John "Flippy" D'Amico (A supporter of curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton from way back.) right now holds a razor-thin edge over Jeff Cantor. This should be decided once provisional ballots are counted; Jeff's a good guy and hopefully he can pull it off. "Silent Steve" Schueler was low man and will definitely not be a freeholder. Shows what silence can do.
As we get more information, it will be posted. We'll probably also talk about the towns, too.

FLIPPY AND SILENT STEVE

Today's Asbury Park Press editorial endorsing Democratic candidates John "Flippy" D'Amico and Silent Steve Schueler for Freeholders is true to form. Blast the Republican candidates for the past actions of the late Harry Larrison and his cronies, and praise the Democrats as reformers. Don't forget to throw curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton into the mix.
A look at the Democrats' ELEC reports shows, as in past years, a bevy of attorneys and labor unions as contributors. And remember, like Alice in Wonderland, the Democratic Party is a place where wheeling is not wheeling.
They have even "beLittled" Jeff Cantor with, "Cantor, who has the least experience and seems to have the weakest grasp of the issues among the candidates, doesn't appear ready to step up to the freeholder board yet." Come on. That's just like their "we're dubious" comment about Freeholder Anna Little last year. Cantor has basically followed Little's lead on reform issues.
Their bringing up Carton in particular falls flat. Rob Clifton alreday has voted no on Carton's appointment, and Cantor has vehemently said that he should go. On the other hand, Flippy has hedged on Carton, and Silent Steve has been, well, silent. This blog has reported that D'Amico back in 1988 not only voted for Carton's appointment, he sponsored the resolution. You read it here first. And we have it on good authority that D'Amico and Carton maintain contact to this day, with Flippy even a visitor to the curmudgeonly counsel's palustrine palace.
Flippy is the epitomé of Club Monmouth.
Although the Press' endorsements of Republican legislators was widely praised among G. O. P. activists, their freeholder endorsement falls flat. To read it, one would deduce that they had first made the decision to back Flippy and Silent Steve, then come up with reasons for it later.
The Press is in the business of selling newspapers. If they don't do that, they're out of business. Fair enough. But at least if you're going to make an endorsement, use facts and make it convincing.

UPDATE

Today's Press (Oct. 29th) endorses the Democrats for Sheriff and County Clerk, namely Jack Hill and Amod Choudhary, respectively. This makes for a complete Democratic endorsement on the county level.
The Press continues to dwell on a supposed Republican connection to a dead man, Harry Larrison, Jr., while ignoring documented Democratic connections to live people like George Norcross III of Camden County, Raymond Lesniak of Union County and others, as well as all the labor bucks rolling in.

SIGNS, SIGNS, EVERYWHERE!

We have gotten well into the time of year that campaigns are in full gear. That means signs, campers.

Our Monmouth County G. O. P. has always had a very efficient sign team, and this year is no exception. All over the county one may see the multicolored "Guadagno, French, Clifton, Cantor" signs on lawns and roadsides. (If you haven't gotten yours, call Republican Headquarters at 732-431-6664 and get one!)

Signs for our legislative teams are also appearing in their respective districts; the locals are getting theirs up in the towns. (If you think Howell is quiet, it's because they have no seats up this year. See Manalapan.)

The Democrats have been a tad slow on the uptake this year when it comes to signs. One month out from the general election, we have not seen any Democratic county signs. Their locals are up, as are the legislative candidates, but no county. [UPDATE! 10/10/07: Earlier today one lonely "Hill, Choudhary, D'Amico, Scheuler" sign was spotted on Crine Road in Colts Neck. All by its lonesome.] This does not mean that they have no campaign, however. We have it on reliable authority that their sheriff candidate, Jack Hill, sent out a mailer recently. This piece aroused the ire of postal workers due to its large size and slick texture; a darker side to it was the fact that several postmen received paper cuts from the Hill piece.

Democratic 13th District Senate candidate Leonard "ELEC" Inzerillo got his signs out in the Bayshore this weekend; this appears to have been done separately from his Assembly candidate running mates as they do not appear on his signs. It does not appear that Union County's goose-stepping, Oompa-loompaesque publisher James J. Devine is involved in the 13th District campaign this year.

Last year there were the "Republicans ♥ Barbara McMorrow" signs, this year we have the "Republicans for Hornik" (Democratic Mayoral candidate Jon Hornik) signs in Marlboro. These appear to be the result of a party split (Brought to our attention by Barry Goldwater at The Voice of Reason.) in the Marlboro G. O. P. relating to Mayor Robert Kleinberg. So far we have no names, but it appears to be actual Republicans who had a falling out with the mayor. It is our understanding that this group includes some long time party members. Hornik's father, the late Mayor Saul G. Hornik, was a longtime Republican who then switched parties in his first term. The signs do not list a treasurer's name, just paid for by Republicans for Hornik.
Note to Republicans for Hornik: The time to oppose a Republican candidate/official is in the Primary. The Primary, people. Don't promote the Democrats.
Im Marlboro, who is paying for something is always important to know, and it'll be interesting to see just who is funding this operation. If anyone has any info on this, let us know.

Finally, we are told that Mayor Andrew Lucas of Manalapan (Who should have been elected Freeholder last year!) tied the knot this past Saturday. We wish the Lucases much happiness in their marriage!

CANTOR NOT FOR CARTON

"Judging from his history, he's been extremely insubordinate and quite frankly I don't know what value he brings to the county."
...Freeholder Candidate Jeff Cantor, speaking of curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton.


In what the Asbury Park Press calls a "schism" among county Republican leaders, Freeholder candidate Jeff Cantor has joined Freeholders Rob Clifton and Anna Little in distancing himself from curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm V. Carton. I don't so much see it as a schism as the new generation of G. O. P. leaders asserting themselves.

Cantor, who is showing himself to be a real stand-up-guy, has previously supported Little's call for term limits and rotation of the Freeholder Directorship.

Democratic candidate and former Freeholder John D'Amico, a longtime supporter of Carton, hedged, "He's got two years to go on his appointment. If we're elected, we're going to review that position and all the open positions that come up."

Of course.

D'Amico sponsored the resolution back in 1988 appointing Carton. You read it here first. Over a year ago. Nice to see that the Press reads the Monmouth County Republican Blog.


Interestingly, it appears that an April prediction on this blog is coming true. Malcolm is an issue in this year's campaign, but not in the conventional sense. That being that the belligerant barrister presents a conundrum as an issue, in that he would appear to have more support from D'Amico and the Democrats than from the Republicans. That support may work both ways.


Although Carton has, as D'Amico said, two years to go on his appointment, as I've said before, he should leave. Now.


Read more at More Monmouth Musings and Monmouth Bull Moose.