Conte and Doyle Are Running For Freeholder
Wall Township Mayor Anne Marie Conte
Wall Township Mayor Anne Marie Conte and Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle are candidates to fill the Freeholder seat being vacated by Freeholder Director Rob Clifton upon his swearing in to the State Assembly.
Conte and Doyle join Holmdel Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso and Howell Mayor Bob Walsh as candidates in the Republican County Committee election which will take place on January 14th. Both Conte and Doyle were reelected to their current offices earlier this month.
Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle
Doyle confirmed to MMM that he is throwing his hat in the ring, saying, “I think I can do a lot for Monmouth County.” Conte was not immediately available. Multiple reliable sources told MMM that she is “definitely” running. The sources said that Conte was running for the vacant seat at the urging of Freeholder Lillian Burry.
Burry confirmed her support of Conte. “Anne Marie is exceptionally competent and intelligent. I’ve been impressed with her enthusiasm and the job she has done in Wall,” said Burry, “she would make an outstanding Freeholder, but must first get through the process of the convention.”
The Monmouth County Affilated Republican Club’s website mentions Manalapan Deputy Mayor Ryan Green, Manalapan businessman Joe Ficalora, Keyport Chairman Bob Burlew, Hazlet Mayor Scott Aagre, and former Freeholder Bill Barham as possible candidates.
The County GOP’s official website has an announcement urging potential candidates to call Chairman Joe Oxley as soon as possible at 732-431-6664.
More from my site
Who Do You Like For Freeholder?
What do you want to know from the Freeholder candidates?
Ryan Green Takes A Shot At Holmdel Township Committee
No Speeches At Freeholder Election
Serena is the best choice for Monmouth County Freeholder
Curley will not endorse a Freeholder candidate
Kingmaker without a portfolio
DiBella Not Running, Strongly Supports Walsh For Freeholder- Freeholder Election To Be Held On January 14th
DiMaso To Enter The Freeholder Race
We’ll it is about time. This is the candidate mix we need. Some fresh faces. This likely spells the end for mayor Bobby Walsh from Howell. Thank goodness. All these fresh faces in the race will step up the competition and he’ll be stuck in the middle (or likely at the bottom). Hear at least one more big name is still to declare. The good news is that Bobby won’t be able to take the “Rocky” show to Freehold. Thank goodness we’ll all be spared the embarrassment.
Do we elect a man or do we elect a party? Why is a political party choosing a replacement and not all of the voters of Monmouth County themselves?
The emerging candidates make this a real race. We also need to elect someone with the proven track record of working with a team and helping their team. Let us consider this: Bob Walsh ran with Mike Howell and Angela Dalton. Howell resigned mysteriously mid term. Dalton was denied a chance to run for re-election after she changed parties to become a Republican. Both were Walsh picked. He ran two other candidates under his banner and put his name on the line. Both were crushed 3-1 at the polls. His latest hand picked council person just resigned mid term. He is a bad judge of who he surrounds himself with. When he sees trouble, he cuts and runs. Now imagine how he will pick people at the County level? Now imagine how he will work with other Freeholders? A fresh candidate from Wall or somewhere else is a safer pick. Leave Howell in Howell and the nasty baggage that coes with it. Just a bad scene and Bob is NOT what we need now to keep the momentum going. Bob should do the CC a favor and just step aside.
WHO? enuff said.
This hurts Serena as I believe in the past she had Burrys support. Although I am not sure how much Lillian’s endorsement actually helps as many rank and file I have spoken to are unhappy with her at the moment. Doyle may siphon off a few Bayshore votes that would have gone to Walsh but Atlantic Highlands has always been a bit of an Island in the Bayshore. Even though Wall is next to Howell I would have expected Wall’s votes to go to an establishment candidate so I would say Conte hurts Serena on that count. A big question is who will the big boy, that is Middletown, back at the convention . If Serena does not get their backing she has no shot. Walsh has been working on building support for a year and has made some key allies who can rally a lot of votes. Rumor has it that he has the quiet support of a majority of the Freeholder Board. Also if you recall the committee is now salted with a fair number of Tea Party Republicans who are not likely to take direction from their chairman very well and who will find Bob Walsh immensly appealing. I would peg Walsh as the front runner but Middletown could make it a close race with either Dimasso or Conte.
Walsh the front runner? Are you kidding? TR, good thing you are not picking the pony races at the track. Once you stack him up against candidates, its “game over”. A female candidate will get the nod. And many of us remember Walsh emphatically saying; “hey yo, I’ll never run for higher office. I am not going to use Howell as a stepping stone. I am never leaving this town. I am staying right here in Howell. I will never run for higher office.” Nice. What don’t you people see? Have you ever watched a Howell council meeting? OMG – imagine that in Freehold. Teddy will be sick over that one.
Response To We The People,
The voters do NOT elect a Freeholder at this point because it is post election and ONLY for the unexpired term.
Thus, it is the Republican County Committee members (elected by the voters every two years) who vote on the replacement. Whomever is elected by them will have to re-run in the fall of 2012 and then face the scrutiny of the voters directly.
If this were a Democrat held seat, they would by law do it the same way.
It’s sort of like a U.S. Senator leaving office mid term
This is not to take away from Conte’s credentials, but I wonder if in the long run, another Freeholder from South East Monmouth would be a bad move. Remember, Gary Rich out of Spring Lake was just elected this year.
Could there not be voter resentment in 2012 at TWO Freeholders from the same area of the County?
Just postulating.
Oh yeah; I have to believe Oxley (via Burry) pushed for Conte from Wall since he is their attorney; much like he did with Newberry.
Actually it would be three freeholders from the same family. Remember that Tom Arnone is from Neptune City – also a Southeastern Monmouth town.
Monmouth Girl,
It must have been one of those “senior moments” that caused me to to forget Tommy Aronone. 🙂
Truth Hurts,
The fact that you do not like the guy does not change the facts that as things stand he has the edge. Let me be clear my commentary is not an endorsement it is merely an analysis of who is likely to get the most votes at a convention. As it currently stands I think that is Walsh. that could change. Heck it could change at the convention if he gives a really bad speech. Your bad mouthing a candidate on this blog is not going to change how this shakes out. it is going to be about two things. Who controls votes they can bring to the table and who works the committee people the hardest.
TR,
While I agree with you that The Truth Hurts is “over the top” vindictive; I am not sure that I agree that Bob Walsh has the edge.
Is it because he ran last time? That doesn’t mean anything when new people are in the mix.
I will say this, I am NOT in favor of a THIRD South East Monmouth Freeholder. But, before I turn to Bob just because he ran once before and pulled out; I personally want to hear from a Bayshore or Northwestern Monmouth candidate.
I suspect (at least HOPE) other County Committee people are thinking the same way.
Just one man’s “Free Speakin'”
Mayor Serena DiMaso is my choice. With Director Clifton leaving that leaves the Bayshore without representation. Also, and not to be sexist but, I would like to see another woman on the board. After all we are 52% of the population.
this is a statutory process specifically spelled out on how to fill a vacancy: the party’s county committe must show up with a majority of elected members, and select the candidate to fill the seat, til Nov., then they have to run county wide, both this and next year, (as Rob had one year left on his term), so, “we the people” will vote for (any) two freeholder candidates we want,who are on the next two Nov. ballots.. it’s just how it works!..
some of us could get past the desire and tug-of-war for their own, personal “regional/town” representation: this county is an “at-large” county, meaning every one of the 5 freeholders has to seek and win votes in ALL 53 of our towns: that is, they each have to vote in the interests of ALL of us, no matter where they happen to live!..I believe Essex still runs in “wards”- that is, their county MUST be chopped up and candidates have to live in an area..but what happens if no one qualified from that region emerges??.. the other side wins, that’s what..( although, in all fairness it doesn’t really matter up there, they’re all dopey Dems, anyhow)..I believe it doesn’t matter the town somebody’s from, it’s the heart and commitment of the person, to running a half-billion dollar corporation with 3,000 employees, and 650,000 people to try and please! ..I think we actually have it better!
the “gender” thing: gosh, it’s 2011: I thought we were all about it being the qualifications/experience/vote-getting/fundraising abilities of each person?!..if we gotta have another female on that Board, ( we’ve had up to three at once in the past), then Ann Marie just did Bob a fav by “splitting” the vote of those women who worry about gender/only want a woman.. one would think that having many men and women electing the first all-female legis. delegation in the state in our d.11 this year, it would have debunked that “old” paradigm!
Let me address a few things.
Freespeaker, I think Walsh is the front runner not because he ran before but becuase of numbers. Conte and Serena are going to split Wall, Holmdel, Colts neck and by recent reports Middletown who is backing Serena. My sources say that Walsh will do well in western monmouth and the Southern shore section as well as RedBank. Giannell has allies in the Bayshore he will bring along. Walsh will also get about two thirds of Howell and anti establishment committee people wherever they might be. Though the Two rivers group is not what it once was Walsh will pick up some support there thanks to Giannell although I think Serena will make some inroads in that area.
Ocean and Oceanport not sure where they stand but if you made me guess I would say Conte in Ocean port and still no idea in Ocean. Finally Walsh has a battle plan and started executing it way ahead of the others.
I think the gender thing and the geographic thing have both been debunked at this point as having little impact in the general election. I challenge anyone to show me an example where that made a difference in a Monmouth County race. We need to stop focusing on things that don’t matter.
Finally let me repeat I am not a Walsh partisan. i would be happy with either Serena or Walsh. I’m just calling’em as I see’em. By the way there is a way to make all this endorsement stuff largly irrelevant and snatch the nomination. It has been done before. I ain’t saying what it is because that would take all the fun out of it
last night at the GOP holiday party, with over-200 folks attending, that Conte has possibly dropped out, which helps Serena.. look, all people mentioned so far, would be positive team-members for ths county, certainly we don’t want a Mallet back, or a “cute”, but lib mayor, instead!.. Dir. Curley is right when he says it will be tough in 2012, but all of them said last night they are willing to accept and work with whomever ultimately prevails: so, yay, team, let’s keep it that way, do what we think will win in Nov., and fight/ beat what will be a tough challenge!..
@TR
“By the way there is a way to make all this endorsement stuff largly irrelevant and snatch the nomination. It has been done before. I ain’t saying what it is because that would take all the fun out of it”
Now Stop That. Don’t Dangle Such Stuff In Front Of Us. I’ll Spend All Day Now Scratching My Head As To What You Mean