Backlash from Bennett’s “Endorsement”

Monmouth GOP Chairman John Bennett was apparently too enthusiastic in his use of language in the endorsement released yesterday from Republican leaders from Rumson, Shrewsbury Township, Eatontown, Oceanport, Red Bank and Tinton Falls.  In addition to the endorsement letter released to MMM, Bennett posted comments on his facebook page and in a email to County Committee Members to the effect that he had picked up the support of  “7 towns in the 2 Rivers area…. “

Eatontown’s GOP Chairman Richard “Duke” Robinson faced something of an uproar from members of his committee who support Sheriff Shaun Golden for Chairman.  Sources tell MMM that Robertson emailed members of his committee, explaining that he was very clear with Bennett that his endorsement was his personally, not that of the Eatontown Republican Committee, and apologizing for any “undue indigestion” caused by Bennett’s announcements.

In Tinton Falls, Chairman Sean Collins’ endorsement of Bennett prompted former Mayor Michael Skudera to come out of his brief retirement from politics by launching a last minute write-in campaign for County Committee and to issue an endorsement of Golden for Chairman. Skudera was appalled when he found out that Collins, and Bennett,  had let all but a handful of Tinton Falls Republican County Committee seats go vacant in the primary.

Dear Republican Friends and Colleagues:

It has come to my attention that a disappointing number of Republican County Committee seats in Tinton Falls remain vacant after we had worked hard to fill 20 seats just a few years ago, including in my own election district.

Accordingly, I respectfully ask for your support for Sheriff Shaun Golden for Chairman and my wife Nadia and me to serve as your Republican County Committee members for District 1 in Tinton Falls. You can simply write our names in on the Republican Primary Election ballot tomorrow, Tuesday, June 3rd. The polls are open from 6am until 8pm.

As Mayor and Councilman from 2005 through last year, I got to know the Sheriff well and know that he has the upmost integrity to serve the Republican Party in Monmouth County best. As Sheriff, he helped save Tinton Falls taxpayers millions through shared services, such as providing 911 emergency services for the Borough through county dispatch.

Shaun has been an early adopter of utilizing technology to reach out to all communities in Monmouth County and will use these skills and practices to help grow the Republican Party in Monmouth County.

I hope to see you on at the Republican County Conventionon June 10th to vote for Sheriff Shaun Golden for Monmouth County Republican Chairman.

Respectfully,

Mike Skudera

The results of County Committee races with write-in campaigns are not likely to be known until Saturday.

Bennett has not returned a call for comment.

“We had a great victory in Eatontown last November and I am proud I was part of it,” Golden said, “Duke as been upfront with me and I appreciate his leadership.  I look forward to working with Duke to get Dennis Connelly elected Mayor and Mark Regan and Donna Mazella-Diedricksen elected to the Council this November.”

“Mike Skudiera was a great Mayor and a great Republican leader in Tinton Falls, a non-partisan town.  It is great news that he is back in the arena.”

 

Posted: June 3rd, 2014 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: John Bennett, Monmouth County, Monmouth County Republican Committee, Monmouth GOP, Shaun Golden | Tags: Eatontown, John Bennett, Monmouth GOP, Monmouth GOP Chairman's race, Shaun Golden, Tinton Falls | 4 Comments »

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