Hornik’s Republican Administration in Marlboro is Gopal’s top 2015 priority
Updated: Former Marlboro GOP Chairman Christopher Dean wants the world to know that Councilman Scalea was never a Republican and that he has proof from the Board of Elections. Dean says that MMM is spreading Mayor Hornik’s lies and that facts don’t matter on this site. He said he’s going to spread the word at some meetings he has coming up.
Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik
Desperate to be a player and for a victory of any kind, Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal told a gathering of statewide Democrats in Freehold on Wednesday evening that Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik’s reelection race is his top priority this year, according to report on PolitickerNJ.
Marlboro is a Republican town. Year after year the Township’s voters break for Republicans for Freeholder, County Constitutional offices, State Legislature, Governor, Congress, Senate and President.
Yet Hornik leads a municipal government that on paper is Democratic. The reality is that Hornik’s administration is dominated by former Republicans who left a dysfunctional local GOP at the mayor’s urging.
Hornik, whose father Saul was mayor of the community from 1980-1991, was first elected in 2007 in a race remembered for incumbent Republican Robert Kleinberg distributing flyers implying that he had been endorsed by NJ 101.5’s morning host Jim Gearhart. Gearhart and Gannett columnist Bob Ingle , then media leaders of the GRIP (Get Rid of Incumbent Politicians) movement, went ballistic on Kleinberg. Kleinberg imploded during a live radio interview wherein he explained the flyers were not meant to imply an endorsement, but as a way to show his kids that people were saying nice things about him.
But even without Kleinberg’s public embarrassment, Hornik might have won that race. A savvy politician like his father who, over the course of his career was both a Republican and a Democrat (according to his Greater Media obituary), the younger Hornik came to power by recruiting the best talent of both political parties in Marlboro to join him for the good of the community. He crippled the Marlboro Democratic Organization by starting his own New Democratic Organization. Once he was the Democratic nominee for mayor in 2007, he recruited Republicans unhappy with Kleinberg to join him. Republicans for Hornik lawn signs dominated the Marlboro landscape during that campaign.
Once in power, Hornik, with his law partner and running mate Frank LaRocca, took over the Marlboro Democratic Organization and continued to recruit local Republicans to their team, dubbed LaHornicca by MMM. Rewarding both Democrats and Republicans with jobs and appointments, Hornik’s administration is now dominated by former Republicans. It’s not a matter of partisanship, Hornik frequently says. It is a matter of what is best for Marlboro.
The majority of Marlboro’s five person council is now former Republicans. Jeff Cantor, once a GOP nominee for freeholder, Carol Mazzola were both first elected as Republicans. Michael Scalea changed his affiliation to Democrat in order to be appointed to replace LaRocca who resigned his council seat and retired from politics to become an municipal court judge in Keyport.
Hornik, Scalea and incumbent Democratic Councilwoman Randi Marder will face Republican candidates who have yet to be announced by new Republican Chairwoman Selika Josiah Gore in November. Hornik and Marder will seek their third terms. Scalea his own first full term.
Honik was reelected with 70% of the vote in 2011. He has to be considered a heavy favorite to be reelected again in 2015.
That Gopal has declared Hornik’s reelection his top priority is good news for Republicans elsewhere in Monmouth County, particularly 11th District Assembly incumbents Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande and Red Bank Republicans who have an opportunity to turn take control of the historically Democratic stronghold with a sweep in November.
More from my site
3 Former Republicans Vying To Replace LaRocca On Marlboro Township Council
Hornik will seek fourth term as Marlboro mayor
Mazzola Met With Bennett Before Switching Partys
Winners and Losers of 2013, Part One
Marlboro Councilwoman Carol Mazzola Switches Parties
Municipal Races To Watch
Ethics Charges Dragging On In Marlboro- Marlboro Governing Body Condemns Congresswoman’s Anti-Semitic Remarks
- S&P rates Marlboro AA+
Marlboro Camp Counselor Pleads Guilty To Sexting With 4 Teen Campers
[…] Read the rest of this entry » […]
Marlboro once was a totally Republican town; however corruption with the Scannapieco administration single handily ended that. When Robert Kleinberg took over, he claimed he was the “corruption fighter” of Marlboro. As time went on, all he was revealed to be was a clown–hence the moniker “Clownberg.”
Clownberg, angered the members of the Marlboro Republican Club so much so, an internal revolt emeged–known as the Republicans for Hornik.
When Dean took over the reigns of the Marlboro GOP, who only made it worse. The Club–whatever was left of it–eventually broke up.
If Marlboro is the proverbial canary in the coal mine, this county is in for a rude awakening. Corruption flourishes. You have Golden who stabs beloved chairman Bennett in the back. You have every Republican senator of this county flip flopping on their Port Authority Bill—refusing to override the governor, I can go on and on.
As for Dean: Just go away. The both of you!
http://patch.com/new-jersey/marlboro-coltsneck/victoria-dean-remains-silent-future-plans-marlboro-boe-0
Is Chris Dean, the resigned Marlboro GOP Municipal Chairman accusing you of enabling Hornik by “spreading his lies?” and further stating “facts don’t matter on this site?” Could he cite some examples?
He has resigned. Under his tenure, Marlboro Republicans have lost every election. Perhaps he should just give it a rest!
@Question for Art
I gave up trying to understand what is between Mr. Dean’s ears a long time ago.
is Vin’s top priority, things are more incompetent and sad for him than originally thought: only a criminal indictment/ act of a God will defeat the smiling, ” you- know- I’m- really- a-Republican” Hornik.. Ms. Gore has her work cut out for her: we will see if there is some savvy and leadership, there-not an enviable task, to be sure.. what has bothered some is, several people who have run and lost pretty decisively from that town, still seem to expect (and get) positions and board appointments: one used to need to have won, or seriously helped to win, before the coveted, small amount of available rewards were given out..that is a puzzle.. while one can be comforted Vin seems to gave little to brag about, a big town like Marlboro needs to be worked hard, in order to start to turn things around- otherwise, Jon -and-co. are in, forever..
[…] previously announced candidates backed out? Has Vin’s announcement that Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik’s reelection race is his top priority discouraged Assembly candidates from making the sacrifice of running for office […]
The so called announced challanger of Hornik is a total unknown senior citizen.
He claimed he knows everyone in town but I have yet to meet any of them.lol
It may be that he is another place holder. A tactic that the Marlboro Republicans have tried before only to be swamped in the past.
The Republicans in Marlboro will continue to have a poor showing at the polls until they get rid of the Dean Playbook which has been a disaster and come up with some new ideas that actually will work.
The mantra of smaller government won’t fly because the government is smaller than any in recent memory.
To claim there should be more responsibility in spending, they need to come up with what programs they would like to see cut or increase user fees.
The list is endless
these days seems to be to tap into voter anger- about somebody getting too much, or someone not getting something: it works in a few places- oddly, Marlboro as a whole, at least those who came in the last 20 years or so, seems so glad to be out of whatever miserable, Dem city up north they came from, that, for a McMansion, some expensive new schools, and a few trees, they appear happy to be paying all the outrageous taxes that are our NJ reality.. for a pretty face, some smooth talk, and a dog park, they continue to self- inflict the pain largely lib,elitist rule gives.. Don’t see that changing any time, soon.
@ The only thing that works
Read the article, the Marlboro council were all Republicans. They left the GOP for a reason.
am talking about how to try and break through now.. Any taxpayer who isn’t angry right about now,is either rich or delusional.. The only thing to do in that town right now is point out where they are spending too much- are there too many friends on the payroll at town hall? How many get benefits? What does the mayor and council make?? It all adds up!!