Champions of the 2020 Election: Monmouth County Edition
By Art Gallagher
The Presidential election is still being litigated, yet in Monmouth County, NJ where it took 10 days to count and report 97% of the ballots in the unprecedented paper ballot election ordered by Governor Murphy, the Monmouth County Republican Organization has scored huge undisputed victories. The Golden Era in Monmouth County continues stronger than ever.
Congressman Chris Smith and Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon are stand outs this election season.
Champion
Christine Giordano Hanlon performance in her role as Monmouth County Clerk was truly remarkable.
Confronted with predictable chaos due to the unprecedented and confusing nature of the election procedures ordered by Murphy, Hanlon, through guided voters through the confusion so successfully that an extraordinary 80.34% of registered voters cast a ballot.
By contrast, Middlesex County reports a turnout of 62.19%, Ocean County, which has not updated its results since November 7, reports a 73.61% turnout. Mercer County reports a 63.98% turnout as November 13. Union County reports a 62.86% turnout as of Sunday, November 15.
Hanlon managed her multiple challenging roles of Clerk, Candidate and Party Leader with integrity and grace. Monmouth County voters of all affiliations recognized her talent and dignity, rewarding her with a 20% margin of victory and almost 214,000 votes counted so far.
Hanlon will be widely considered as the Republican candidate for Lt. Governor next year and for Secretary of State should a Republican defeat Murphy in 2021.
Champion
Congressman Chris Smith will become the longest serving member of Congress in New Jersey history when he is sworn into his 21st term in January.
Smith won the majority in all three counties in his district, Monmouth, Ocean and Mercer, after narrowly losing in Democratic Mercer in 2018. He currently has 59.77% of the votes reported in his district compared to 38.38% for Democrat Stephanie Schmid. Smith will probably exceed 60% easily when Ocean County reports its provisional and late arriving ballots. The Ocean County Board of Elections shut down last week due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
Smith is famous for providing extraordinary constituent service and then turning those solutions into legislation and policy that benefits all people.
Campaign season is not exception for Smith when it comes to serving people. The week before the election, a constituent who had seen Smith’s TV commercials touting the difference he made saving lives during the first COVID-19 called his office for help for a friend with the virus who was in a Jersey Shore hospital and not doing well. Smith and his top aide stopped campaigning to fight for the life of his constituent.
Doctor Richard Horowitz tells the story of Smith’s heroic efforts with first hand knowledge:
I feel inspired to write a blog this am, which I would like to entitle “What it truly means to be a public servant”. It…
Posted by Dr. Richard Horowitz on Monday, November 2, 2020
I would like to share a quick update on the COVID studies and blog I posted a few days ago. Congressman Chris Smith, as…
Posted by Dr. Richard Horowitz on Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Smith and Hanlon have demonstrated extraordinary service in the face of very challenging circumstances this year. We are fortunate to have them working for us.
More from my site
Hanlon’s App Gives Voters Easy Access To Election Information
Hanlon will seek second term as Monmouth County Clerk
May 12 Municipal Elections Will Be Vote By Mail Only
Republican Freeholder candidates are pulling ahead in Monmouth County
Congressman Chris Smith has raised $730K for his reelection bid- Vote By Mail Procedures Changed: Confusion, Outrage and Accusations Likely On Election Day
- Hanlon Launches Election Education Website
NJ Division of Elections transferring voters calls to 83 year old widow’s home phone- County Clerk Reminds Voters about the New Vote by Mail Law which will affect the November General Election
- Hanlon: Nationwide Election Results Could Be Held Up By Murphy’s Vote By Mail Law
The Freeholder seats were much tighter than expected, should be a wakeup call. Also, do not understand the Hanlon as Lt Gov narrative, literally no one knows who she is outside of Monmouth. Shaun will wait til 25 to run, no one wants to deal with this messy COVID clean up.
Buck, no one outside of Monmouth County knew Kim Guadagno before Christie tapped her.
Kim had a much higher profile due to her being Sheriff and a prominent attorney who was well known throughout the state. Try again.