State Committee Seats To Be Contested At Monmouth GOP Convention
Incumbent Christine Hanlon is being challenged by Eileen Kean of Neptune Township for a two year term on the New Jersey Republican State Committee.
The Committee is comprised on one male and one female from each New Jersey county. The members are elected by Republican voters in the June primary. Primary challenges are rare with the members typically being chosen by the County Committee.
Hanlon and her fellow State Committee Member John Bennett squared off in the race to replace Joe Oxley as Monmouth Republican Chairman last June. Bennett prevailed by 3 votes out of 615 cast. Since then, Hanlon has been the consummate team player. She is an attorney with Archer & Greiner’s Shrewsbury office, serves as the Deputy Municipal Attorney of Tinton Falls, the Atlantic Highlands Prosecutor and a Commissioner of the Monmouth County Board of Elections.
Kean, the sister of Assemblyman Sean Kean, is a lobbyist with Komjathy and Stewart. She is president of the Neptune Township Republican Club.
Bennett, who is treasurer of the State Committee, is not seeking a new term.
Middletown Municipal GOP Chairman Peter Carton and Howell Municipal Republican Chairman John Costigan are facing off to fill Bennett’s seat.
The nominations will be decided by ballot during the Monmouth Republican Convention, Saturday morning March 23 at Colts Neck High School.
Bayshore Tea Party Group co-founder Bob Gordon told MoreMonmouthMusings he is considering a run for the committeeman seat in the June 4 primary.
More from my site
Eileen Kean pulls out of State Committeewoman race. Endorses Costigan for Committeeman- Bayshore Tea Party Wants Bennett To Change The By-Laws
Bayshore Tea Party Group Co-founder Speaks Out About Monmouth GOP Convention, Publishes The Candidate Speech He Didn’t Get To Deliver
Carton Withdraws From State Committee Race
“An Amazing Moment” 
Negative Campaigning: The Monmouth County GOP Chair’s race, Part 5
Bennett responds to the Soprano State anonymous mailer
Monmouth GOP Unity on display in Tampa
Costigan exits on a high note
Bennett’s Victory
Kean supported Bennett. Hanlon has been a team player and worked well with Bennett. Why would Kean’s sister challenge Hanlon? to Carton v. Costigan that’s easy. Peter Carton is the consumate profesional. He gets my vote.
As a state Committeewoman. As this article states, Christine has been a team player since losing to Bennett.
Christine did the job, winning a huge plurality for Christie last time around and did pretty well for McCain as well.
Why change out someone who has been successful for an unproven person in the GOTV field. We have to pick one as a successor to Bennett, so why have two unproven State Committee people at such a critical time, what with Christie’s campaign on the horizon.
I see this as a Bennett power move for the sake of power and that is not making me happy.
see Carton’s entre into the race as another slap at Bennett for beating Hanlon last year, and for flexing the muscle of the largest town. Costigan has been a hardworking, grassroots party supporter, all over the county, for all the GOP candidates, for many years, while Carton rarely strays out of Middletown. Costigan has diligently worked for, and deserves the slot.
as another promise made and kept by the Chair. By- laws, no county contracts, Bd. of Directors, good fundraising record, and giving up the State Committeeman slot, which he’d likely have won,had he done as some title-addicted folks and run for it again. Of course, he’d probably prefer a supportive Costigan,rather than a not-so-much Carton, but the c.c. vote will tell. And, a little healthy competition won’t hurt the process for either seat. Keep people on their game,and hopefully focus on the party, not just their own ambitions.
I believe that Ms. Kean was president of the Neptune Club four years ago.
And Some says Pete Carton rarely strays outside of Middletown.
Excuse me, but what town keeps providing huge majorities for Monmouth County Freeholders, other Monmouth County office holders and Senator Joe Kyrillos, Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, and now that he’s in our district, Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon?
It happens to be Middletown.
I have known Peter Carton for a long time, and I know how hard he works, not for himself, but for the GOP in the municipality, in the County and in the State. His tactics, his foresight and his accomplishments on behalf of the party make him the premier choice for State Committee.
The best thing about Pete is that he gets many diverse people in the Party to work together on individual tasks with the sole intent to win elections and present to the voter a unified front and a political party that truly does represent and listen to them.
Pete Carton will serve Monmouth County well on the State Committee, alongside Christine Hanlon, another great GOP worker and leader.
“Bd of directors” – really? That is a good thing? Barbara G – need I say more.
Forgive me, but would you enhance your cryptic message for this I can not understand
the rest of the well-intentioned and loyal Republicans who are pleased to serve on the Bd. of Directors? Y’know, you childish losers could be given a title,paying job, free money for your local towns, and free tickets to every event,and nothing would be enough for you, because you,or your personal fav lost. Grow the heck up, participate in a postitive way, stop criticizing while you do zip for the effort, and give credit where due, instead of acting like spoiled babies! You are frankly obnoxious,and it’s really tiring!
Has been a longtime Republican activist, fundraiser, and grassroots worker, in her town and for the county and legislature, and put her name on the line, in one of our toughest towns,for township committee,too. How many of you critics have gone the extra mile and put yourselves out there as much? Always easy to pick on someone, with no correct info, and just griping, trashing, and sitting on the sidelines!
It’s sure easier to be a Middletown Republican than a Neptune one. And really? Nothing for himself? Stop! Ask how many government,no-bid, professional appointments and jobs his firm has, in this county,and all over the state. At least be honest: the man has done exceedingly well for himself over many years in the public domain!
John Costigan is totally unfit and unqualified to be a state committeeman. He is a decent guy but not qualified to lead. He’s an embarrassment to Howell and a poor chair with no relationship to the Howell elected officials. Peter Carton will crush him.
Herein lies a major problem we have in our RINO-laden party: why shouldn’t a hardworking grassroots person with a lifetime of service to the party not have a chance for the title? Personally, am proud to vote for other than self-serving lawyers, for a change!
he is far from a saint and very untrustworthy.
@Oh please, why don’t you compare apples to apples, as in being a Republican in Howell and Middletown as they are both candidates for the male slot.
About Neptune, when was the last time those Neptune Republicans won anything? At least our town and other Democrat towns win a Republican seat once in awhile.
I would venture to say that Ms. Kean is not actually a qualified grass roots activist as she seems to have done nothing to help Republican win in her own town since she herself ran and lost there.
Carton & Hanlon is the only way to go.
I love this sh*t
That’s what you think. Well, there’s 52 other towns that are weary of the strong-arming for jobs and committee appointments, and everything else out there, by some of you. It’s great to have the votes from a largely white , upper middle class town, sure. But the “we’re better than everyone else” attitude is certainly wearing,for many years. You have no idea how hard it is to beat the union knock -and -drags,and mind- numbing Dem campaign tactics an urban or very diverse town org. has to deal with, so stop putting others down . If I recall, Costigan gave Oxley quite a scare for chair a couple of years ago, too.
Middletown is roughly 10% of the county’s population, no? It would make sense that there would be county employees and appointees from the town. But are 10% of the department heads Middletown residents? Is Middletown over represented on boards and commissions?
Please be specific.
As far as elected goes, only John Curley and Rosemarie Peters are county level elected officials and John moved to Middletown from Red Bank.
As someone from a small town, I never feel that any Middletown elected officials or employees are demeaning to my town. On the contrary, they have been helpful and generous with their resources and expertise.
I think this whole “Middletown envy” thing is something that a few from a small town invented to increase their own power base..disproportionately.
So who’s on this Board of Directors? Trying to find that information on the county website but there’s nothing. The Dems website has their executive board with bios
They also have a senator, an assembly person, and always demand the freeholders put them on the non-paying boards, committees and commissions, it’s been going on for years. Whatever, it seems like interesting timing this gubernatorial election year,that an older lawyer from a big , statewide law firm , suddenly at the 11 th hour, decides to run for that state title.. Methinks he would be pleased for the Gov. To see him at a few mtgs.in Trenton, where he can lobby for more public jobs, but then, why should we “follow the money”,it’s always about “serving the party first”,right? – Don’t be so naive. There’s a bridge we can sell ya in Brooklyn, too.
John Costigan who goes around calling everyone “Dr” would be an embarrassment in the state GOP committeeman seat.
He is well known for getting Democrats to run against Republicans in his own town and creating animosity internally within the party.
As much as the Howell Republican Committee would love to see him gone, like they got rid of him in Hazlet, it would be a disservice and distraction to the party.
Christine Hanlon has earned her way and deserves the party’s support.
Oh come on yourself!
Is there a waiting list to serve in these unpaid boards and commissions? That Middletown residents want to serve should not be disparaged.
Have the guts to compare Costigan to Carton instead of your racially charged anti-Middletown drivel. As Art often says, name any town in New Jersey that is run better than Middletown.
Carton’s record as Middletown Chair is extraordinary. Even after bid rig, he managed to keep control. Middletown Republicans run hard every year and they are never lacking for campaign cash. Middletown Democrats are funded by the union thugs you reference and they are a nasty dirty bunch. Peter’s team runs hard against them every year, even when it is obvious that the competition is weak.
Costigan, as hard a worker as the old guy is, has a record as a divider, not a uniter. Even his golden boy Joe DiBella came onto this blog and said he should not be a State Committee person.
Costigan holds a grudge. He lost control of his town to Bobby Walsh’s Independents and wouldn’t accept Walsh’s olive branch of unity, even when DiBella begged him too.
Costigan couldn’t get DiBella the Freeholder nomination in 2006, being outsmarted by Giannell and Popkin who saddled us with Anna Little and Andrew Lucas…the biggest non-bid rig embarassments in Monmouth GOP history.
Costigan challenged Oxley in 2010 because he didn’t like how Oxley nominated Chris Christie in 2009.
Costigan supported Steve Lonegan over Christie in 2009, even after the Monmouth GOP awarded Christie the line. Now you want to send Costigan to Trenton to join Christie’s team?
Peter Carton is not perfect, but he is a team player and a class act. He keeps his eye on the ball…winning… and doesn’t dwell on petty bs. He also throws a great party every New Year. 🙂
You go to a party. And, there is nothing racial about demographic fact. You know what various voter groups are, where they are living in larger populations, and also, statistically, just how they vote. It’s frankly that very self-important and humorless, snotty attitude that bores many,around the county. And, did you ever try and make sense of the rough world of Howell politics? It’s not for the faint of heart, both parties traditionally fight each other, all the time. And, isn’t Mr. Walsh back on the Twp. Committee, now? And for the record, Little started off well, it was Puharic and Barham who kicked her out for speaking up. And, for the record, Popkin never supported Lucas for either of his two nomination tries. It was her candidate,Wall, who stepped out that gave Lucas the first nomination, so at least be honest with your facts.
If your claim to fame is that you are a “grassroots” guy, great. But stay that way. No matter how nice you may be your presence seems to bring to mind my mom’s older brother who though he does not drink, always appears a little tipsy.
Is that the image we want to represent our County?
Also, when is working hard in school and getting a good education that takes you to the top of your professional field a bad thing?, Sounds like Obumer sound bites.
Listen, John you are a nice guy, but stay local, my uncles is a nice guy too, but there is no way I would let him be the spokesperson, representative from the family.