Former Candidate Preparing To Challenge Golden for Monmouth County Sheriff

Dan Peters

Dan Peters of Middletown has twice in the past filed to run in the Monmouth County GOP primary for Sheriff.

In 2007, Peters filed petitons to run for the seat which was being vacated by Joe Oxley, but he did not meet the residency requirement for the office.  Monmouth Beach Commissioner Kim Guadagno was nominated by the GOP and was elected Sheriff.

Peters threw his hat into the ring again in 2010, mounting an unsuccessful challenge to Shaun Golden who had replaced Guadagno when she became Lt. Governor.

Peters created the Dan Peters for Sheriff facebook page on March 1, 2013.  It would appear that he is preparing to make another run against Golden.

Bayshore Tea Party Group co-founder Barbara Gonzalez would not confirm or deny that Peters has the group’s backing.  She offered to ask Peters to call MMM.

Sheriff Golden is unopposed for the Monmouth Republican County Committee’s endorsement which be be formalized at the GOP convention at Colts Neck High School on Saturday morning, March 23.

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Anna Little, David Corsi won’t be Tea Party candidates in GOP Primary

Photo credit: genehoyas.com

Since they formed in 2009, the Bayshore Tea Party Group has supported three campaigns that have defeated the Monmouth County Republican Organization in primaries.

Former Highlands Mayor Anna Little won the 6th Congressional District nomination twice.  In 2010 Little defeated the MCRO’s endorsed candidate Diane Gooch.  In 2012 Little defeated newcomer Ernesto Cullari.  Cullari had won the Monmouth Republican organization’s endorsement. Little won the Middlesex County Republican Organization’s endorsement and won the primary handily in both counties.  Little went on to lose twice to incumbent Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone.

Oceanport real estate executive David Corsi beat Princeton venture capitalist Scott Sipprelle in Monmouth County during the 2010 primary for the 12 Congressional District nomination.  Sipprelle prevailed on the strength of his support in the Middlesex and Mercer portions of the district.  Sipprelle lost to incumbent Democratic Congressman Rush Holt.

Both Little and Corsi were supported by BTPG’s grassroots activists.

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Gonzalez: “It’s very likely” that the Bayshore Tea Party Group will field a primary slate

Bayshore Tea Party Group co-founder Barbara Gonzalez said that the group has six candidates collecting signatures in preparation of filing for the Republican primary.

Three of the candidates are collecting signatures to run for the State Legislature in the 13th District against Senator Joe Kyrillos and Assembly Members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon.  Two are preparing to challenge Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso, and one is preparing to run against Sheriff Shaun Golden.

Gonzalez would not name the candidates, claiming that they have decided not to announce they are running until their petitions are completed and filed.  “April 1st will be here before you know it,” she said.

When told that a source told MMM that the group’s primary challenge had “fizzled out,” Gonzalez said, “You better get better sources!”

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Carton Withdraws From State Committee Race

Middletown GOP Chairman Peter Carton sent an email to his fellow municipal chairs and members of the Middletown Republican Committee this afternoon announcing that he is withdrawing as a candidate for State Committee.

 

Dear Republican Chairpersons of Monmouth County,

 

I hereby withdraw my name as a candidate to be the Republican State Committeeman for Monmouth County. I believe this is best for our party and County and for the successful election of Governor Christie, Kim, Serena, Tom, Shaun and all legislative candidates. Please let the members of your County Committee know of my decision.

 

I thank all who called or e mailed to offer support and to volunteer to call all county committee members in my election effort. I greatly appreciated them, had fun talking and corresponding with you and the other chairs and office holders with whom I have already spoken and look forward, as always, to working with all of you in this year’s election effort and after.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

pete carton

Carton’s withdrawal leaves Howell Republican Chairman John Costigan running unopposed for the party endorsement.

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Eileen Kean pulls out of State Committeewoman race. Endorses Costigan for Committeeman

Eileen Kean has withdrawn as a candidate for the New Jersey Republican State Committee from Monmouth County, leaving incumbent Committeewoman Christine Hanlon unopposed for the party’s nomination on March 23 in Colts Neck.

In a statement emailed to members of the Monmouth County Republican Committee, Kean called for party unity and then endorsed Howell GOP Chairman John Costigan for the male slot on the committee.  Costigan and Middletown GOP Chairman Peter Carton are competing to replace Monmouth GOP Chairman John Bennett on the Republican State Committee.

After much deliberation, I have made the decision to withdraw my name as a candidate for State Committee and support our incumbent State Committeewoman Christine Hanlon for re-election.  I believe this is in the best interest of the Monmouth County Republican Party and will continue the unification efforts of  Chairman Bennett.  I welcome the opportunity to serve and know that there will be future opportunities for me to contribute to the Monmouth County GOP.

I believe our Party is heading in the right direction under the leadership of John Bennett. Personal agendas need to be put aside and unifying the party is paramount.  Thank you for your consideration and please join with me in supporting Christine        Hanlon for re-election as Monmouth County’s State Committeewoman and John Costigan as Monmouth County’s State Committeeman.

EILEEN KEAN

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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.

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Bayshore Tea Party Wants Bennett To Change The By-Laws

Still won’t reveal their primary candidates names

Bayshore Tea Party co-founder Bob Gordon told MoreMonmouthMusings that he would recommend that the groups’s candidates for the Legislature from the 13th district, sheriff and freeholder not file as candidates in the June 4 Republican primary if GOP Chairman John Bennett would allow the candidates onto the March 23 County Convention ballot without having to submit the signatures required under the new by-laws to challenge incumbents.  He would not guarantee that the so far unnamed challengers would abide by the results of the convention and not file for the primary if they lose in Colts Neck on the 23rd. “That would be up to the candidates,” he said.

Gordan said that county committee members inclined to support the Tea Party challengers are reluctant to sign convention petitions for fear that they will be challenged in the next committee election in 2014.

The deadline to submit petitions for the convention ballot passed last week.  Primary petitions are due on April 1.

Neither Gordon nor fellow co-founder Barbara Gonzalez would name the potential challengers.  Gordon said that there is a full slate of candidates to take on Senator Joe Kyrillos and Assembly Members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon in the 13th district. On the county level, Sheriff Shaun Golden faces a challenge while Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Director Serena DiMaso may only have one challenger, if the candidates file.

Posted: March 12th, 2013 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2013 Election, Amy Handlin, Barbara Gonzalez, Bayshore Tea Party Group, Declan O'Scanlon, Joe Kyrillos, John Bennett, Monmouth County Republican Committee, Monmouth GOP, Shaun Golden | Tags: Amy Handlin, Barbara Gonzalez, Bayshore Tea Party Group, Bob Gordon, Declan O'Scanlon, Joe Kyrillos, John Bennett, Monmouth GOP, Monmouth Republicans, Serena DiMaso, Shaun Golden, Tom Arnone | 14 Comments »

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Christie to attend Monmouth GOP Convention

Monmouth County Republican Chairman John Bennett announced this morning that Governor Chris Christie will be on hand to accept the party’s nomination for reelection when the Committee convenes at Colts Neck High School on Saturday, March 23.

In an email to County Committee members, Bennett said that he was hopeful that all members would be able to join him in nomination Christie, Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno and all incumbent legislative and county candidates.

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Bayshore Tea Party Preparing Primary Slate for LD 13, County Offices

The Bayshore Tea Party Group is preparing a primary slate to challenge 13th district legislators, Senator Joe Kyrillos and Assembly Members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon, and county office holders, Sheriff Shaun Golden and Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso, according to the group’s co-founder Barbara Gonzalez.

Gonzalez told MoreMonmouthMusings that the group has six candidates who are clearing their potential candidacies with their families and employers.  She wouldn’t name any of the candidates but expects to make a formal announcement next week.  If the slate declares, they will bypass the Monmouth GOP convention on March 23 and file to run in the June 4 Republican primary.

Gonzalez said that former Highlands Mayor Anna Little, who twice ran and won in Congressional primaries with the group’s backing, is not one of the candidates.

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Democratic Freeholder Candidates Slam Lucas Farm Deal

The Democratic candidates for Monmouth County Freeholder are not waiting to get into campaign mode.

Brian Froelich and Lawrence Luttrell were endorsed by the Monmouth County Democratic Party last Saturday.  Today they issued a statement blasting the “all-Republican monopoly on the Freeholder Board” over the 3-2 split decision to pay Manalapan Township Committeeman Andrew Lucas $1.152 million for the development rights to his farm.

Froelich and Luttrell also promoted Lucas to a “GOP boss.”

 

“Once again, the all-Republican monopoly on the Freeholder Board has  exercised its power against the interests of Monmouth County residents,” said Froelich. “This time, the Freeholders granted a $1.15  million-dollar payday to one of their own in the guise of ‘farmland  preservation.’ Whether it is preservation bonuses, pension privileges,  or old-fashioned patronage, this Board continues to remind us that  absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

 

“Clearly, there is an apparent conflict of interest with this land deal,” added  Luttrell, a former prosecutor. “This November, Monmouth County residents will have a chance to elect fair-minded watchdogs that will restrain  this biased and unbalanced Freeholder Board. Shame on Freeholder Serena  DiMaso for voting to give taxpayer money away to one of her political  cronies. This needs to change in November.”

General election for Monmouth County Freeholder takes place Tuesday, November 5th.

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