Winners and Losers From the Freeholder Election

Winners

Serena DiMaso. In her third try for the office, Monmouth County’s new freeholder was victorious by a wider than expected margin.  During this campaign, Serena revealed a dignified strength and tenacity that had been missing from her earlier bids.

Joe Oxley. The chairman who had done away with conventions due to the chaos and deep divisions that often resulted, lead the county party in an orderly and adult gathering that left the party stronger.

Peter Doyle.  The previously little known West Point graduate, a councilman from a small town (only 8 committee votes in Atlantic Highlands) introduced himself to the county as a strong leader with a bright political future.  He exceeded expectations with his third place finish and is considered a front runner for future county or state vacancies.

Bob Walsh.  The Howell Mayor ran a positive, passionate and clean campaign.  His concession to DiMaso during the first few moments of the second ballot vote was the right thing to do for party unity. 

“I treat people the way I’d like to be treated,” Walsh said in an post election interview,  “Serena won, it’s a simple as that.  She worked hard and ran a clean campaign.  She’s a wonderful woman who has my complete support as a freeholder and in the coming election in November.”

Tom Fitzsimmons.  The Matawan councilman and political consultant managed a positive campaign for DiMaso. He proved to be the best vote counter and bs detector in the field.

The Monmouth County Republican Party.  The days of a raucous divisions are certifiably behind us.  The party produced four very qualified candidates, elected the best, and left the convention unified.  Worries of having a quorum present proved to be unjustified as 487 committee members showed up to preform their statutory duty.

Monmouth County Residents have an outstanding Board of Freeholders.

Holmdel Patch provided accurate and timely coverage of the election which is syndicated throughout Patch’s other Monmouth County sites.

Losers

Ryan Green.  The Manalapan Committeeman didn’t realize that, like Doyle, he was never going to overcome the countywide support that DiMaso and Walsh had built in previous runs for the office.  Doyle got it in the last week of the campaign and kept building relationships for the future.  Green threw an ill advised Hail Mary pass with his 11th hour press release bashing DiMaso.  DiMaso intercepted the errant pass and ran it back for a touchdown, leaving Green and Manalapan Chairman Steve McEnry, the advisor, damaged.  Rather than leaving this campaign with a base to build on going forward, Green finds himself stuck in a hole that McEnry let him dig.  Green was slated to be Mayor of Manalapan prior to entering the freeholder race. Now he’s an ambitious committeeman who has been publicly chastised by a newly elected freeholder for breaking the “11th commandment.”

Steve McEnry.  See Ryan Green above. Manalapan has 52 county committee members.  Green only received 39 votes total.  An embarrassing failure for the Manalapan Chairman.

Jim Giannell. The Kingmaker’s winning streak has been broken.  After his candidate, Walsh, conceded, Giannell graciously passed the mantle to Fitzsimmons.

Monmouth County Democrats.  DiMaso was not the candidate they were rooting for.  Regardless of who their new chairman is, Vin Gopal or Frank “LaHornica” LaRocca, they will be hard pressed to field a competitive slate this year.

The Asbury Park Press.  As of 5:25PM they still have not reported that Monmouth County has a new freeholder.  APP has made no mention of the special Title 19 election since Christmas Eve.

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Freeholder Serena DiMaso

Freeholder Serea DiMaso embraces Freeholder Director John Curley seconds after she is sworn into office. Curley and DiMaso, who challenged each other for the 2008 Freeholder nomination, will be running mates this fall.

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Walsh withdraws, backs DiMaso

Five minutes into the second ballot voting, Howell Mayor Bob Walsh withdrew his candidacy and requested that the convention support Serena DiMaso.

Freeholder-elect for a minute Serena DiMaso is about to be sworn in by County Clerk Claire French.

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First Ballot Results

County Clerk Claire French, right, Hedra Siskel, Supt of Elections, center and Bertha Sumick, Deputy Clerk of Elections, double check the tally

Serena DiMaso: 243

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Nominations and Voting

Former Howell Mayor Joe DiBella nominated Howell Mayor Bob Walsh.

Manalapan Municipal Chairman Steve McEnry nominated Manalapan Committeeman Ryan Green.

Former Assemblyman Steve Corodemus nominated Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle.

Senator Jennifer Beck nominated Holmdel Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso.

The voting has begun.

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We have a quorum

Colts Neck- The majority of Monmouth County Republican County Committe members are present at Colts Neck High School for the Title 19 convention to elect Assemblyman Rob Clifton’s replacement on the Board of Freeholders.

Chairman Joe Oxley announced that there are “at least” 487 comittee members present.  386 would have been a quorum.

We will have a new Freeholder today.

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Adam Geller: Menendez is Corzine like vulnerable

Prominent Republican pollster and FoxNews analyst Adam Geller says that today’s FDU poll which has U.S. Senator Robert Menendez beating either Republican State Senator Joe Kyrillos or former Highlands Mayor Anna Little by a 43%-31%, is very bad news for Menendez.

In a memo to the Kyrillos for Senate Exploritory Committee obtained by MMM Geller said:

The takeaway from today’s FDU poll is Bob Menendez is very vulnerable and this is a real opportunity for a good candidate to defeat him. Any incumbent under 50% is in trouble and Menendez is under 45%, which means he is in major trouble.  That is Jon Corzine territory

Joe Kyrillos, even though not yet a candidate, would make a very strong opponent for Menendez because of his personal and fundraising base and his consistently strong fiscally conservative voting record in New Jersey.

I would also note that only 28% of voters think the country is headed in the right direction. That is a terrible number for an incumbent arguing that he ought to be re-elected. 

The bottom line of this poll is that if Joe Kyrillos were to jump into this race, Bob Menendez is in serious trouble.
 

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Ryan Green Takes A Shot At Holmdel Township Committee

Serena DiMaso fires back

Manalapan Township Committee Member Ryan Green, a candidate for Freeholder in tomorrow’s Title 19 election, has taken the gloves off in what until now has been a clean and collegial intra-party contest.

Green issued a press release late last night criticizing the Holmdel Township Committee for considering selling land, including land purchased with Green Acres dollars, to close a budget deficit.  Green based his criticism upon a January 6 article in the Holmdel Patch.

Holmdel Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso is competing with Green, along with Howell Mayor Bob Walsh and Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle for the freeholder seat vacated by Assemblyman Rob Clifton.

“To learn that the Holmdel Township Committee would consider selling one of our most valued resources in Monmouth County, open space, is very disappointing. I have a strong record of preserving open space, as I believe it improves our quality of life. I will never support selling any of it,” Green said.

Green said he believes very strongly that when governing bodies purchase land, especially with Green Acres funding, it should be maintained as open space. He said he has been a leader in preserving open space in Manalapan since joining the Township Committee.

He is also concerned that selling land, as the Holmdel Township Committee is considering doing, is a short-term solution to address Holmdel’s looming budget deficit.

“In order to address budget deficits, we need long-term solutions. We need to prioritize what services are being provided, reduce spending, and find new shared services agreements that can save taxpayer dollars. Once that land is sold, it’s unlikely that Monmouth County will ever get it back,” Green stated.

DiMaso shot back, “If  we sell, it would be 10 acres of a 400 acre facility to a soccer academy. It will be deed restricted for recreational use, so it will remain open space, and its use will not change. The sale will have Green Acres approval.”

“The Plum Lane property that Ryan ‘read’ about was not purchased with Green Acres money. It was donated to the Township and is surplus land.”

“If Ryan wanted to engage in a genuine debate about open space, why wait until the 11th hour with a press release? I saw Ryan on the campaign trail three times this week. He has my number and my email. He could have brought this up anytime. This type of last minute distortion is very disappointing coming from a so called Republican. Maybe Ryan’s ambition and NJEA DNA is more dominant in his character than his status as a Republican, especially one who promised to run a positive campaign.  If he broke this promise to a fellow Republican, what promises will he break to the Monmouth County taxpayer? ”

Update from Ryan Green:

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Walsh Campaign Announces Endorsements From Singer, Kean and Rible

Howell Mayor Bob Walsh announced today that the 30th legislative district team of Senator Bob Singer, Assemblyman Sean Kean and Assemblyman Dave Rible have endorsed his candidacy for Freeholder.

The announcement can be viewed here.

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Curley will not endorse a Freeholder candidate

Freeholder Director John Curley is not taking sides in the campaign for Assemblyman Rob Clifton’s seat on the county governing body which will conclude on Saturday with the Title 19 convention of Republican County Committee members at Colts Neck High School.

“We have four very strong, smart and articulate candidates,” said Curley, ” I will be proud to serve with and run with whoever the party gives me on Saturday.” 

The successful candidate on Saturday can be sworn in as Freeholder upon resigning from their current office.  The new freeholder and Curley will be the presumptive GOP nominees for this fall’s election.

Curley said he expected the election to be a close contest to Holmdel  Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso and Howell Mayor Bob Walsh.   He said he is impressed with both Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle and Manalapan Committeeman Ryan Green, both of whom are making their first bid for county office.  “We’ll be hearing from then again,” he said.

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