Bramnick for Governor?

By Art Gallagher

Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso, Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon, “top contender for governor” Jon Bramnick and Freeholder Director Tom Arnone on the Walk to Washington train last winter.

The pre-primary of the 2021 GOP nomination for NJ Governor got a lot more interesting this morning.

In a Star Ledger Friendly Fire interview with Democrat strategist Julie Roginsky and Republican strategist Mike DuHaime that Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick shared on facebook, DuHaime declared Bramnick to be a “top contender for governor after a strong 2019.”

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S. Thomas Gagliano, 1931-2019, Rest in Peace

photo courtesy of the Gagliano family

Former State Senator S. Thomas Gagliano passed away last night.  He was 87.

Joe Kyrillos, also a former State Senator, announced his friends passing on facebook this morning.

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Freeholders to name bridge for Kyrillos

The bridge over the Swimming River between Red Bank and Middletown, S-17, will be renamed for former State Senator Joe Kyrillos, Freeholder Director Tom Arnone announced on facebook last evening.

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More Ugly Nonsense In Atlantic Highlands GOP Primary

Atlantic Highlands Councilman Stephen Boracchia took to facebook yesterday evening and demonstrated why the Regular Republicans, who have been controlling the local party for the last several years, have lost 4 of the last 5 contested municipal offices.

Boracchia impugned the integrity of the Monmouth County Republican Organization team of candidates for promoting the fact that they do indeed have the support of the Monmouth County Republican Organization.  Boracchia, who’s wife is a Regular Republican candidate for County Committee in District 4, implied that his military service makes him a good arbiter of other people’s integrity, while he inaccurately stated that the Monmouth County Republican Organization slogan is not an endorsement. Read the rest of this entry »

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Kyrillos is appointed to the board of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ

Governor Chris Christie appointed Senator Joe Kyrillos to the board of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state’s largest health insurance company, yesterday.

Kyrillos did not seek reelection to the State Senate this year and will retire from the legislature in January. Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon was elected on Tuesday to fill the 13th district’s seat in the upper chamber.

Horizon insures approximately 3.8 million New Jersey residents, according to its 2016 annual report.  The company had $12 billion in revenue in 2016 and $85 million in net income.

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O’Scanlon Testifies Against “Use Our Kids as Pawns to Enrich Corrupt Companies” Legislation

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) testified before the Assembly Education Committee and the Assembly Transportation Committee this morning, imploring his colleagues on the committees to kill legislation that, if passed, would rip off motorists for the benefit of corrupt companies and greedy municipal official.

At the Education Committee, O’Scanlon, the Republican nominee to replace Senator Joe Kyrillos in the Senate next year, testified against bill A3798, a bill that would let the same companies that ran New Jersey’s now defunct Red Light Camera Program monitor school bus cameras and share the revenue generated by tickets with the municipalites.  O’Scanlon said the bill would allow for-profit traffic enforcement at the expense of innocent drivers.

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Arnone Endorses O’Scanlon in LD 13 Senate Race

Asemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, Sheriff Shaun Golden. Freeholder Serena DiMaso, and Freeholder Tom Arnone

Freeholder Tom Arnone has endorsed Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon to replace Senator Joe Kyrillos in the upper house of the legislature next year.

“I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Assemblyman O’Scanlon with our shared goal to maintain the high quality of life our residents deserve.” Arnone said. “Serving as the Assembly Republican Budget Officer since 2012, he has consistently made fiscally responsible decisions on behalf of our constituents. Assemblyman O’Scanlon will serve as a tremendous asset and voice for Monmouth County against the special interest groups in Trenton, and I look forward to continuing to work together to ensure our municipalities are being fairly represented. As such, I am proud to endorse Assemblyman O’Scanlon in his bid to replace Senator Kyrillos. He will certainly have big shoes to fill, but I am confident he will serve us well.”

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Fiore endorses O’Scanlon for Senate in LD 13

Tony Fiore and Declan O’Scanlon

Tony Fiore, a Monmouth GOP Vice Chairman and a Middletown Township Committeeman announced his endorsement of Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon to replace Senator Joe Kyrillos in the State Senate next year.

“As a Republican elected official in the largest municipality in the 13th legislative district, the upcoming retirement of Middletown’s Senator Joe Kyrillos is vitally important to us,” Fiore said.  “For the past 28 years we have been extremely fortunate to have Senator Kyrillos representing our district as an advocate for residents and taxpayers of our district and the entire state.  His leadership and advocacy on behalf of our township and our district will be sorely missed.   The next Senator from the 13th must continue to fight for us in Trenton while working with our local leaders to help keep our local municipalities and county under fiscally conservative Republican control.

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O’Scanlon Raises $121K in two months for LD13 State Senate Race

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon and Middletown Township Committeeman Steve Massell at Monmouth County’s Reorganization, January 5, 2017

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon announced today that he raised $121,075 in the two months since he declared his candidacy for State Senate in New Jersey’s 13th Legislative District.  O’Scanlon is seeking to replace Senator Joe Kyrillos in the Senate.  Kyrillos announced in late October that he would not seek another term.

“The job of a State Senator is so much more than going to Trenton and voting on bills,” O’Scanlon said. “The job includes being a leader in the community and the Party.  That means having the resources to support your own campaign, the campaigns of other great candidates and most importantly, civic and charitable organizations in the district.  I am deeply grateful to my friends and supporters who have enabled me to support great candidates and organizations during my eight year career in the Assembly.  I am humbled that they have stepped up so strongly to support my candidacy for Senate.”

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LD 13 Assembly Race Draws A Crowd As Scharfenberger Jumps In

Monmouth County Freeholder Serena DiMaso and Middletown Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger could be running mates for Assembly this fall.

Suddenly there is a race for the 13th District Assembly seats currently held by Assembly Members Declan O’Scanlon and Amy Handlin.

Middletown Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger announced his candidacy for Assembly, with a video posted on facebook, just hours after Monmouth County Freeholder Serena DiMaso announced her candidacy via press release this morning.

DiMaso’s and Scharfenberger’s announcements follow Fair Haven Councilman Bob Marchese’s announcement last week and Handlin’s statement last month that she wants to run for reelection to the Assembly should she fail to win the LD 13 State Senate nomination at the yet to be scheduled GOP nominating convention. Handlin said she would abide by the will of the County Committee vote at a convention.

O’Scanlon has maintained that he’s running for Senate and nothing else.

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