Municipal Races To Watch
The Battle of Monmouth is in the municipalities today.
Monmouth Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal is hoping to be the Gene Michael of politics. Michael, the New York Yankees General Manger in the early 1990’s, rebuilt the mediocre team back to dominant glory by focusing on new talent in the farm system. As a player, Michael was a master of the hidden ball trick. In baseball the hidden ball trick is when a position player fakes throwing the ball back to the pitcher after a play, only to tag out the base runner when he take a lead off the base.
Like Michael, Gopal is trying to build his farm team in Monmouth County municipal races, knowing he can’t win the big show in the short term, with an eye on future dominance of Monmouth County government and the State of New Jersey. Also like Michael, Gopal always has a trick up his sleeve behind his youthful smile and pleasant demeanor.
Gopal hasn’t even fielded a team in 23 races in 16 Monmouth County towns. Yet he has the press and New Jersey’s Democratic leadership convinced he’s building a future empire from the bottom up.
But if he doesn’t deliver the goods tonight, Gopal could end up as a Hardy Peterson, the Yankees General Manager who only lasted in the job for one year, 1990, instead of Michael, and find himself challenged for the county chairmanship when his first term ends in June.
The towns to watch tonight are Red Bank, Aberdeen, Eatontown, Highlands, Hazlet and Marlboro.
Posted: November 5th, 2013 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2013 Election, Monmouth County, Monmouth Democrats, Monmouth GOP | Tags: "LaHornicca", Aberdeen, Cliff Moore, Cory Booker, Declan O'Scanlon, Eatontown, Frank LaRocca, Frank Nolan, Hazlet, Highlands, Jennifer Beck, Marlboro, Mary Tyler Moore, Monmouth County Dems, Rebecca Kane, Red Bank, Vin Gopal | 3 Comments »