What do you want to know from the Freeholder candidates?

The Monmouth County Republican Committee will be electing a Freeholder on Saturday, January 14, to fill the vacancy resulting from Freeholder Director Rob Clifton’s election to the State Assembly.

The candidates are Holmdel Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso, Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle, Manalapan Committeeman Ryan Green and Howell Mayor Bob Walsh.

MMM will be reaching out to the candidates this week in preparation of a piece to be published next week prior to the Bayshore Tea Party Group’svetting session on Tuesday the 10th and the Monmouth County Affiliated Republican Club’sCandidates Night on Friday the 13th.

Among the questions I am thinking of asking the candidates are:

Why do you want to be a freeholder?

What is your most significant accomplishment as a municipal office holder?

What do you want to accomplish during your first year as a freeholder?

How has your previous experience as a municipal office holder prepared you to be a county freeholder?

What distinguishes you from your opponents?  Why are you the best candidate?

What else should I ask?   Tell me in the comments.

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Tea Parties To Impact Freeholder Race

The Monmouth County area Tea Parties are coming together to in order to make their presence felt in the upcoming county committee election to replace Assemblyman-elect Rob Clifton on the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders.

The Bayshore Tea Party Group, the Jersey Shore Tea Party Patriots and the East Jersey Tea Party will hold a joint meeting to endorse a Freeholder candidate on January 10th, 2012, 7PM at the West Park Recreation Center in Oakhusrt, Ocean Township.   The Monmouth and Colts Neck Tea Parties have also been invited to participate.

Bob Gordon, co-founder of the Bayshore Tea Party Group, says that between the groups there are 25 county committee members eligible to vote on January 14th when the county committee convenes to elect Clifton’s successor.  They are potentially a significant voting block.

The Tea Parties extended invitations this afternoon to each of the declared candidates to speak at the January 10th meeting.   Following the candidates presentations and a Q and A, a secret ballot will be taken.  The winner of the groups’ endorsement will be announced upon the tabulation of the ballots.

Howell Mayor Bob Walsh and Manalapan Deputy Mayor Ryan Green have accepted.  Holmdel Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso is juggling a scheduling conflict.  Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle has yet to respond, according to Barbara Gonzalez, the another co-founder of BTPG.

Gonzalez said she checked the calendars on the Monmouth County GOP Website and the Monmouth County Affiliated Republican Club’s site before scheduling the event, in order to avoid a conflict.

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Conte Reportedly Withdraws From Freeholder Race

Wall Township Mayor Anne Marie Conte will not be a candidate for Freeholder when the Monmouth County Republican Committee meets on January 14 to elect a successor to Assemblyman-elect Rob Clifton, according to Monmouth Republican Affiliated Club President and Wayne’s World Reporter Wayne Pomanowski.

Pomanowski said that Conte called him to asked that her photo and bio be removed from the Affiliated’s website.   Reportedly Conte was stung by criticism from Wall Township residents, including an OpEd piece by 2010 Monmouth Democratic Sheriff candidate Eric Brophy published on the Wall Patch, that she was seeking higher office so soon after being reelected to the Township Committee.

Conte was not available for comment. 

Pomanowski also said that Manalapan Deputy Mayor Ryan Green is definitely a candidate and that Hazlet Mayor Scott Aagre is close to entering the race.  Green’s bio and photo are on the Affiliated site.

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