Low turnout is a major risk for LD 13 incumbents

LD 13:Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Rumson, Sea Bright, Union Beach

The idea that State Senator Joe Kyrillos and Assembly Members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon could be defeated by their Tea Party challengers, Leigh-Ann Bellew for Senate and Edna Walsh and Stephen Boracchia for Assembly, in the June 4 primary is unthinkable, even laughable, to many Monmouth County Republicans.

But recent history and a look at the numbers indicate that an upset with statewide consequences could very well be in the making if the challenge is not taken seriously.

With only nominal competition in the governor’s race, voter turnout in the Republican primary on June 4 is likely to be very low.   Therein lies the danger for the incumbents. Even “good Republicans” rarely vote in primaries.  Even fewer if there is no perceived competition.

There are 34,216 registered Republicans in the 13th district. In the 2011 primary, the last time the legislature was on the ballot, only 2,274 Republicans voted.   The challengers know that.

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Why is the Bayshore Tea Party Group Challenging Monmouth County Incumbents?

Bayshore Tea Party Group Co-Founders Bob Gordon and Barbara Gonzalez took to their Asbury Park Press blog yesterday to attempt to explain why they are challenging the 13th Legislative District and County Republican incumbents.  In this post I’ll attempt to explain their explanation with the benefit of having spoken to them and having attended the meeting where they introduced most of their candidates.  If I get any of it wrong, I suspect they will correct me in the comments.

Gordon and Gonzalez would probably object to the characterization that they are challenging the incumbents.  They would say they are supporting the challenge, not doing the challenging.  Just as senate candidate Leigh-Ann Bellew said she is not the BTPG’s candidate, but anticipates the group’s support.  This a linguistic distinction without a practical difference.  The challenge is a Tea Party challenge.

THE PROCESS

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Monmouth Sheriff’s Office, OEM, Seeks $1 Billion In Hazard Mitigation Funding

The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is awaiting response from the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) Hazard Mitigation Unit after it submitted numerous requests totaling more than 1 billion dollars in funding as a result of Superstorm Sandy. On March 31, 2013, OEM delivered 185 letters of intent to the NJOEM Hazard Mitigation Unit for various mitigation projects, which include home elevations, property acquisitions and flood control measures, as well as various infrastructure improvements and emergency generators for critical infrastructure.

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. The purpose of the program is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to have mitigation measures in place which can be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. “Monmouth County was severely impacted by Superstorm Sandy, and, the projects submitted by  Monmouth County and each municipality will provide the necessary protection of life and property,  should another disaster occur,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden.

Monmouth County OEM has been collecting the letters of intent from each municipality since mid-December. “These letters are the first step in notifying the state as to the projects for which the municipalities wish to seek funding to mitigate, and, the priorities in which they fall within the respective jurisdictions,” said Michael Oppegaard, Coordinator of the Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management. “We now must wait to hear from the state mitigation office as to how they intend to prioritize and fund these projects.”

Under the Robert T. Stafford Act, HMGP is authorized to direct and govern mitigation projects as long as a community has an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan. Monmouth County’s Plan was completed and approved in 2009 and includes all 53 municipalities within the county. “Hopefully the state will look favorably upon Monmouth County when selecting and prioritizing the projects under this program,” said Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone. “This will allow the residents and communities to rebuild stronger, safer and smarter.”

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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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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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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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Criminal Defense Attorney Will Challenge Golden For Sheriff

Ruben Scolavino, left and his client, former Corrections Officer Luis Roman, as he pleads guilty to smuggling phones and drugs into prisons. Star Ledger photo

Rueben Scolavino, Esq., of Freehold will be nominated for Sheriff by the Monmouth County Democrats this morning at their convention in Asbury Park.

Scolavino promotes himself as a Toms River DWI lawyer who “will not stop until he reaches a favorable outcome,” on his website, tomsriverdui.com

In addition to his DWI practice, Scolavino defends high profile cases including homicides, sexual assaults, drug trafficking,  and white collar crime. He is an adjunct professor at his alma matter, William Paterson University and has given guest lectures at Rutgers and Kean universities, according to his website.

In 2011, he defended a corrections officer from Northern State Prison in Newark and the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Avenel who pled guilty to smuggling cell phones and drugs into the prisons, according to a Star Ledger report.

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Monmouth County asks residents to heed weather warnings

FREEHOLD, NJ – The Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management urges residents to heed the warnings that have been issued in connection with Hurricane Sandy, currently a Category 1 storm.

Freeholder Director John P. Curley reviews plans with OEM Coordinator Mike Oppegaard

Meanwhile, county emergency personnel are continuing to monitor the effects of the storm and respond to the needs of communities. Mandatory evacuations are in effect in all or part of 15 municipalities. Nearly 1,000 residents have sought accommodation at the two county shelters.

“We are expecting Hurricane Sandy to impact the county for at least the next 24 hours,” Mike Oppegaard, Director of the Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management said. “We are hoping that residents have heeded warnings and evacuations and are prepared for the possibility of high winds, power outages and flooding.”

Over the past few days, residents have been encouraged to plan, prepare and stay informed.

“Residents who have created a kit and evacuated to the homes of friends or families or are sheltering in place should be ready to make it through the storm,” Freeholder Director John P. Curley said. “Everyone should continue to monitor local radio and television for the latest information on Hurricane Sandy.”

Oppegaard also reminds residents to be safe with these reminders:

• Do not go outside. Flying debris from high winds is a danger. As the eye of the storm passes, there will be a short period of calm followed by rapid wind speed increases to hurricane force that will come from the opposite direction.
• Avoid using candles for lighting. Use a battery-powered flashlight.
• Try to stay in an interior room away from windows.
• If flooding occurs, turn off electricity at the main breaker.
• If your power goes out, turn off your major appliances. This will minimize losing power again through a power surge and protect the equipment when power returns.
• Stay calm and do not call 9-1-1 unless it is an emergency.

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden echoed the 9-1-1 reminder.

“Calling 9-1-1 for the wrong reason or calling the number inadvertently may keep someone else from getting the help they need,” Golden said. “If you do call by mistake, please stay on the line until the call taker can confirm that you do not require emergency assistance.”

“During severe weather and all other times, residents are reminded to call 9-1-1 only in emergencies that threaten life or property,” Golden said. “These include a fire or serious medical condition, when there is fear for personal safety or the safety of others, or during a crime in progress.”

For more information about emergency preparedness, go to the County website, www.visitmonmouth.nj.us, check the Monmouth County’s Facebook page, or sign up to receive County tweets from Twitter,MonmouthCountyGov.

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Hazmat situation at county jail appears to be a false alarm

9:42 PM APP.com and News12 both reported in the last half hour that there is a hazardous materials situation at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution.

Sheriff Shaun Golden told MMM that the situation looks to be a false alarm.   Golden said that no one is sick at the facility and that precautionary test are being performed.  So far all tests are negative for any hazardous materials.

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