Who Should Challenge Pallone?

The filing deadline is April 2.

With all the attention and excitement being paid to Joe Kyrillo’s U.S. Senate candidacy and a new map that most think makes Frank Pallone even harder to beat, there is little if any talk about a GOP candidate in the 6th Congressional District.

So let’s throw some names out there and have then have a poll.   I start with names that come to mind.  Please add names in the comments. Over the weekend I’ll create a poll.  

Former Highlands Mayor Anna Little

Selika Josiah Gore, Marlboro

Matawan Councilwoman Toni Marie Angelini

Matawan Councilman Tom Fitzsimmons

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin

Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle

Keyport Mayor Bob McLeod

Former Middletown Committeeman Tom Wilkens

Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore

Hazlet Committeeman Scott Aagre

James Hogan of Long Branch

Oceanport Councilman Joe Irace

Former Freeholder Bill Barham

Former Assemblyman, triCityNews Publisher Dan Jacobson

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno

Freeholder Director John Curley

Who else?

• Tweet

Kingmaker without a portfolio

A strong argument could be made that the path to becoming a Monmouth County Freeholder goes through Red Bank realtor Jim Giannell’s office. 

Since 2005 when he backed Colts Neck Mayor Lillian Burry, Giannell has picked every non-incumbent Freeholder nominee except two.   One exception was Marlboro Councilman Jeff Cantor who replaced Freeholder Anna Little, a Giannell pick, on the ticket in 2007.  Cantor lost a close election to Democrat John D’Amico and then left the Republican party for Jon Hornick’s Democratic organization in Marlboro.  The other exception is John Curley.  Curley was Giannell’s pick over Serena DiMaso in 2008.  Curley narrowly lost to Amy Mallet in the Obama landslide.  In 2009 Giannell backed Kim Spatola, a former Atlantic Highlands councilwoman over Curley.  Curley prevailed at Joe Oxley’s first candidate selection screening and went on to defeat Sean Byrnes of Middletown in the 2009 Christie landslide in Monmouth. 

With the election of Gary Rich earlier this month, 3.5, counting Curley, of five Freeholders owe their offices to Jim Giannell.  If the former Red Bank municipal chairman’s pick in the current race to replace Assemblyman-elect Rob Clifton, Howell Mayor Bob Walsh, is elected on January 14, Giannell will have picked all five members of the board.

While the Freeholders may owe their careers to Giannell, there is little, if any, evidence that he is a boss, in the classic New Jersey sense of the word.  Once they take office, the Freeholders go their own way.  Burry is supporting Anne Marie Conte over Walsh in the current race.  Curley and Tom Arnone are staying out of the race for now. 

Here is a list of Giannell’s picks for non-incumbent Freeholders since 2005:

2005: Lillian Burry.  Burry ran with incumbent Bill Barham.  Barham was elected at a Republican convention earlier in 2005 to replace long time Freeholder Director Harry Larrison.  Even in the wake of the Operation Bid Rig scandal which tarnished the Republican brand, Barham and Burry defeated Democrats Barbara McMorrow and Rebecca Aaronson and Independent Brian Unger.  The Republican victory was in large measure do to the Asbury Park Press’s call for voters to bullet vote for Unger.  Back then the APP’s endorsement still had influence.  Unger garnered over 18,000 votes.  Burry’s margin of victory over McMorrow was only 1,792 votes. 

2006:  Anna Little and Andrew Lucas.  Little was elected, by one vote, over Howell Mayor Joe DiBella at a convention to replace Amy Handlin who had been elected to the Assembly.  Giannell managed Little’s campaign and her floor fight at the convention. A month later at a contentious multiple ballot nominating convention, Giannell and candidate Terrence Wall threw their support to Lucas in an anti-establishment move against DiBella and then Chairman Fred Neimann.   Little went on to win the rest of Handlin’s unexpired term in the general election.  Lucas lost to Barbara McMorrow. 

2007: Giannell did not have a candidate.  Little, his successful pick in 2006, spent a contentious year battling with Chairman Puharic and Freeholder Director Barham. Little declined to seek the nomination rather than submit to Puharic’s rules for screening and the convention.  Cantor was selected to join incumbent Rob Clifton on the ticket.  Clifton won.  Cantor lost to Democrat John D’Amico.

2008: John Curley was Giannell’s pick over Serena DiMaso who had the backing of Chairman Adam Puharic.  Burry was Curley’s running mate.  In a photo finish election dominated by Obamamania, Burry prevailed and Curley lost to Amy Mallet on the count of provisional ballots.  Democrats took control of the Freeholder Board for the first time in 20 years.

2009: Giannell backed Chairman Joe Oxley in supporting Atlantic Highlands former Councilwoman Kim Spatola over Curley.  McMorrow was up for reelection and was considered a lock to be reelected.  Nominating a woman, given the pro woman gender gap demonstrated by Burry and Mallet’s 2008 victories was considered the only hope of defeating McMorrow.    Just before the nominating meetings for both parties, McMorrow announced she would not seek another term.  Curley won a roll call vote at Oxley’s first screening selection.  The Democrats scrambled to find a candidate to replace McMorrow, settling on Byrnes from Middletown over Mike Beson of Neptune Township.  Curley defeated Byrnes and Republicans won back control of the Board.

2010:  Giannell’s pick, Tom Arnone, narrowly defeated former Middltown Committeeman Tom Wilkens and Spring Lake Councilman Gary Rich.  Arnone and incumbent Rob Clifton went on to defeat D’Amico and Spring Lake Councilwoman Janice Venables.

2011: Giannell backed Rich over Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas, who had Burry’s support, Walsh, and Wall Township Committeeman George Newberry.  Rich won the nomination with 25 votes in the screening committee. Lucas has 23 votes and Newberry 22.  Walsh withdrew before the polling.   Rich and incumbent Burry went on the defeat Mallet and newcomer William Shea earlier this month.

2012?  Monmouth County Republicans have not had a nominating convention of all county committee members since 2008.  It remains to be seen if Giannell can pull off another close race.   Don’t bet the house against Bob Walsh.

• Tweet

Freeholder Election To Be Held On January 14th

Field of Candidates Looks To Be Widening

By Art Gallagher

The Republican County convention  to elect a Monmouth County Freeholder to fill the coming vacancy caused by Freeholder Director Rob Clifton’s ascension to the State Assembly will be held on Saturday January 14th, according to GOP Chairman Joe Oxley.  The location and exact time has yet to be determined.

A quorum, 50% plus 1, of all Republican County Committee members, as certified by the Superintendent of Elections, must be present for the election to be to be official.

Howell Mayor Bob Walsh is a candidate.   Those considering entering the race include Holmdel Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso, former Freeholder Bill Barham, Wall Committee member George Newberry, Keyport Councilman Bob Burlew, Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter Doyle, Manalapan Deputy Mayor Ryan Green, former Middletown Committee member Tom Wilkens and former Howell Mayor Joe DiBella.

• Tweet

Gray Will Not Be A Candidate For Freeholder

By Art Gallagher

Jim Gray of Manalapan, the former clerk of the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, has been telling party leaders and other potential freeholder candidates that he will not be seeking the GOP nomination for freeholder this year.  According to multiple sources, Gray will continue his service on the Monmouth County Library Board, and enjoy his retirement with his family.  Gray did not return MMM’s phone call for confirmation.

Word that Gray was considering a bid, as reported here on January 10th, had a virtual field clearing effect.  Now that Gray has chosen not to run, the race for the nomination to challenge Democratic Freeholder Amy Mallet is expected to heat up.  Incumbent Republican Lillian Burry has indicated that she will seek a third term.  No challenger is expected to Burry’s nomination.

Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas stopped short of declaring his candidacy when asked by MMM if he was running.  He said that with Gray out of the race he would re-start his efforts to gauge the level of support he has among municipal chairs and other party leaders.

Wall Township Committee Member George Newbury and Spring Lake Councilman Gary Rich, Sr. are expected to seek the nomination.

Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso and former Middletown Township Committee Member Tom Wilkens, both veterans for the nominating process are considering bids, as is former Tinton Falls municipal chairman Michael Laffery.

• Tweet

Coming Attractions

By Art Gallagher

With the county reorganization behind us, the real political season in Monmouth County, and throughout New Jersey is about to heat up. While most voters and the mainstream media will not start paying attention until September, what happens at political clubs, committee meetings and county conventions between now and April will determine who the candidates are in the November elections.  

The state legislature will be on the top of the ballot. Due to the pending redistricting, it is too early to speculate who the challengers might be or if Monmouth will continue to be divided into 5 districts.  Once the new districts are announced, hopefully before the primary filing deadline of April 12, there will be a mad dash.  Until then only anxiety and speculation.

Rosemarie Peters will seek a second term as Monmouth County Surrogate.  No primary challengers in the rumor mill,  no Democratic challengers in the rumor mill yet either.

The race to watch is for the nomination GOP nomination for Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian Burry’s running mate.  

Burry told MMM that she will seek a third term.  She and Democratic Freeholder Amy Mallet’s seats are up this year.  Mallet told Politickernj that she is running.

Early speculation for Mallet’s running mate includes Long Branch Councilman John Pallone, the congressman’s brother, and Marlboro Councilman Jeff Cantor who ran for Freeholder as a Republican in 2007, losing to John D’Amico.

Among Republicans, Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas has made his intentions known to several party leaders that he intends to seek the nomination.  Lucas emerged as the nominee from a deeply divided GOP convention in 2006 before losing to Barbara McMorrow in the general election.  McMorrow is now a GOP township committee member in Freehold Township.

Lucas will be challenged for the nomination by Spring Lake Councilman Gary Rich, Sr.  Rich unsuccessfully sought GOP Freeholder nominations in 2005, 2009 and 2010.

Wall Township Committee member George Newbury is signaling that he will challenge Lucas and Rich for the nomination.

Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso, who sought to be nominated in 2005 and 2008 is considering a run but has yet to make a decision.  Former Middletown Township Committee member Tom Wilkens is also on the fence, after narrowly losing the nomination to Tom Arnone last year.

Let the games begin.

• Tweet