Randy Bishop Will Not Be An 11th District Assembly Candidate

Neptune Township Deputy Mayor Randy Bishop said he will not be a candidate for Assembly tonight when the 11th legislative district Democratic County Committee meets at that Asbury Park VFW to nominate a candidate to replace Marilyn Schlossbach.  Schlossbach resigned her candidacy last week citing business obligations.

“During the nominating process in the spring I determined that I would not put my name up this year,” said Bishop, ” I have commitments in Neptune and in my personal life that take priority now.  Too many of us in politics neglect our personal commitments.”

The list of potential candidates is a closely held secret.  “All I know is that I’m supposed to show up at 6:30 tonight,” Bishop said, “if you hear who’s in the running, let me know”

One Democratic source said this morning that a final round of interviews had “just happened” and a party favorite had not been determined.  The source wouldn’t say who has been interviewed.

If they have a quorum tonight, the 11th district Democratic County Committee members will nominate a running mate for Assembly candidate Vin Gopal and State Senate candidate Ray Santiago. Under Title 19, a quorum is 50% plus one of the county committee members.

The slate will face off against incumbent Republicans, Senator Jennifer Beck, Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande.  Former Democratic Assemblyman Dan Jacobson is also running for Assembly as an Independent.   Internal Democratic polling indicates that Beck, Angelini and Casagrande are heavy favorites to be elected in the newly configured district.

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Democrats Mum On Schlossbach’s Replacement

Monmouth County Democrats have shrouded the selection of an Assembly candidate to replace Marilyn Schlossbach in the 11th legislative district in more secrecy than a Koch Brothers convention.

They won’t even say where and when the convention to vote on a candidate will be.  Campaign Manager Vlad Gutman said the convention will be “on Wednesday, somewhere in the district.” 

MMM has learned that the convention will be Wednesday, 6:30PM at the Asbury Park VFW.

Democratic County Committee members from the district are being called and urged to attend the convention which requires, under Title 19, a quorum of 50% plus 1 of the committee members in order to select a candidate.  While they are scrambling to get a quorum, the Democrats are also scrambling to find a candidate.  No mention of potential candidates is being made on the calls to the committee members and no one will say who is under consideration or who has thrown their hat into the ring.

Schlossbach’s withdrawal was a big blow to the Democrats’ slim hopes of picking up Assembly seats in Monmouth County.  An internal Democratic poll indicated that Schlossbach had the highest name recognition of all Assembly candidates, including incumbents Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande.  While Schlossbach’s name recognition was superior, the poll indicated that the Republican team of Senator Jennifer Beck, Angelini and Casagrande are heavy favorites to win in November.  Beck’s name recognition and favorables in the district are huge.

Despite a voter registration advantage in the district, the Democrats have a very thin bench.  Elected officials like Red Bank Councilman Michael Dupont, Long Branch Councilman John Pallone (brother of the congressman), Neptune Township Deputy Mayor Randy Bishop and Eatontown Mayor Gerald Tarantolo all declined to run for the legislature back in April when the slate of Ray Santiago for Senate, Schlossbach and Vin Gopal for Assembly, all seeking their first elected office, was chosen by the party.  Now that the summer fund raising season has past and polling has been done, the district looks less winnable for Democrats than it did it April, making it less likely that an experienced politico with a base will step up to replace Schlossbach.

Also complicating the Democrats task of finding an Assembly candidate, Santiago and Gopal have made support of gay marriage a central theme of their campaign.  If marriage equality is a litmus test, finding a new candidate will be even more difficult.

Fund raising will be difficult whoever the Democrats nominate, with the possible exception of John Pallone who could tab his brother’s special interest supporters.  Beck is dominating the fund raising race in the district by both raising money for her team and discouraging donors from contributing to her opponents.  Beck called Cory Booker this week to express her displeasure over the fact that the Newark Mayor is headlining a fundraiser for Gopal later this month in Colts Neck.

The Democrats will probably come up with a nominee, if they get a quorum at the convention.  Whoever it is will be taking one for the team and will probably get a new job or appointment some time in the next year.

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Monmouth GOP May Face Tougher Election Than Expected

By Art Gallagher

Throughout the spring and summer the conventional wisdom has been that the Monmouth GOP will not face serious challenges in legislative and county races of 2011.   2011 is supposed to be a “good Republican year.”

It still could turn out that way. Probably will.  But MMM has learned that the Democrats think they have unexpected opportunities.

On the legislative level, the Trenton Democratic machine has taken interest in the new 11th district. 

Back in April after the new legislative map was released the Democrats were scrambling to field a slate of candidates.  No Democratic elected officials would challenge Republican incumbents Senator Jennifer Beck or Assemblywomen Caroline Casagrande and Mary Pat Angelini.  Now the Democrats think the 11th is in play and will dedicate financial and human resources to elect Ray Santiago to the Senate and Marilyn Schlossbach and Vin Gopal to the Assembly.

Both sides fear that Independent Assembly candidate Dan Jacobson will draw votes away from them and could end up being a spoiler.   In his column in last week’s triCityNews, Jacobson said that he expected to take votes from both sides and that he would need 20% of the voters to cast an uninformed protest vote for him in order to win a seat.  Jacobson said he expects Beck, Casagrande and Angelini to prevail in November.

On the county level, the Democrats are planning a character assassination on Freeholder Lillian Burry.  They will allege conflicts of interest on Burry’s part going back to her tenure as Mayor of Colts Neck and continuing in Freehold.

Game on.

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11th District Democrats Making Marriage Equality A General Election Issue

By Art Gallagher

The 11th district Democratic team of Ray Santiago for Senate, Marilyn Schlossbach and Vin Gopal for Assembly are planning on making marriage equality a key plank of their general election platform.

According to the “Our Plan”  page on their website, the candidates “strongly support” full marriage equality for all Americans.  They also plan to create more jobs in the 11th district and protect the shoreline by opposing off shore drilling and working with Clean Ocean Action.

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Meeting Vin Gopal

By Tommy DeSeno

Everyone has certain ideas that they’d like to be remembered for.  When you write a weekly column, you end up with a few of them.

One of mine is this:  “Politics is 1% of who we are.  Never let that stop you from getting to know the other 99% of a person.”

Last night I went to a party in Asbury Park to honor this year’s Independence Day Parade Grand Marshal, Hazel Samuels.

As I was handshaking and hugging old friends I hadn’t seen for some time, from the other side of a large round table someone introduced me to Vin Gopal. 

Since candidates become captive audiences during campaign season to anyone who wants to talk to them, I figured I’d go over and get a sense of the 11^th District Assembly candidate for the Democrats.

I ended up meeting a very likable fellow.  Vin’s physical demeanor is comfortable.  He sat in his chair sort of laid back and to the side rather than stiffly composed.  He wasn’t trying to dominate the people around him. His conversational tone was just that.  There were no contrived candidate sound bites. No “handlers” trying keep our conversation brief.  Although I’m sure he was “working the room” as candidates do, he did so in a way that made it seem he belonged in the room – that he was one of the gang.  A real natural.

 I did want to get into some issues, so I did the right thing and let Vin know that I am a journalist and asked him if I could go on the record with him so I wouldn’t sandbag him.  That’s the right way to handle that by the way.  There is a wrong way to do that, for instance if I were a member of the Highlands Republican Club, I wouldn’t go to a meeting as a club member, secretly decide everyone was on the record without telling them, and report what I heard, like you know who did. 

Anyway, Vin made some interesting points that conservatives might like. Let me share one in particular:

Something that irks Vin Gopal is unemployment insurance in New Jersey.  Vin is a small business owner.  He thinks unemployment is too easy to get, too easy to stay on and too easy to take unfair advantage of against employers.  He wants the system revised to be friendlier to business.

Very interesting!  I would have expected an answer like that from a Republican at a Chamber of Commerce meeting.

One last point:  None of the Republican candidates were at the Asbury Park dinner, nor was Dan Jacobson.  I’ll note that when Sean Kean was the assemblyman and senator here, even though Asbury Park never voted for him, Sean supported and attended every Asbury Park function.  Thanks for being there, Vin Gopal.

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Democrats Welcome Jacobson Into 11th District Assembly Race

The following is a statement from District 11 Assembly candidates Marilyn Schlossbach and Vin Gopal on Dan Jacobson’s entrance to the 11th District race:

“We have both known Dan for quite some time and we appreciated him personally reaching out to both of us to give us a heads up that he would be running. We believe more people should run for public office and we welcome Dan to the race. This is a representative democracy and the voters, after examining all the candidates running, will have to make an educated decision on whom they believe will be best to represent the 11th Legislative District.”

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Jacobson files for Assembly In The 11th

By Art Gallagher

Former Democratic Assemblyman and tri-CityNews publisher Dan Jacobson has filed his petition to run for Assembly in the 11th legislative district as an Independent.

Jacobson’s candidacy creates a five way race for two Assembly seats.  The Republican candidates are incumbents Caroline Casagrande and Mary Pat Angelini.  The Democratic candidates are restaurateur Marilyn Schlossbach and publisher Vin Gopal.

Jacobson said told MMM that his candidacy is not a reflection upon his opponents, but on the process.  “Legislative elections in Monmouth County are stale and rarely competitive,” said Jacobson, “this is an opportunity for me to say my peace in a way that most candidates can’t because they are beholden to their party and special interests.  If I can do that and perhaps make the race more interesting and competitive, that in itself will be a public service.”

Jacobson considers himself a Libertarian on economic and social issues.  He said economic issues are paramount in this race. School vouchers are an example of where he thinks both parties have failed the public.

“What is an more important issue for the poor than educating their children? When I was last ran for the Assembly in 1993 I advocated starting a voucher program in the urban districts and then phasing them in throughout the state.  Since then the Republicans have had control and the Democrats have had control and there has been no improvement with how we educate our kids.”

Public employees unions are another area of government that Jacobson wants to reform.   “It is wrong that unions are collecting mandatory dues from our public employees and using that money for political purposes. Unions should set up PACs and let their members contribute voluntarily is they so choose.”

Of his opponents, only Angelini returned a call for comment.  “Dan is a friend.  I welcome him into the race and look forward to hearing his take on the issues,” said Angelini, ” I think there will be many common themes between us.”

 “I don’t understand why he is doing this,” said Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vic Scudiery, “Dan should worry about his newspaper.”  Scudiery was chairman when Jacobson last served in the Assembly.

Jacobson filed 77 signatures with his petition.  He said he was told that 50 are required.

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Vin Gopal Should Get His Facts Straight

By Tony Fiore, Deputy Mayor Middletown Township

In response to Vin Gopal’s article on MoreMonmouthMusings, I believe this email below will set the record straight. 

Often times the majority is criticized by the Democrats in Middletown for not listening to Sean’s ideas despite the fact that they are not usually economically or practically feasible.  The notion that Sean’s voice is never heard is nonsense and we do implement his ideas when practical.  We obviously took his direction to use the automated system to announce the Recycling program “not too close” to the announcement of changes to our leave and brush pickup.

 While we all can agree that the lateness of the call to some residents was not intended due to a computer glitch, there was never a second call done to apologize for it.   If Mr. Gopal would like to question the integrity of the Tea Party, I suggest he get the facts straight before he does so.

I stand with the Tea Party in working to retire Frank Pallone and Rush Holt from Congress and take great offense to anyone questioning their motives.  It is no surprise to me that Mr. Gopal would write this type of letter after he has been an active fundraiser for Mr. Byrnes and has even hosted an event that he advertised in his newspaper earlier this year honoring special guest Frank Pallone. 

—–Original Message—–
From: Byrnes, Sean
Sent: Thu 8/26/2010 5:24 PM
To: Maloney, Ted; MayorsOffice; Twp Committee
Cc: VanNest, Jim; Mercantante, Anthony; Posten, Sam; Herrschaft, Cindy
Subject: RE: Fall Brush Collection “Reverse 911”

At some point, maybe not so close on the heels of this announcement, we should also do that for the recycling pickup.  You may have done it already, but we will probably need to push this pretty hard to get the word out and start getting compliance.

—–Original Message—–
From: Maloney, Ted
Sent: Thu 8/26/2010 12:15 PM
To: MayorsOffice; Twp Committee
Cc: VanNest, Jim; Mercantante, Anthony; Posten, Sam; Herrschaft, Cindy
Subject: Fall Brush Collection “Reverse 911”

Mayor and Committee Members,

In speaking with Tony Mercantante yesterday, I have decided to broadcast a “Reverse 911” call this evening to notify residents of DPW’s upcoming brush collection.  An email will also be sent to residents with registered email addresses.  The message is below:

This is a recorded message from the Middletown Township Public Works Department.  The Fall Brush Collection will begin on Monday, August 30th in Zones F and H.  To obtain a complete brush collection schedule, please visit www.middletownnj.org/collectionor call the Brush Collection Hotline at 732-615-XXXX.  Again please visit www.middletownnj.org/collection or call 732-615-XXXX for the current brush collection schedule and updates.  Thank you and have a nice weekend.

As you can see, I am also setting up (with the help of Todd Costello and Jim Dudek) a brush collection hotline that will feature an audible version of the full brush collection schedule.  This hotline, which will remain in effect for all future collections, will also give the caller the option of pressing “0” to speak with a live operator (during business hours).  Our standard postcards are in the process of being mailed to each resident, but may not reach every resident prior to their collection start date.  I wanted to make you aware of this notice in case you are questioned by residents.

Thank you,

Ted

__________________________________________________
Joseph E. “Ted” Maloney, PE, PP, CME, CPWM

Township Engineer – Director of Public Works

Township of Middletown

52 Kanes Lane
Middletown, NJ 07748

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Small Business Can Count On Holt

By Vin Gopal

This November, we’ll find the usual cast characters on the ballot: wall street millionaires, politically-connected lawyers and career politicians, all of whom will try to convince us that they know what is best for us. As a small business owner, I work 16 hours a day, battling to make payroll for my employees while fighting to keep prices low for my customers and clients. One member of Congress understands what small business owners go through every day. His name is Rush Holt and he is not a career politician, he is a rocket scientist turned college professor turned public servant. During his tenure in Congress, Representative Holt has had a far greater outreach into the small business community than any other member of Congress in the New Jersey delegation.

He feels our frustration and pain when we are working twice as many hours making half of what we used to two years ago. That is why he recently introduced the “Creating Jobs From Innovative Small Businesses Act of 2010” – legislation which would encourage small business investment by establishing a temporary 20 percent tax credit for investments in research-intensive small businesses. Last year, Representative Holt helped pass legislation in the House that would eliminate fees on SBA loans and increase loan guarantees to increase lending to small businesses. Month after month, Representative Holt is fighting for us in Congress.

As Labor Day passes and as the campaign season heats up, the last thing small business owners need is another wall street genius who claims he can fix all of our problems. We need someone who has walked the walk and that is Representative Rush Holt. As a private citizen and a proud small business owner, I urge Central Jersey residents to vote for Rush Holt, someone small business owners can count on and someone Wall Street can count against.

Vin Gopal serves on the Board of Directors for the Northern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce and is President of the Hazlet Business Owners Associations. He is the co-owner of Monitor Publications, which currently markets over 200 small businesses throughout Monmouth and Middlesex Counties. These views in this letter do not represent the position(s) of any of these organizations.

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