Friction-free session picks GOP candidates

It is my humble honor to present today’s good news from the Asbury Park Press.
Special thanks to Norine Kelly, John Costigan, Kathleen Donohue, John Raue, Steve McEnery, Michael Borg, Andrew Lucas, and all of our candidates who helped make the day a grand success:

Friction-free session picks GOP candidates
NOMINEES FOR JUNE PRIMARY
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/25/07
BY JOSEPH SAPIA
STAFF WRITER

MIDDLETOWN — Despite tumult among Monmouth County Republicans, the formal GOP organization on Saturday calmly endorsed candidates running for countywide offices and state Legislature seats.
"I think once the primary is over, if there is (a contested) one, the party comes together," said Robert D. Clifton, a county Board of Freeholders member whom the party organization backed for re-election.
Candidates chosen at the convention, held at Brookdale Community College, are organization-backed nominees to run in the June 5 GOP primary election. But those with the party line on that ballot have the presumed advantage, meaning they likely will go on to the November general election against any Democrats, independents, third-party candidates or write-ins.
There could be contested GOP primary races if Anna C. Little, the other freeholder whose seat is up, chooses that route. Little is at odds with the Republican organization and was not on the convention ballot.
Little, not eligible to vote in the convention because she is neither a GOP municipal chair nor a member of her town's Republican committee, had been outside the voting area earlier. After the voting, she could not be reached for comment.
Aligned with Little are Manalapan-Englishtown Board of Education member Joseph C. DePasquale of Manalapan, interested in a freeholder's seat, and Manalapan Township Committeeman Joseph Locricchio, interested in the 12th District Senate seat.
"Everybody has a right to run in the primary," said county GOP Chairman Adam Puharic. "As chairman, it is always my responsibility to be prepared. And I expect Monmouth County committee candidates" — those selected at the convention — "to win any primary."
Puharic estimated 600 Republicans were eligible to vote at the convention. The estimated 350 attending worked off a candidate list forwarded by a 24-member Republican screening committee.
So the only contested races were for nominees to run for sheriff and two seats on the county Board of Freeholders.
In the sheriff's race, Monmouth Beach Commissioner Kim Guadagno beat Shaun Golden, a Toms River police officer who lives in Howell, 289 to 67.
In the freeholder's race, Clifton of Matawan, as an incumbent, won by acclamation. He will be joined by Marlboro Township Councilman Jeff Cantor, with 244 votes. Cantor beat Spring Lake Councilman Brian Reilly, who got 64 votes, and Ocean Township Councilman J. David Hiers, who got 37 votes.
In the race for two Assembly seats in the 11th District, Neptune Township Committeeman Thomas J. Catley withdrew from the three-person contest. So Mary Pat Angelini of Ocean Township and David P. Rible of Wall, where he had been a police officer, won by acclamation.
Other winners, all by acclamation, were:

County clerk: incumbent M. Claire French of Wall.

11th District Senate: Sean T. Kean of Wall, now an Assembly member.

12th District Senate: Jennifer Beck of Red Bank, now an Assembly member.

12th District Assembly: Caroline Casagrande, a Colts Neck lawyer, and Little Silver Councilman Declan O'Scanlon.

13th District Senate: Incumbent Joseph M. Kyrillos Jr. of Middletown.

13th District Assembly: Incumbents Amy H. Handlin of Middletown and Samuel D. Thompson of Old Bridge.

Following tradition, the county GOP convention did not call for votes on incumbents from legislative districts whose boundaries are mostly out of the county. However, the party is backing those candidates: Sen. Andrew R. Ciesla and Assemblymen James W. Holzapfel and David W. Wolfe of the 10th District, and Sen. Robert W. Singer and Assemblymen Joseph R. Malone III and Ronald S. Dancer of the 30th District, said party officer Andrew Lucas.
The convention could have become tense if Little's backers forcefully tried to nominate her off the floor. But a floor nomination required changing the convention's rules, something attendees failed to do in two votes. The first vote was 170 to 98, said French, who oversaw voting.
After the first vote, French allowed one person each from the yes and no sides to speak.
These debates were closed to reporters, but those taking part later said the Little situation was not directly mentioned. Millstone Township Mayor Nancy Grbelja said the debate was over using the convention rules or Robert's Rules of Order, with the latter allowing a floor nomination.
Then, a second vote was taken, with attendees backing convention rules by a wider margin, 195 to 85, French said.
Outwardly, at least, the county Republican Party of the past few years has been at its most fragmented in decades or ever. Various Republicans spoke of unity, whether prompted or not.
"It pains me to see our party so fractionalized," Catley said. "Somehow, we must bring this party together."
When asked about party unity, Freehold Township Committeeman Gene Golub laughed and said, "Oh, God, help us."
But Clifton and Freeholder Director William C. Barham said at least some of the disharmony is simply more visible because GOP issues are more in the open.
"I think it's not so much fragmented, the differences are more public," Clifton said. "It's, certainly, the most public."

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Monmouth County Republican Party
www.MonmouthRepublican.org
info@MonmouthRepublican.org
732.431.6664