August 1, 2007 - 12:14pm
Puharic and Scudiery spar in Monmouth
By Max PizarroAdam Puharic and Vic Scudiery this week speared each other with jabs in the general election free-for-all called Monmouth County politics.
Puharic, the 30-something chairman of the county Republican Party, can take some delight in the fact that county government has historically been Republican, but Scudiery, his old warhorse counterpart with the county Democratic Party, means to take advantage of changing demographics in the one-time sleepy swathe of horse farms turned into a checkerboard of bedroom build-out.
So it was the impatient Scudiery and the Democrats who struck last week with a mid-summer mail piece raking county government under GOP control. The opening barrage left Puharic and the Republicans stunned at first - then smirking in response.
"It’s early," said Puharic. "It’s incredibly early. You’re talking about an attack mail piece that hit mailboxes on July 21st. What that tells me is they’ve done some polling and they’re scared."
Countered Scudiery, "Just the opposite. Our polls are looking very good. We just keep reminding people about what’s going on in the county with Republican control. It hasn't changed in years."
Puharic will welcome Anne Estabrook to a $300-a-plate fundraiser for the Monmouth County Republican Party tonight. The county chairman is on the prospective U.S. Senate candidate’s exploratory committee.
"We're going to raise more than last year," said Puharic, when the GOP raised between $130,000 and $160,000.
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monmouth
the Monmouth GOP probably wants to bring back Bill Dowd at this point. If only Scudiery was a little more adept at picking candidates, the Dems might have a shot. Guess not.
Stop me if I'm wrong....
But how can Comrade Puharic do any fundraising? He works for the federal government and there are those pesky Hatch Laws he needs to follow. It just figures that the Republican Chairman would thumb his nose at the law. If its good enough for Washington....then it must be good enough for him. Where is that stalwart of the right, Chris "I'm not running....yet" Christie through all of this...oh, yeah, that's right...he's a republican also...and he probably wants the little tyrant's endorsement when it comes time for him to run.
fundraising
good point.
"We're going to raise more than last year," said Puharic, when the GOP raised between $130,000 and $160,000.
Sounds like breaking the Hatch Act to me. He's not supposed to do any active fundraising.
Mr. Dem, you don't like the
Mr. Dem, you don't like the chances of D'Amico and Scheuler? They seem light years ahead of Clifton and his fellow apologist for the reform-blocking GOP machine in Monmouth.
Its funny....
how you don't get a posting from Justified Right on something like this.....lets talk apologist for the republicans....He's got more excuses than anyone. He's never addressed that Stalinista Puharic flaunts the Hatch Laws...he just goes about his business and makes excuses why Comrade Pu-pu-haric wants his own pay to play measure passed. Yes, the dems have a great shot come November, and the polling shows it...hopefully, the people of Monmouth County will see that Clifton is really the messenger boy for Comrade Puharic......and whoever his running mate is doesn't have any name recognition to speak of. I don't even think HE knows his own name.
commonsensenj
Mayor Scheuler is a good candidate. I wish that he was part of a stronger 11th District ticket. I think Scudiery didn't recruit hard enough in the 11th, those guys came close in '05, but I think the Monmouth Dems gave up on that district once Sean Kean got the Senate nod.
Judge D'Amico is pretty well-known and well-respected, Mr. D.
I understand where you're coming from -- the legislative side of things. But remember, there's a control election at the county level, and the extremely weak GOP incumbent and challenger have provided an opening.