Amy Mallet

Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMasoMonmouth County Republicans face an important decision at their convention on Wednesday night. In danger of losing control of the Board of Chosen Freeholders, GOP committee people have to decide whether Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso or Red Bank Councilman John Curley is the candidate who can win in November.

The Republicans have watched their rivals chip into their turf over the last two election cycles. Democrats edged one seat closer to seizing a majority in 2007 with John D'Amico's win.

There are two open seats this year, but Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, also a Republican, has the advantage of incumbency, meaning either DiMaso or Curley also needs to win to keep the GOP majority.

In advance of his party’s convention on March 26, State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris)Monmouth County GOP Chairman Adam Puharic today said he no longer has reservations about state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris).

"I spoke with Joe Pennacchio, we had a real long talk, and I am growing more comfortable with Monmouth County Republicans getting behind his candidacy for U.S. Senate," said Puharic.

Following the departure from the Senate race of millionaire Anne Evans Estabrook, the Monmouth County Republican chairman called for a meeting of county party chairs to discuss strategy.

Puharic had hoped a key ally, Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), would get in the race, but Kyrillos decided against running.

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Victor ScudieryATLANTIC HIGHLANDS - Just one day after the 2007 general election, Monmouth County GOP Chairman Adam Puharic posted the results on his party’s website and noted gleefully that the Republicans had sumo tossed the Democrats out of the circle in every non-municipal contest - with the exception of one: a freeholder match between Democrat John D'Amico and Republican Jeffrey Cantor.

At that point, D'Amico-Cantor was undecided, and Puharic mused about the possibility of humiliating the Democrats with a shutout. But post provisional and absentee ballots, D'Amico squeaked out a victory and became the second Democrat in as many years to win a seat on the Monmouth County Freeholder Board, in a traditionally Republican stronghold.

Freeholder Barbara McMorrow, left, stands with fellow Democrats, candidates Amy Mallet and Glen Mason. 

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS - Monmouth County Democrats today backed Fair Haven businesswoman Amy Mallet and retired Hazlet police detective Glen Mason to run for two seats on the freeholder board.

Anxious for a majority after they picked up two seats in the last two years -- Republicans now have a 3-2 edge -- the Democrats unveiled Mallet and Mason as "change" candidates.

"We're one seat away from a majority," said Mallet. "With you're help, we are going for a super-majority."

Just days after losing one of the hardest fought legislative campaigns of 2007, outgoing Republican state Sen. James “Sonny” McCullough found himself on a flight to Myrtle Beach, S.C. with Democratic Assemblyman Jim Whelan, who had just ousted him from his state Senate seat by a 14 point margin.

Democrats had spent over $3 million to beat McCullough in one of the nastiest races in the state – succeeding in taking him out but not his Assembly running mates Vince Polistina and John Amodeo. But the two former opponents had, even by then, set aside their differences and were on friendly terms.

District 13 Sen. Joseph Kyrillos huddles with Assemblyman Sam Thompson.Stumping throughout central Jersey on Sunday, Gov. Jon Corzine dismissed the recently formed Common Sense America as a closeted anti-gay group masquerading as a champion of fiscal conservatism.

In defiance of Fair and Clean Elections in the 14th district, the Princeton-based outfit has spent an estimated $450,000-worth of ads against Democratic Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein and by extension, her running mate, labor leader Wayne DeAngelo.

"It’s not going to end up having a major impact," said Corzine, with Greenstein, DeAngelo and state Senate candidate Seema Singh, at his side in Hamilton’s Golden Dawn Diner.

The Trenton Times today endorsed Republican Jennifer Beck for State Senate in the hotly contested 12th district race, saying she was "the more persistent voice in fighting for change."  Beck has also been endorsed by the Asbury Park Press and the Star-Ledger in her bid to unseat Democratic incumbent Ellen Karcher.

"Could Ms. Karcher have been more forceful in prying more reforms out of the Democratic-controlled Legislature? It's hard to say, but clearly this last session was full of half-measures and some outright failures," the editorial said.  READ

Only about 30 senior citizens showed up to meet the Democratic Assembly candidates at the Applewood Estates, an assisted living complex in Freehold. But 30 votes may be enough to decide who wins the election in district 12.

The district, which is dominated by Monmouth County, is one of the most competitive in the state this year, as it was in 2005, when Democrat Mike Panter barely edged out his Republican opponent, Declan O’Scanlon, by 65 votes. While Republican Assembly candidate Jennifer Beck got about 1,000 more votes than anyone else, the three other major party candidates were separated by fewer than 250 votes.

District 12 Republicans want 12 debates against their Democratic opponents, but they’re not likely to get all of them.

Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck and her running mates Declan O’Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande sent a letter last week to their Democratic opponents challenging them to debates in 12 different parts of the district. After not receiving a response from their opponents’ campaign, they followed up with another press release today.

The 12th district Republican candidates really would prefer to be in a “Clean Elections” district.

That’s because, had the 12th district been chosen, the Republican and Democratic candidates would almost certainly have gotten equal funds. But since it wasn’t, the Republicans are trailing in fundraising – badly.

Three districts were chosen to participate in the Fair and Clean Elections Pilot Program for the 2007 election: one Republican dominated, one Democrat dominated and one competitive. The 12th was a prime candidate for the “split” district, but it lost out to the 14th in a decision made by a panel headed by former Governor Jim Florio.

“There is absolutely no question that if we spend the same amount of money as our opponents, we will unquestionably beat them,” said Assembly candidate Declan O’Scanlon, who lost his bid for an assembly seat two years ago by under 100 votes. “If this were a fair election from a financial perspective, we’d clean their clocks. It’s only by ensuring that the financial playing field is grossly skewed do they have a shot.”