Andrew Lucas

Monmouth County Freeholder Bill Barham announced last night that he would not seek re-election.  Possible candidates to replace him include Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso, Red Bank Councilman John Curley, Middletown Mayor Gerry Sharfenberger, Neptune activist Mel Hood, and two local elected officials who have lost Freeholder bids in recent years, Jeff Cantor and Andrew Lucas.

Former Freehold Councilwoman Barbara McMorrow will become the first Democrat to serve on the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders since 1989 when she replaces 85-year-old Theodore Narozanick in January. McMorrow, who came within 1,792 votes of winning in 2005, defeated Andrew Lucas, a 29-year-old Manalapan Councilman.

That will force Republicans to defend their majority next year, when Freeholders Robert Clifton and Anna Little (who won an unexpired term yesterday) are on the ballot. With an open State Senate seat in the 11th district and a hotly contested legislative race in the 12th -- possibly between Democratic State Senator Ellen Karcher and Republican Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck -- it is nearly certain that Monmouth will be a battleground in the 2007 campaign.

In some contests for Republican Municipal Chairmanships in Monmouth County, Holmdel Committeeman Terence Wall, who is supporting County Chairman candidates James Giannell, lost his bid for GOP Municipal Chairman. Steven Grossman, also allied with Giannell, was unseated as the Hazlet Republican Municipal Chairman.

The 2006 Monmouth GOP county ticket is split on a choice of County Chairman: Freeholder Anna Little has endorsed Giannell, the Red Bank Republican Municipal Chairman, while Freeholder candidate Andrew Lucas and Surrogate candidate Rosemarie Peters are backing Adam Puharic, a former Undersheriff.