Bill Barham

Several candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination for Monmouth County Freeholder, where the GOP’s 3-2 majority is at stake this November. The Democratic candidates at a convention this Saturday include Ocean Township Board of Education member (and former Neptune Mayor) Michael Beson, ’07 Assembly candidate Amy Mallet, and Hazlet police officer and school board member Glen Mason.

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.

Elected to the Assembly after a bitter primary fight with Joseph Azzolina, Amy Handlin vacated her Monmouth County Freeholder seat on January 24th, triggering a Special Election Convention to fill her seat. The winner of the contest, called for February 25th at the suitably named Battle Ground Country Club in Manalapan, must run for a fourteen-month unexpired term in November 2006 and again in November 2007.

Facing off are: Howell Mayor Joe DiBella, Wall Republican Chairman Bob McKenna, Marlboro Mayor Robert Kleinberg, Hazlet Committeewoman Bridget Antonucci, Highlands Councilwoman Anna Little, Spring Lake Councilman Brian Reilly, former Aberdeen Councilman Gus Toomey and Howell resident attorney Thomas DeSeno. After early entrances in the race, Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso, who lost a convention battle for Freeholder last year, and Howell Councilman Peter Tobasco decided not the seek Handlin's seat.

This battle is lining-up to be in the South. DiBella, who works for Commerce National Insurance, is likely to have a close fight with McKenna. Before moving to Howell, DiBella lived in Middlesex County, where he was a Sayreville Councilman. He was Monmouth GOP Chairman Fred Niemann's unofficial pick for the seat, but if history is any guide, his support does not mean its locked-up. Last year, another Niemann pick from Howell, Councilwoman Cindy Schomaker, was upset by Colts Neck Mayor Lillian Burry who now sits on the Freeholder Board. DiBella is considered a better public speaker then Schomaker and has tacit support from some other corners of the county.

McKenna, who helped lead the effort to remove William Dowd as GOP Chairman two years ago, has recently had a major falling out with Niemann. His firebrand style of politics and a sizable committee in Wall, however, may be very appealing to conservative county committee members. McKenna also seems to have some support amongst his former Monmouth GOP for Change Coalition, that has now turned its back on Niemann who may be challenged this June.

With nearly 100 full seats, and a committee known for block voting, the big question in the upcoming contest is who will Middletown Republican Chairman Peter Carton's delegation support. With so many candidates in the running, Middletown's vote can easily swing the outcome.

Despite a lot of encouragement to run to fill Handlin's seat with another woman from Middletown, long-time Middletown Committeewoman Rosemarie Peters is rumored to be seeking the Surrogate's seat when incumbent Marie Muhler retires. Seven-term Freeholder Ted Narozanick, perhaps the last of the Monmouth GOP's old guard, is widely expected to retire. (Rob Clifton, elected in 2004, would become the senior member of the Freeholder Board). It is rumored that Niemann is helping Kleinberg seek Narozanick's seat, but a number of county officials have been encouraging Middletown Mayor Tom Hall to run this spring.