Caroline Casagrande

In 1980, a 10-year-old Jonathan Hornik stood in the recently renovated barn that had just become Marlboro’s town hall to watch his late father, Saul, get sworn in as the town’s new mayor.

Today, just over two years since his father died of lung cancer, Hornik stood in the same room, filled to the rafters with spectators to see the 37-year-old sworn in as mayor.

“Marlboro was a young community well on its way to what I call modern day Marlboro,” reminsced Hornik in his inaugural speech. “….It was a feeling of optimism in 1980, and our town leaders were eager to meet the challenges of their time. Today I feel the same sense of optimism and assure you that this next generation is ready, willing and able to move Marlboro forward to its bright future.”

Hornik is one of the Monmouth County Democrats’ rising stars, having handily defeated incumbent Mayor Robert Kleinberg in a particularly nasty battle while the full slate of his 12th district Democratic legislative counterparts –led by state Sen. Ellen Karcher, a former Marlboro councilwoman – went down in defeat.

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

Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck and her running mates welcome Giuliani

The water towers jut against the skyline over the billboards here, part of that sprawl of roadway called Route 9 crammed between the Shore and the Raritan, a battered lifeline to a gas station culture of blimped-up commercial ratables and fading blue collar towns turned service sector central.
 

In Old Bridge a billboard says "Kyrillos 2007," and farther south of the river there’s "Hornik for Mayor" and car dealership ads - over 76% of the people here drive to work alone each day - and restaurant shacks and "Re-elect Kleinberg," and what appear to be undocumented workers and others stranded on bus stops looking at the drivers in the cars backed bumper-to-bumper, who look back and wait for the colors to change.

Amid the slogans of all sizes Thursday, a low-lying phalanx of lawn signs jumped into view in Manalapan in front of the Excelsior catering hall: Rudy. Rudy. Rudy. Rudy. Rudy. Rudy. Yes, he was here, here to support the district 12 GOP ticket of Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck and her running mates, Declan O’Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande.

In the ultra-competitive district 12 legislative race, the Republicans are breaking out the big guns.

Rudy Giuliani is scheduled to make an appearance on behalf of Republican legislative candidates Jennifer Beck, Declan O’Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande, according to campaign spokesman Tom Fitzsimmons.

The appearance is scheduled for a Thursday rally at The Excelsior in Manalapan at 3:30 p.m.

Republicans in the 12th district said they tried to get Democratic Assemblyman Michael Panter and his running mate Amy Mallett to sit down in the studios of News 12 New Jersey for a debate Tuesday. 

It's not going to happen.

"We have a scheduling conflict," confirmed Democratic campaign spokesperson Tali Israeli.

Republicans Declan O'Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande wanted some nose-to-nose time with Panter and Mallett on air following a scheduled taping of Karcher v. Beck.

After facing criticism for not being aggressive enough against Democrats, Republicans have coalesced around a new cause.

Although Republicans offered no comment on Sunday or Monday after The Star Ledger broke the story about Gov. Corzine’s $15,000 gift to ex-girlfriend Carla Katz’s brother-in-law Rocco Riccio, the GOP has now seized on this latest scandal to erupt over Gov. Corzine’s relationship with Katz in what appears to be a coordinated effort to turn it into a campaign issue.

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.”