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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS HERALD |
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ELECTION RECAP As is the usual practice, this writer will leave the analysis of the local election to the First Avenue pundits. Before tossing the ball their way, a sincere thank you from myself and my running mate for the confidence that the voters have shown in us. If nothing else, the election in our state was interesting. The Democrats made some noise in Monmouth County and they appear to have put a lock on the state house. With Senator Jon Corzine set to be the next Governor, New Jersey cements itself as a blue state. The Senator has the opportunity to put our state back in order if he can clean up Trenton and attack the property tax issue. Here is hoping for our entire state that Corzine can make some progress. In the county, the Republicans successfully fought back against big money. The Freeholders race was close and some political analysts were expecting the Republicans to lose one or two seats. This can only be considered a missed opportunity for the Democrats because of the negative publicity surrounding the Board of Chosen Freeholders. It is pretty clear to the winners that change must come to our county government and look for Bill Barham and Lillian Burry to make good on that score. Elsewhere, the state legislature provided some late night drama. In the 11 th district, Republican incumbents Steve Corodemus and Sean Kean beat back big money. Their Democrat oppponents spent close to $1 million dollars trying to knock the pair out and in a squeaker, the Republicans prevailed. In the 12 th district, a mild upset with Red Bank Councilwoman Jennifer Beck and Little Silver Councilman Declan O’Scanlan knocking off incumbents Dr. Robert Morgan and Michael Panter. The incumbents had done a great job in raising their profiles over the past two years, but the heavily Republican district swung back to the GOP. Of course, the main issue of the day is the outrageous amount of money that was spent on some races. It boggles the mind that one party would spend so much cash for a seat as happened in the 11 th district. But then again, two men spent close to $60 million for the Governor’s chair, so it is a matter of perspective. One thing seems certain from this election season is that four years from now, we will probably see some rich Republican willing to spend his fortune to knock off our new Governor.
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