LD 13 Assembly Race Draws A Crowd As Scharfenberger Jumps In

Monmouth County Freeholder Serena DiMaso and Middletown Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger could be running mates for Assembly this fall.

Suddenly there is a race for the 13th District Assembly seats currently held by Assembly Members Declan O’Scanlon and Amy Handlin.

Middletown Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger announced his candidacy for Assembly, with a video posted on facebook, just hours after Monmouth County Freeholder Serena DiMaso announced her candidacy via press release this morning.

DiMaso’s and Scharfenberger’s announcements follow Fair Haven Councilman Bob Marchese’s announcement last week and Handlin’s statement last month that she wants to run for reelection to the Assembly should she fail to win the LD 13 State Senate nomination at the yet to be scheduled GOP nominating convention. Handlin said she would abide by the will of the County Committee vote at a convention.

O’Scanlon has maintained that he’s running for Senate and nothing else.

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Serena DiMaso Announces Her Candidacy For Assembly In LD 13

Freeholder Serena DiMaso

Freeholder Serena DiMaso, a resident of Holmdel, announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination for State Assembly in the 13th Legislative District this morning in a press release.

LD 13 is located in northern Momouth County. The district is comprised of Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Rumson, Sea Bright and Union Beach.

“The retirement of our great State Senator, Joe Kyrillos, has left some big shoes to be filled and those shoes will likely be filled by one of our current Assembly members”, said DiMaso. “After speaking with my campaign team, and having Sheriff Shaun Golden and Freeholder Tom Arnone offer their encouragement and support I have decided to announce my candidacy for the New Jersey State Assembly from the 13^th District.”

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Freeholders Signal Flat Taxes During Monmouth County Reorganization

Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, 2017. Gary Rich Sr, Serena DiMaso, Lillian Burry, John Curley and Tom Arnone

Continuing to reduce the size and cost of government while improving the quality of services and infrastructure was the theme of the day as Monmouth County’s leadership gathered yesterday before a standing room only crowd in the Biotech High School Auditorium in Freehold to reorganize the county government for 2017 and to swear in the victors of the November election.

Freeholders Serena DiMaso and Tom Arnone were each sworn into new three year terms, as was Sheriff Shaun Golden.  Surrogate Rosemarie Peters was sworn into a new five year term.   Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno issued the Oath of Office to DiMaso and Golden.  State Senator Joe Kyrillos administered the Oath for Arnone.  Superior Court Assignment Judge Lisa P. Thorton presided over Peter’s pledge to uphold the Constitutions of the United States of America and New Jersey and perform the duties of her office to the best of her ability.

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Senate President Sweeney Vouches For Gopal’s Outsider Status, Fiscal Conservatism

Senate President Steve Sweeney, right, enjoys a humorous moment with Gov Christie, and South Jersey Dem Boss George Norcross
photo credit: Tim Larsen/Governor’s Office

New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney, the author of over 100 tax increases on NJ citizens, issued a statement earlier this week vouching for the outsider status and fiscal conservatism of Vin Gopal, the former Monmouth Democrat Chairman and a candidate for the Democrat nomination for 11th District State Senate seat in the the June 6 primary.

In addition to Sweeney, Gopal is touting the support of South Jersey Democrat Boss George Norcross and Phil Murphy, President Obama’s former Ambassador to Germany and the candidate for Governor who has already locked up the support of the New Jersey Democrat machine.

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Fair Haven Councilman is first to announce for Assembly in LD 13

photo via twitter

Fair Haven Councilman Bob Marchese announced today that he is seeking the Republican nomination for State Assembly in the 13th Legislative District.  In a press release, Marchese said he is seeking the seat currently held by Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon.  O’Scanlon is running for the State Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Senator Joe Kyrillos.

Marchese is the first candidate to announce for Assembly in the district which encompasses northern Monmouth County including the Two Rivers area (sans Red Bank which is in the 11th), Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach along the Atlantic Coast, the Bayshore, Middletown, Holmdel, Aberdeen and Marlboro.

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Beck Is Enthusiastic About Gopal’s Challenge

Senator Jennifer Beck

Senator Jennifer Beck welcomed “Camden County Vin” Gopal to the campaign for New Jersey Senate from the 11th Legislative District (parts of southern and western Monmouth County) today.

Beck said Gopal is “Camden County’s hand-picked candidate” and noted that he has failed in his two previous attempts to be elected to public office.

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Gopal Pays $900K Cash for Tinton Falls building

Vin Gopal, the Monmouth County Democrat Chairman until noon on Tuesday and a candidate for the Democrat nomination for State Senate in the 11th Legislative District, portrayed himself as a struggling small business owner who goes months at a time without a paycheck so that he can pay his employees, in the announcement that he was stepping down as Chairman to run for Senate.

“I know what it’s like having to make payroll every month, going months without taking a paycheck in order to make sure my employees are paid,” Gopal said to The Asbury Park Press.  At Observer-PolitickerNJ, Gopal said, “I know what Monmouth County residents are going through.”

But MoreMonmouthMusings has learned that Gopal paid $900,000 in cash for a commercial property in Tinton Falls last week.  He showed up for the closing with a bank check for $10,000 more than the listing price after winning a bidding war on 97 Apple Street, a single story office building.

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Gopal Quits Dem Chairmanship To Challenge Beck For Senate

Vin Gopal resigned as Monmouth County Chairman in an email to Monmouth Democrats on Sunday night and announced that he is running for NJ State Senate against Senator Jennifer Beck in the 11th Legislative District.

In his email, Gopal, who was reelected Chairman last June, took credit for making Monmouth County politically competitive in the 4 1/2 years he’s been chairman.  He cited the victories of Assembly Members Joann Downey and Eric Houghtailing in the 11th district last year.  He claimed credit for increasing the number of Democrat mayors in the county from 14 to 23, over the last three years.

In this statement to the press which was published on Observer-PolitickerNJ, Gopal said, “Monmouth County needs a Senator who will battle with the insiders in Trenton, not just show up and act like a puppet.” Read the rest of this entry »

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2017 Predictions

Joe Piscopo

In a repeat of Super Bowl I, the Green Bay Packers will defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LI.  America will be great again.

Jared Kushner will buy Twitter.

The U.S. Supreme Court will reject Senator Robert Menendez’s arguments that constitutional separation of powers prohibits the Justice Department from prosecuting a New Jersey Senator for using the influence of his office in exchange for gifts and favors from a Florida businessman.  Menendez will step down from the Senate as part of a deal that excludes prison and a felony record.

Governor Chris Christie will appoint NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney to complete Menendez’s term in the U.S. Senate.

Republican Joe Piscopo will defeat Democrat Phil Murphy to become the Governor of New Jersey.

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In Case You Missed It: Don’t Drink and Drive

NBC’s Today Show this morning replayed an anti-drunk driving segment filmed in Fair Haven three years ago featuring some of Monmouth County’s best drinkers and light weights.  Several MMM readers and your favorite blogger are featured.

If you’re going out this weekend, update your Uber or Lyft apps.

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