Middlesex Dems endorse Lande and Guha to challenge Dancer and Clifton in LD 12

The Middlesex County Democrats endorsed Monmouth County residents David Lande of Millstone and Malini Guha of Matawan to be the Democrat nominees for Assembly in the 12th Legislative District at a convention on Monday night.  NewJerseyGlobe first reported the endorsements.

Malini Guha’s facebook profile picture.

Lande and Guha will hold the top Democrat spots on the June 4 primary ballot in Middlesex County.  The 12th district includes parts of Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington Counties, which have yet to endorse their candidates.  Gene Davis of Jackson (Ocean County) is also competing for the endorsements.

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What if Menendez resigns?

It’s not considered likely that Senator Bob Menendez will resign as a result of the bi-partisan admonishment he received from the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics.  NJ and Washington Democrats have become a much more forgiving people since Senator Bob Torricelli was forced out of office after his admonishment 16 years ago.

As Bret Stephens wrote in a Trump bashing piece in the NY Times yesterday, America’s standards have declined over the years.   Menendez’s admonishment for trading the power of his office for luxury travel and massive campaign contributions will likely blow over as the Democrats and their media partners continue their mission to destroy the Trump presidency.

But what if the Russian collusion with the Senate Ethics Committee works and Menendez decides to take a job running Dr. Salomon Melgen’s port security business in the Dominican Republic while looking over his luxury villa?

If Menendez resigns, Governor Phil Murphy gets to appoint someone to fill the vacancy until January. That person would run in Menendez’s place for a six year term in the November election. Who would Murphy choose? Read the rest of this entry »

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Small-Business Advocate Endorses Thompson, Dancer and Clifton in LD 12

The NFIB/NJ PAC, the political arm of the National Federation of Independent Businesses in New Jersey, has endorsed Senator Sam Thompson, Assemblyman Ron Dancer and Assemblyman Rob Clifton for reelection in the 12th legislative district.

“Your election is not only critical to the small-business owners in your district, but also to protecting free enterprise across the state,” wrote State Director Laurie Ehlbeck in letters to the legislators.

“Small-business owners are the backbone of our economy and collectively provide most of the jobs in the New Jersey,” said Thompson. “It is my privilege to fight for them.  I am honored to have the support and partnership of the NFIB/NJPAC.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Monmouth Dem Candidates Speak At Anti-Cop, Anti-Christian Hate Group Meeting

Photo of police officers altered to depict them as nazis. click for clearer view

The Democrat candidate for Senate in LD 13, one of his Assembly running mates, the Monmouth Dem Freeholders candidates, and a Democrat candidate for Middletown Township Committee were the honored guests of a group that depicts police officers as nazis and Mother Theresa as a sadistic religious fanatic.   The group, District 4 Coalition for Change, has also posted a nude photo of First Lady Melania Trump on its facebook page.

Sean Byrnes, the former Middletown Township Committeeman running for Senate in LD 13, Mariel DiDato, the 25 year old Hazlet resident running for Assembly in LD 13, Lake Como Mayor Brian Wilton and his freeholder running mate Dr. Margie Donlon, and Tricia Maguire, a candidate for Middletown Township Committee were all invited to speak at the event which was held at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Lincroft.   The 80 people attending were asked to donate to the candidates’ campaigns.

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Haney’s LD 12 Senate Campaign Will Spend Less Than $14K, Campaign Manager Quits

Art Haney, Jack Ciattarelli, Debbie Walker and Alex Robotin. photo via the Haney, Robotin and Walker facebook page

With three weeks to go before the June 6 primary, the campaign to unseat Senator Sam Thompson, Assemblyman Rob Dancer and Assemblyman Rob Clifton as the Republican nominees in the 12th Legislative District appears to be on life support.

Art Haney, the Chairman of the Old Bridge Municipal Utilities Authority, Old Bridge Councilwoman Debbie Walker and former Chesterfield Councilman Alex Robotin swore to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) that they will be spending less that $14,000 on their joint campaign.  Haney is the Senate candidate challenging Thompson. Walker and Robotin are on the ballot against Dancer and Clifton.

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Clifton Calls For First Responders’ Protection In Opioid Crisis

Assemblyman Rob Clifton

Assemblyman Rob Clifton (R-12 Monmouth, Middlesex, Ocean and Burlington) renewed his call for legislative action today on his bill (A3104) that would protect the lives and well-being on police officers and EMS personnel who administer NARCAN or similar opioid antidotes. The bill would require drug users who are treated for overdoses to undergo blood testing for infectious disease if an officer or first responder was exposed to bodily fluid.

“Every day, our police and EMS workers risk their health responding to drug-related emergencies,” said Clifton. “Narcan has been administered more than 18,000 times in this state since 2014. When the drug is administered, and during the resuscitation of the endangered user, contact with blood or digestive liquids is a common occurrence.”

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SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON FREEHOLDERS’ HEALTH BENEFITS

By Assemblyman Rob Clifton

I recently read Former Monmouth County Freeholder Amy Mallet’s criticism of Freeholder Serena DiMaso’s purchase of health benefits through the County. I have to disagree with the former Freeholder’s comments. I was on the Freeholder board in 2009 when Freeholder Lillian Burry and I proposed eliminating taxpayer fund health benefits for freeholders in order to deal with the downturn in economy. I was deputy director in 2010 when we made the resolution permanent.

Both actions were taken to save money in the budget and to return those dollars to the taxpayers.  Our intent was to no longer have the residents pay for health benefits; certainly if Ms. Mallet wanted to pay for those benefits out of her own pocket we could have and would have allowed it.

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Rick O’Neil is the Right Man for Highlands

By Assemblyman Rob Clifton

I have had the honor and privilege of knowing and working with Rick O’Neil for almost 20-years. Rick and I served together on the Bayshore Conference of Mayors. We worked on issues that affected all the towns from Rick’s hometown of Highlands to my hometown of Matawan. Rick was a leader and the driving force in dealing with the most critical issue we faced then and still face today, illegal drugs. Highlands, under Rick’s leadership, was a supportive and active member of the Bayshore Drug Taskforce.

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Monmouth Democratic Nominating Convention Preview

The Monmouth County Democrats are holding their nominating convention on Thursday, March 22 at the Bayshore Senior Center, 6:30 PM.

Michael Steinhorn of Rumson is the only candidate who has filed to run for County Clerk.  He is expected to be nominated to run against Republican incumbent M.Claire French. Steinhorn was the nominee for County Surrogate last year.

Former State Trooper Bill Shea, a candidate last year, and former Hazlet Mayor Kevin Lavan, a candidate for Assembly last year from the 13th district , will be freeholder candidates. 

There are two freeholder seats up this year;  a full term that is being defended by incumbent Republican Freeholder Director John Curley and an unexpired term that will be defended by Freeholder Serena DiMaso.  DiMaso was elected by the Monmouth Republican Committee to fill the vacancy created by Rob Clifton’s election to the State Assembly.

The Democrats have yet to determine which seats Shea and Lavan will challenge.

Former Freeholder Amy Mallet has not ruled out re-seeking the office that she lost last November.  Asked repeatedly by MMM if she was going to make an run for freeholder either at the convention or in the primary, Mallet said, “no, not at this time,” and “I am not running as of now.”   Asked to give a definitive answer, she declined.

Two candidates have thrown their hats into the ring for the nomination to take on Congressman Chris Smith in the 4th congressional district. Former Monmouth County Surrogate Patricia Bennett, now an elder law attorney in Red Bank and Spring Lake businessman Brian Froelich will compete for the Democratic endorsement on Thrusday night.  

Froelich has a website and says he’s filed with the FEC to be a candidate. He would not rule out a primary challenge should he lose to Bennett on Thursday, saying, “I intend to win at the convention and have not thought beyond that.”

Bennett could not be reach for comment.

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