Democrats spent $1.5 million to defeat Angelini and Casagrande

Assembly Members-elect Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey

Democratic Assembly Members-elect Joann Downey and Eric Houghtailing, and Independent Expenditure Committees supporting them spent $1,503,233 to defeat Republican incumbents Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande in the 11th legislative district election, according to an analysis of 2015 campaign spending published on PolitickerNJ.

Angelini and Casagrande spent $234,118 on their reelection effort.

For all of that spending, 700 additional Republican votes would have carried the day for Angelini and Casagrande. Those votes reside in Colts Neck, a Republican stronghold that had less than a 20% voter turnout and Freehold Township, another Republican stronghold in the district that did not turnout for the incumbents.  Casagrande and Angelini, while winning Freehold Township, did so with by a margin of less than 10%.

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NJEA funded Democratic PAC rips drug prevention and anti-bullying programs

A Super PAC funded by the NJEA, New Jersey’s largest teachers’ union, and run by U.S.Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s former Chief of Staff, has spent nearly $200,000 so far on television and radio ads to imply that Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini (R-11 Monmouth County) “took” $1 millon in government grants for herself and her staff, rather than help New Jersey schools prevent drug abuse.

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Asbury Park Press Endorses Angelini and Casagrande in LD 11

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal is having a bad day year.

The Dems have put their eggs in the LD 11 basket this year, hoping to pick off one or two of New Jersey’s only all female legislative delegation in Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande.

Vin made sure that his county candidates for Clerk and Freeholder are residents of the 11th, in hopes that a hometown turnout boost for the county candidates, who are hardly campaigning elsewhere in the county, might help Eric Houghtaling of Neptune and Joann Downey of Freehold over the finish line.

Only in the 11th will you find a typical election year showing of road and lawn signs. Houghtaling and Downey are advertising on ESPN and even FoxNews.

Gopal has historically been able to count on an assist from the Asbury Park Press. Not this year and not where he needs it most.

In endorsing Angelini and Casagrande, APP called them “among the strongest legislators in New Jersey.”

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Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider Endorses Angelini and Casagrande in LD 11

NJTV’s Michael Aron interviews Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider. file photo

Long Branch, NJ- Mayor Adam Schneider, a Democrat, today endorsed Republican Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande for reelection in New Jersey’s 11th Legislative District.

Schneider said that Angelini and Casagrande are partners that Monmouth County and Long Branch need in the Assembly.

“It means a lot to have two representatives that partnered with me to help Long Branch recover, rebuild and safeguard against future storms,” said Mayor Schneider. “Mary Pat and Caroline are dedicated, hardworking leaders that continually demonstrate their commitment to putting partisanship aside to protect our families, make our state more affordable and provide more opportunities for our children. I will be working hard to help them secure the support they need to continue to bring both parties together to solve problems.”

The 11th Legislative District, which includes Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, and West Long Branch, is the only district in New Jersey that is represented by an all female delegation in the legislature.   In addition to Angelini and Beck in Assembly, the 11th is represented by Sen. Jennifer Beck in the State Senate.  Beck is not up for reelection this year.  All 80 seats in the Assembly are on the ballot on November 3rd.

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Chamber of Commerce honors Casagrande as Legislator of the year

Caroline Casagrande
accepting the Legislator of the Year Award from Chamber President & CEO
Tom Bracken and Michel Egenton, Senior Vice President.

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce honored Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande as Legislator of the year last night at its biannual legislative awards reception at the New Jersey Center of Excellence in Bridgewater.

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, an attorney and the assistant Republican Leader in the Assembly, is an outspoken advocate for government efficiency and for identifying waste, fraud, and abuse in government agencies. She has introduced legislation that would establish job creation among small businesses and a bill that would establish tax-free business incubators at institutions of higher education. Further, Assemblywoman Casagrande has a bill that will codify the New Jersey Business Action Center into law, guaranteeing its permanence.

Casagrande represents New Jersey’s 11th Legislative District which includes Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, and West Long Branch.

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Blood drive in Freehold on Thursday

Click image for larger view

Assemblywoman Caroline Cassagrande is hosting a blood drive at her office at 35 West Main St. in Freehold on Thursday, October 15 from 2 p.m. till 6 p.m.  This the seventh consecutive year that Casagrande has hosted a blood drive in her district.

“The great thing about the Central Jersey Blood Center is that they serve our local hospitals as they treat premature babies, trauma victims and cancer patients” says Casagrande.  “All the blood donated, stays in our communities and helps a neighbor in need.”

More than a million new people are diagnosed with cancer each year. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment. “Cancer patients are the primary recipients of blood transfusions” says Casagrande. “In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, consider a donation in the name of a loved one fighting that disease.”

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BECK, ANGELINI, CASAGRANDE, ARNONE & BISHOP SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON SHARK RIVER DREDGING

Press Release

photo via facebook.com/sharkrivernewjersey

Senator Jennifer Beck, Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone, and Neptune Township Committeeman Randy Bishop offered the following statement Monday to update residents on the progress being made in the effort to dredge Shark River state navigation channels:

“This project is closer to reality than ever before. This is a result of years of work coordinating with the many agencies that have authority over this project. This project focuses on what we can do, dredge the state navigation channels of the river” Arnone explained, a former Neptune City Mayor. “A project like this has to have full cooperation from the federal, state, county, and municipal governments. It has been a long process, but one that is moving forward”.

There are two permits necessary to move forward with the project: one from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the second from the US Army Corps of Engineers. NJ DOT has submitted applications for both permits. The State hopes to bid this project in time for a late-summer project award.  If a responsive bid is received, and the selected contractor chooses, dredging could potentially begin later this year.  The contractor may be given the option to conduct the work over two dredging seasons if necessary.

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Golden: The Next Generation is a Republican Generation

Chairman Shaun Golden

Monmouth County Republican Chairman Shaun Golden released a statement this morning announcing that his slate of municipal candidates this year included six Young Republican Leaders under the age of 35.

Candidates for local office filed to run with their respective Municipal Clerks all across Monmouth County on Monday. It is clear by the two parties’ selection of nominees, that Republicans in Monmouth County are the only ones offering voters a chance to elect a new generation of leaders with fresh, bold ideas for the future.

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Unlawful weapons charges dropped against N.J. man stopped with antique pistol

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Casagrande Calls On Cumberland Prosecutor To Drop Gun Charges Against Retired Teacher

Says she will introduce legislation bringing New Jersey’s treatment of antique guns in line with federal standards

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R-Monmouth) said yesterday that the charges gun charges against a 72 retired teacher for transporting a 300 year old antique flintlock pistol are “ludicrous” and that the Cumberland County Prosecutor should dismiss the case.

Gordon Van Gilder, who taught in Millville for 34 years, faces 10 years in prison and the loss of his pension after a traffic stop last November during which he disclosed to the Cumberland Sheriff’s Officer who stopped him that he had the antique gun, unloaded , in his car.  Van Gilder’s attorney, Evan Nappen, said that his client was carrying a collectible and is being charged as if he was carrying a loaded .44 magnum.

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