My fight for the nomination

by: vincent solomeno

Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 02:42:08 PM EDT

I believe key to building a sustainable majority in Monmouth is developing grassroots interest and involvement in our party's efforts to reform county government.  I've traveled all over.  My supporters and I have spent untold hours prepping mailings, writing speeches, and reviewing policy.  

In a campaign, it's easy to lose track of what's important, but here's a by the numbers breakdown of what we've accomplished:

-  Met with 15 elected officials from municipalities across Monmouth County and listened as they explained their concerns about Governor Christie's proposed aid cuts and the resulting need to reign in property taxes.
-  Met with 14 municipal chairs and spoke with countless others to discuss ways our party can better coordinate our message, canvassing, and fundraising.
-  Mailed 5 letters to 139 elected officials and municipal chairs explaining why I'd like to be a Monmouth County Freeholder.
-  Logged 1,593 miles, changed my oil 1 time, and replaced 2 tires and 1 transmission.
-  Wrote 1 letter to the editor, published by The Asbury Park Press, opposing public pensions for lobbyists.
-  Hosted 3 campaign events, including a pancake breakfast that turned out over 75 supporters - many of them new faces in the Democratic Party.
-  Created 1 campaign web site.
-  With the help of friends, created a Facebook page that today has 364 fans.
-  Posted 47 tweets to Twitter.
-  Recorded 2 video messages to likely voters.
-  Read 74 pages of a bloated budget that's ripe for cuts.
-  Attended 4 Freeholder Board meetings and 1 budget hearing.
-  Took on 3 Republican freeholders.

The vote on Saturday will determine whether I go forward and run alongside Judge John D'Amico in the coming campaign.  Yet even if I don't come out on top, I remain committed to building a grassroots effort that elects Democrats across Monmouth County.  We are the party that reformed county government, and this time, we will end once and for all the GOP patronage machine's stranglehold on power.

I'm proud of what my supporters and I have achieved in this campaign and I look forward to translating our efforts into success come November.  I'm grateful for Blue Jersey and our community's ongoing efforts to engage in the political process.  I'll keep you posted on Saturday's results, and Lord willing and the creek don't rise, you'll soon find that we've not yet begun to fight.