An opportunity for Dems in Ocean County

by: ken bank

Sat Jun 19, 2010 at 05:34:13 PM EDT

Check out this editorial in the Asbury Park Press condemning Ocean County's GOP bosses for choosing one of their own, County Clerk Carl Block, as County Administrator. Block's salary will go up substantially, as will his benefits under the current pension plan. Last year Block was defeated for re-election as Stafford mayor by a coalition of Democrats and reform Republicans opposed to Boss George Gilmore's stranglehold on county government.

The two Democratic candidates for freeholder have already condemned Block's appointment, and I saw a recent post on an internet blog from one of the reform Republican leaders indicating they may run as an independent candidate in the special election this November to fill the County Clerk's position vacated by Block. If there is an independent "tea party" candidate this could be an opportunity for Ocean County Dems to make some inroads in the GOP-controlled county government. Let's hope they don't blow it.

ken bank :: An opportunity for Dems in Ocean County

Tags: Carl Block, George Gilmore, (All Tags)

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An opportunity for Dems in Ocean County | 2 comments

It will never happen (0.00 / 0)

Never, ever, in a million years will Ocean County elect a Democrat. You see, even Republican counties such as Morris, Monmouth and Hunterdon have their progressive pockets. Ocean County has none.

What type of progressive (or even potentially progressive) constituency is there in Ocean County. South Toms River does have some poorer African Americans, but they still get outvoted by the ItaliancatholicconservativegotoutofStatenIslandbecausetheVerrazanoisnotenoughofabufferfromracialreligioussexualminorities types that dominate the majority of the county. Lakewood has some African-Americans and Mexicans, but they again, are outvoted, this time by the Hassidic community (who, unlike other Jewish sects, are very conservative and Republican).

Toms River, well, the southern part of town (basically the Toms River South sending district, including the areas south of Route 37) could be a source of progressive votes, but they will always be outvoted by the northern (rich) and eastern (redneck) parts of town.

Berkeley Township (my home township) has elected Dems before, and has a Dem mayor (Jason Varano), but the Dems there are basically Republicans who kow-tow to the interests of the age restricted communities in the western part of the township.

Republican turnout just happens here, and pretty much every municipality of consequence has a 60-40 generic R-generic D split. You'd be hard pressed to find any place that will flip.

-Jordan O

http://pinelandsprogressive.blogspot.com

by: IndependentNJ @ Mon Jun 21, 2010 at 18:51:13 PM UTC

An independent conservative for County Clerk puts OC in play (0.00 / 0)

"ItaliancatholicconservativegotoutofStatenIslandbecausetheVerrazanoisnotenoughofabufferfromracialreligioussexualminorities"

LOL!! We've got them here in Barnegat too.

"Berkeley Township (my home township) has elected Dems before, and has a Dem mayor (Jason Varano), but the Dems there are basically Republicans who kow-tow to the interests of the age restricted communities in the western part of the township."

Also same in Barnegat. The Dems even selected a candidate for Township Committee last year who who proclaimed himself a "Reagan Republican" just before he switched parties to run as a Dem.

However, my point is that if TROOC puts up their own independent candidate for county clerk they could take away enough votes from whatever stooge Gilmore puts up and swing the election to the Dems.

And the Hasidic Jews will vote for the TROOC candidate, which is pro-life and very conservative.

http://christiegonewild.blogsp...

by: ken bank @ Mon Jun 21, 2010 at 19:17:17 PM UTC

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