Democrats in the running for Handlin’s Assembly seat

Josh Welle and Amber Gesslein could run for the Dem nominations for Assembly in LD 13 next year.

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin’s announcement that she will not seek reelection next year inevitably creates speculation on who will run to replace her. While party leaders on both sides of the aisle would rather their troops stay focused on the election coming up next month, the jockeying has started given how infrequently a vacancy occurs in the 13th district.

Democrats, who normally lose badly in the district will likely have a contest for the two Assembly nominations next year, given Handlin’s vacancy and Serena DiMaso serving her freshman term.  DiMaso put something of a target on her back with the Dems when she made a robocall criticizing LD 11 Assemblymembers Eric Hougtaling and Joann Downey for voting for Governor Murphy’s tax increases.  Houghtaling and Downey responded to DiMaso’s robocall with an ethics complaint.

With the Assembly on top of the ballot next year, Dems will likely be motivated and funded, even in LD 13.

Potential Democrat Candidates for LD 13 Assembly in 2019 who are running for other offices this year:

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

O’Scanlon Wins LD13 Senate Seat

Senator-elect Declan O’Scanlon

Sean Byrnes conceded the LD13 Senate race to Senator-elect Declan O’Scanlon at 9:10 pm

With 86% of the precincts in the district reporting, O’Scanlon has a 9.5% lead.

“Sean Byrnes ran a spirited race. I thank him for his gracious phone call,” O’Scanlon said.

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin and Freeholder Serena DiMaso are leading comfortalbly

• Tweet

LD 13 Senate Race Has Gone to the Dogs

The race between Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon and Democrat Sean Byrnes, a former one term Middletown Township Committeeman, to succeed Senator Joe Kyillos, has gone to the dogs. Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

History Repeats For Sean Byrnes

Who will govern women?

• Tweet

Aberdeen Mayor Supports O’Scanlon’s Efforts To Limit Property Tax Hikes

Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini

We haven’t heard from Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop since Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon challenged him to pressure Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto to put the extension of the 2% limit on arbitration awards for police and firefighter salary contracts up for a vote. But Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini, a Democrat, called to say that he supports O’Scanlon’s effort.

“The 2% arbitration cap is a very powerful tool in stabilizing property taxes,” Tagliarini said in a phone interview with MMM. “I don’t know any mayor, Democrat or Republican, who wants it to expire.  The cap should be extended before it expires in December.” Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

O’Scanlon calls for arbitration cap’s extension to control property taxes

TRENTON, N.J. – Calling the arbitration award cap one of the most important reforms implemented to control property taxes, Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon said today that if the cap isn’t permanently extended taxpayers will face tax increases, draconian cuts to municipal services or both. O’Scanlon was a prime sponsor of the original cap law and vocal advocate of the extension. He was the only legislator appointed by the governor to sit on the Interest Arbitration Task Force.

“There’s no question that the cap has been successful and is an essential tool for municipalities to keep expenses and property taxes contained,” said O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “Every report we’ve done to date has been absolutely consistent and shows the arbitration and tax cap are working together as intended. You can’t keep the tax cap in place without the arbitration cap. You would create a mathematically untenable situation. And it isn’t just police and fire salary costs that are affected, there is a ripple effect throughout all salary expenses.” Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Murphy would rather talk about Confederate flags than taxes

Monmouth Dems Expand Relationship With Hate Group

Former Goldman Sachs banker Phil Murphy, the Democrat running for governor of New Jersey, does not want to talk about his plan to raise taxes by $1.3 billion.  He also doesn’t want to talk about renewing the law that is keeping a lid on New Jersey property taxes which expires at the end of this year.

Murphy really doesn’t want Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, the GOP nominee for governor, to talk about taxes either.   Murphy wants to talk the Confederate flag.  He wants Guadagno to talk about it too, according to a report at NJ.com. Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Dems will have a primary race for Senate in LD 13

Joshua Leinsdorf and Sean Byrnes will compete in the Democratic Primary for State Senate in LD 13

Joshua Leinsdorf of Atlantic Highlands has filed as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for State Senate from the 13th legislative district.

The former Princeton Board of Education member ran for Assembly as an Independent in 2015 and for Governor as a third party candidate in 2009. As a gubernatorial candidate, Leinsdorf called for cutting taxes, fixing the schools, making public transportation usable and the elimination of county government.

Leinsdorf is the first candidate in the 13th district to file petitions with the Secretary of State’s Division of Elections.  His petition contains 170 signatures. 100 are required. Petitions are due in Trenton on Monday April 3 at 4p.m.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

GOP Leaders Weigh In On LD 13 Slate

Monmouth County and New Jersey Republican Leaders congratulated the GOP legislative team of Declan O’Scanlon, Amy Handlin and Serena DiMaso in the 13th district today.

Senator Joe Kyrillos, who created the game of dominoes that has that has had Republican office holders dancing on the district and county levesl when he announced his retirement in October, said, “Looks like things are working out very well for my friend Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon to fill my seat next year and I’m proud of him. He’s been a great assemblyman, and together with Amy and Serena, will contribute to the long tradition of Monmouth county’s especially strong legislative delegations to the State House.”

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Former Middletown Township Committeeman To Challenge O’Scanlon in LD 13

InsiderNJ is reporting that former Middletown Township Committeeman Sean Byrnes will run for State Senate in the 13th legislative district.

Byrnes was one of two Democrats to break the Middletown GOP’s hold on the Township Committee in the wake of Operation Bid Rig.  He was elected in 2007 and served one term before being defeated by Kevin Settembrino in 2010.   Byrnes ran for Monmouth County Freeholder in 2009.  He was defeated by John Curley after Vin Gopal paid for a beach plane banner that misspelled ‘freeholder.’

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet