Dems, GOP ready for final days
Red Bank
candidates post signs, knock on doors
The clock is ticking and time is running out for the candidates running for the Red Bank Borough Council and the local party establishments trying to get them elected.
Last week, about 20 of the borough’s Democrats gathered at the organization’s temporary headquarters, the former Royale Theatre, 42 Monmouth St., to galvanize and energize the party faithful and to stress the importance of getting out the vote.
"A bunch of us have been going door to door," said Democratic Mayor Edward J. McKenna Jr. "And if we continue to go door to door, we should win big."
"The choice is really clear this year," proclaimed Michael DuPont, the Democrats’ campaign manager. "We’re about improving the parks, improving the infrastructure, improving the town."
This year Pasquale "Pat" Menna and Florence "Betti" Thompson, both longtime Democratic incumbents, are running for re-election. But nobody is taking anything for granted.
Last year, Democratic incumbent John T. Illmensee lost his re-election bid to Republican Jennifer A. Beck. And this seemed to rock the political applecart for some on what has been called "McKenna’s team."
"Last year we lost for a number of reasons," McKenna explained.
It was an off-year election, with terrible weather, and voter turnout was low. Also, McKenna said, Beck is an intelligent woman who waged an aggressive campaign.
"And, quite frankly, we got lazy," he said.
McKenna also warned, that if the Republican challengers win, it would mean a three-three split on the council, and the mayor would have to cast the deciding vote.
"We can’t, we can’t, we can’t rest on our laurels," warned Thompson.
"I’m sitting here and saying, ‘We’ve got to get the voters out,’ and I’m thinking we can’t wait to Election Day to get the vote out," she said.
McKenna also noted, that as incumbents, the candidates have a record that they can use to tout their accomplishments, but which their opponents can try to use against them.
"I’ve been told ‘you are a victim of your success,’ " McKenna said.
Menna also points to a flier which have been circulated through town that criticized McKenna and the Democratic council for being lax in code enforcement, causing a rise in illegal aliens and illegal boarding houses which, it alleges, has caused a rise in crime.
There has also been a more recent flier making the rounds, Menna said, containing strident personal attacks on McKenna and other Democrats.
"Never before in Red Bank have I seen such stuff," he said "It’s character assassination."
Menna stopped short of accusing Republican Party Committee Chairman Jim Giannell of creating or orchestrating the fliers, but noted that the Republicans have not come out and condemned them. Menna said that shows an implied condoning of what has been labeled as racist attacks on immigrants and personal attacks on the mayor.
"This is vicious stuff," Menna said. "Republicans have encouraged it by not condemning it."
Menna said he also sees the allegations of a lack of parity between residents and businesses on the east and west side, as well as a favoring of downtown business interests over the concerns of homeowners as manufactured, wedge issues created by the Republicans, to compensate for the local GOP’s lack of vision.
"The people I’ve talked to are proud of their town and proud of the course its taken," he said.
But Republican challengers Dick Bennett and Gene Goellner and Giannell, when originally asked about the fliers said they had not seen them nor condoned what they knew of it.
They also contended this was a diversion and they planned to stay on message, concerning what they see as overdevelopment, and the Democrats’ overly close affiliation with special interest money and too much emphasis on the downtown business district.
"They take all the credit for what’s successful but none of the blame for what’s wrong," Bennett said.
"I’m really campaigning for a more temperate, conservative government," he said.
While campaigning, Bennett said he has come in contact with a lot of anti-McKenna sentiment in the borough.
Giannell said part of the problem the Republicans face is that they are running against popular incumbents.
"The obstacle we have to overcome is that Pat and Betti are very nice people," Giannell said. "But they vote with McKenna 99 percent of the time."
"The odds are certainly against us," concedes Goellner, noting the Republican’s underdog status in voter registration. "But there is a real chance. I don’t see it as hopeless by any means."
The Republicans have distributed 100 lawn signs last weekend, and Giannell said he has requests for about another 50. He also has had numerous requests from people wishing to volunteer.
They also will be sending out another mailer this week, in an attempt to make last minute inroads with the voters.
"We’re knocking on doors," Giannell said. "We’re doing everything we can."
Bennett, a retired borough police officer, said he has found his first foray into politics exciting, but ultimately exhausting. And if he were to lose, he said he would not attempt to run again.
"They outnumber us; they outspent us two-to-one," said Bennett. "But I have a good feeling we’re getting them to take notice."
Goellner, on the other hand, has been energized by the process and said he plans to keep his hand even if he loses.
"It takes work, of course, but it has been really fun," he said. "Win or lose I plan to remain active and keep stirring the pot."
But despite the fissure that exists between the parties, they all seem to concede that Tuesday could be a long day and a very long night.
"I think it could be very close," Giannell said.