Donald Klemp EAST BRUNSWICK – Councilman Donald Klemp has split from the Democratic Party and will seek the mayoral seat as an independent, creating the chance he could act as a spoiler and lean the election in Republican Christi Calvano’s direction.
Klemp told the Sentinel he was encouraged by a number of people to run as an independent, after he said the party made it impossible for him to have a fair screening for the mayoral nomination. Klemp contends the party conspired to make his screening meaningless.
So Klemp, who for 12 years was been among the party’s most faithful, decided to get the 100 signatures needed for his petition and seek the mayor’s seat as an independent. He will face the party’s nominee, Councilman David Stahl, and Calvano in November.
Klemp dismissed the notion he will take votes away from Stahl and make it easier for Calvano to win. East Brunswick is a heavily Democratic town, and usually elects a Democrat to the mayor’s seat by a wide margin.
“I do believe I have a chance to win, very much so,” he said. “This was not just my decision. A lot of people recommended I do this.”
Klemp contends that had there been a fair nomination process, he would have won over Stahl.
He said he received several votes for the nomination, despite the fact that party chairman and Planning Board head, Shawn Taylor, did almost everything in his power to slant the election.
“The (committee members) who supported me didn’t even show up for the election,” Klemp said. “Had they been properly informed, I believe my support would have been enough to get the nomination.”
He added that about 10 members abstained from voting.
He said about 50 of the committee seats in East Brunswick are filled, and less than half of those members showed up for the election.
Taylor has denied that Klemp was robbed of an opportunity, but refused to respond directly to Klemp’s accusations, saying he does not discuss party business publicly.
“I believe Dave’s support is minimal throughout the town,” Klemp said.
Klemp has previously asked for Taylor to step down as party chair and Planning Board chair, a move Taylor dismissed.
Stahl said he is not intimated by Klemp’s decision.
When asked if Klemp will steal precious democratic votes from him, Stahl said he is a “worrier by nature, but also a positive person.
“It’s disheartening he would choose to go in another direction,” he said of Klemp’s independent stance.
He also claimed this is the first independence Klemp has shown.
“Don has consistently voted with the mayor over 12 years,” he pointed out.
Klemp said did not simply vote according to outgoing Mayor William Neary’s desires.
“I have the same philosophies and visions for the town,” he said.
However, Klemp said he is using his own money to campaign, and will not accept any from corporations or firms.
“I don’t want to be indebted to anybody,” he said.
Councilman Edward Luster was one of the people to sign Klemp’s petition. Mayor William Neary also signed the document.
Luster said he doesn’t actually support Klemp for mayor, and signed the petition only because he supports Klemp’s right to run.
“I still support Dave formayor. I always support the party’s candidate,” he said. “I signed because I have nothing against the democratic process.”
He also said he doesn’t feel Klemp will take enough votes away to sway the election in Calvano’s direction.
“I think it will be a Democratic ticket again this year,” he said.
Stahl is running with incumbent Nancy Pinkin and newcomer Denise Contrino. Klemp is not running with a team.
Stahl said Luster’s positions are incompatible.
“I was disappointed to see Neary and Luster sign the petition even though they both claim to be Democrats,” he said.
Klemp said Stahl has been a destructive council presence.
“I think Dave is a very poor choice for the party because of his past behavior for the past two years. He’s been trying to make the party look bad and undermine it, even though it got himelected twice. I felt I could do amuch better job anyway,” he said.
Klemp said he planned tomake a formal announcement of his candidacy, but word leaked out before he could.
Abraham Quartin, one of Neary and Klemp’s harshest critics, said he found out about the petition and leaked it to the media before Klemp could hold a press conference.