Jeff Cantor MARLBORO — Township Councilman Jeff Cantor has made the decision to switch his political party affiliation.
Cantor, who has served on the Township Council as a Republican for four years and ran for a Monmouth County freeholder seat on the GOP ticket in 2007, has joined the Democratic Party.
Cantor’s decision to become a Democ- rat was made in part after he was no longer able to deal with the factions within the local Republican club. He said it was the warring within the GOP, in addition to seeing how Marlboro’s current Democratic administration has been moving the township forward that cemented his decision to switch his party affiliation.
“From stabilizing taxes to preserving open space, to providing open honest government that includes all members of our community, the Democratic Party and Mayor Jon Hornik have taken the lead,” Cantor said.
He said his ideologies have not changed and said his view on social issues has always leaned to the left, but on a local level the Democratic leadership is moving Marlboro forward.
“What matters is doing what is best for the people who elected me to this position,” Cantor said after announcing his decision last week.
The councilman said that since Hornik’s administration took office in 2008, the Democrats have been open and kept the council members in the loop about what is going on at Town Hall.
Cantor said that under the previous Republican administration there were times when he felt he was left in the dark. He said Hornik has always asked for his advice, even on issues the two men disagree on.
He said the Republicans asked him early last week to run on their ticket in the 2009 municipal election, but he said that in good conscience he could not do so.
In November, three seats on the council that are currently held by Cantor and Republicans Steve Rosenthal and Rosa Tragni will be on the ballot. The seats will carry four-year terms. The council has five members, so control of the governing body will be at stake in the election.
Cantor said he has not decided whether he will seek re-election to the council on the Democratic ticket. He said he must think about what is best for his family. He and his wife, Ava, have two daughters, Samantha and Nicole. He said if residents want him to run he will consider doing so.
Cantor works in the pharmaceutical industry and is an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve with specialties in Infantry, Military Intelligence and Civil Affairs. Since 1998 he has performed civil affairs missions in Cameroon, Kosovo, Moldova, Croatia, Hungary, Germany, Serbia and Iraq.
He has been awarded numerous commendations including the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (third award), Army Achievement Medal (third award), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal.
“We are honored and excited to have Jeff join our team. Jeff has always put the town before politics. We have worked together for more than a year and I hope Jeff will consider running for re-election,” Hornik said.
Contact Rebecca Morton at [email protected]