Three incumbent Democrats retained their seats on the Marlboro Township Council in the Nov. 5 election despite an overwhelming show of support for Republican Gov. Chris Christie among Marlboro voters.
Democrats Jeff Cantor, Scott Metzger and Carol Mazzola narrowly swept Republican opponents Craig Marshall, Robert Knight and Marielaina LaRosa. The winners will each serve a four-year term on the council, beginning in January.
“I am so excited that we are here to do four more years in Marlboro and to take care of all the residents,” Cantor said during his victory speech at the campaign’s headquarters in a shopping plaza at Route 79 and Route 520.
Cantor received 5,211 votes, Metzger received 4,949 votes, and Mazzola received 4,800 votes, according to unofficial results from the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.
Marshall received 4,436 votes, Knight received 4,375 votes, and LaRosa received 4,392 votes.
Democrats will maintain a 5-0 majority on the council. The mayor’s office, held by Jonathan Hornik, is also painted blue.
The Democratic council candidates pulled off the win even though Christie earned 7,487 votes in Marlboro. Residents gave only 2,562 votes to state Sen. Barbara Buono in her bid to unseat the governor.
“So, in an election season where Gov. Christie won by a huge amount, people in Marlboro came out and recognized the good government we are putting forth,” Hornik said.
Metzger thanked the room of supporters for their efforts. He said that fueled the candidates “to pull it off in this kind of environment.”
The candidates held a firm belief in their platform, even as the vibe of the Democratic crowd swayed with the incoming reports from each of Marlboro’s 28 voting districts, Mazzola said. “We were told to prepare for two speeches tonight, but I only prepared for one because I knew that, regardless of the outcome, I was still on the winning team,” she said.
Their differences aside, the Marlboro Republicans advocated for community cooperation in a statement sent to the News Transcript.
“We congratulate the incumbents on their re-election to the Township Council,” the Republicans said. “While we disagree on several issues and methods of resolution to current concerns, we would like to support them by establishing and maintaining a dialog that would best serve the interests of all our residents.
“We also thank our many supporters, who have too often been ridiculed for voicing their opinions in an effort to champion our cause. We believe the residents of Marlboro deserve to be represented in a fair and unbiased manner and we will support the efforts of those who wish to do so. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to offer our service to our Marlboro friends and neighbors.”