Covered Bridge means
victory for incumbent
Democrats select Shapiro
to run for town committee
Large majority in
Covered Bridge means
victory for incumbent
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — The candidates who will run for one seat on the Township Committee in the fall have been selected.
Drew Shapiro, a member of the Township Committee who is serving as Manalapan’s mayor this year, defeated Michael Bain in the June 3 Democratic primary to win the right to run for re-election in November.
Shapiro will face Joseph Locricchio in the general election. Locricchio ran uncontested in the Republican primary and received 435 votes.
The seat that is up for grabs in November will carry a three-year term from Jan. 1, 2004 to Dec. 31, 2006.
With the solid support of the Covered Bridge adult community, Shapiro defeated Bain in last week’s Democratic primary, 893 to 610.
In the four voting districts that make up the Covered Bridge I and Covered Bridge II developments, Shapiro outpolled Bain, 450-102. That margin of 348 votes helped Shapiro overcome Bain’s plurality in the rest of the community. Bain outpolled Shapiro 508-443 in Manalapan’s non-Covered Bridge voting districts.
The Democratic primary saw a split in the Township Committee manifest itself as Shapiro was supported by committeewomen Rebecca Aaronson and Beth Ward, and Bain was supported by Committeewoman Mary Cozzolino and Committeeman Bill Scherer.
All five members of the township’s governing body are Democrats.
Commenting on the victory, Shapiro said, "I’m happy that I can now focus on running the town with committeewomen Ward and Aaronson," said Shapiro. "Miss Cozzolino and Mr. Scherer had hoped that their fabrication of investigations would be believed by the voters. I always knew that the voters were a lot smarter than they gave them credit [for].
"I’m advising my attorneys to take legal action against all those who took part in the despicable smear campaign against me, whether visible or behind the scenes. It’s amazing the length that people will go to repay powerful people for favors that were done for them," he said.
Shapiro said he was grateful for the show of support he received in the primary.
Reflecting on his first run for public office, Bain said, "I’m disappointed that I lost. I worked hard and I’m proud of the campaign I ran. I’d like to thank the people that came out and voted for me, even though I lost."
Bain said although he did not win the primary, he believed his intentions were good and that he had good ideas to help the town.
"I congratulate Mr. Shapiro," he said. "I wish him luck and I hope the people in power in town do the right thing for the town."
Locricchio said he is looking forward to a fall campaign based on the issues and said he will take his case to the people of Manalapan.
"I will show the difference of what I have planned for Manalapan and what Drew Shapiro has been doing," he said.