ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – A simmering rift in the borough’s Republican establishment has resulted in a party challenge for the mayor’s race in June’s primary.
John “Jack” Archibald and Louis Fligor, two veterans of the Republican-controlled borough council, are both vying to be selected as the party’s designated candidate to run in the general election in November – making it the first contested Republican primary in remembered borough history.
Incumbent Republican Mayor Frederick J. Rast III, who is completing his second four-year term, has long said he would not seek a third term.
The local Republican committee, made up of eight members representing the borough’s four voting districts, recently met and voted on its candidates for the primary and presumably this fall’s general election. For the mayor’s slot, the vote was according to municipal Republican chairwoman Jane Frotton, tied between Fligor and Archibald. The lack of a decision resulted in Shaun Golden, the county Republican Committee chairman, who interviewed both candidates, ultimately deciding in favor of Archibald, with Frotton offering her support for Archibald, according to Frotton.
With the county organization decision, Archibald is secured the official party line on the June 2 primary ballot, running with the two GOP borough council candidates, France Karras and Jim Krauss.
Conventional political wisdom believes holding the party ballot offers an intrinsic advantage for the candidate, with primary voters inclined to go straight down the line.
Fligor, who has no running mates for the ballot, said he is challenging that decision believing, “Instead of having the local chair and the Republican club deciding who’s going to run for mayor, let the townspeople decide.”
If the vote was tied, Archibald maintained there were what he called “conflicted” votes, which probably should have been discounted and would have given him a majority among the remaining ballots cast. Archibald said he, Fligor and Fligor’s wife all serve as voting committee members and if there was an issue all three votes could have been disregarded, Archibald said.
“Ultimately,” Archibald countered, “It’s Shaun’s (Golden) (ballot) line. He’s going to want to put the candidate out there that he feels is the most electable.”
The local party split first spilled over into the public view at the borough’s Jan. 1 municipal reorganization meeting. There, Fligor moved to name incumbent Democrat Roy Dellosso to serve this year in the largely ceremonial role as council president. The president serves in the mayor’s absence officiating borough council meetings and at public appearances.
Fligor’s support of the Democrat won the majority of the 4-2 Republican-controlled council, with Archibald and fellow
Republican Peter Doyle casting the dissenting votes. After the meeting, Rast told The Two River Times he supported Dellosso as council president. “I think he deserves it,”
Rast said, calling Dellosso “a good man.” This week Archibald said that action, with Republican Lt.
Gov. Kim Guadagno in attendance at the reorganization meeting, showed “incredibly bad judgment” and a lack of party unity. He also intimated there was an “arrangement” between Fligor and Dellosso with neither opposing the other for mayor.
Fligor could not be reached on Wednesday to respond to Archibald’s assertions.
Frotton said, “I think Jack is more qualified than Lou.” But she also readily noted she considered the selection of Dellosso as council president, especially with Guadagno present, “a slap in the face.”
“You have four Republicans sitting up there,” on the borough council dais, Frotton said, “and you’re saying you’re (Dellosso) the best person to run the town in lieu of the mayor.
“That’s an insult,” Frotton asserted.
Adding injury to insult for Frotton was that Fligor, who also serves on the municipal harbor commission, nominated someone other than Frotton as the commission’s chair, a position she held for 12 years of her 24 years on the commission.
“They’re two big things,” Frotton offered.
“Jack has basically had the opportunity to run for mayor,” Fligor maintained as a motivation for seeking the nomination this year. “I have not.”
Archibald, 55, who is in the first year of his seventh council term, ran unsuccessfully for mayor as the party candidate in 2003.
“I felt I wanted a chance,” to run, said Fligor, 54, who has been on the borough council for 14 years.
“I feel I bring a lot to the table,” Fligor said, asserting “I take on the hard projects” such as overseeing the multi-year NJ Natural Gas contamination remediation project in the borough and the long – considered, dissolution of the Highlands/ Atlantic Highlands Regional Sewerage Authority, resulting in savings for both towns.
Archibald indicated his experience with municipal finances, experience and dedication do put him in good stead for the position. “I bring the right sense of judgment, the background to do a good job,” he said. “I’ve served on every committee in town.”
Both candidates said they are winning support from prospective primar y voters.
Running on the Democratic ticket without opposition will be incumbent councilmembers Dellosso and Robert Sutton, who have both served on the council for nine years. Topping the local ticket for mayor will be Rhonda C. LeGrice, who also serves as the party’s municipal chair.
John “Jack” Archibald and Louis Fligor, two veterans of the Republican-controlled borough council, are both vying to be selected as the party’s designated candidate to run in the general election in November – making it the first contested Republican primary in remembered borough history.
Incumbent Republican Mayor Frederick J. Rast III, who is completing his second four-year term, has long said he would not seek a third term.
The local Republican committee, made up of eight members representing the borough’s four voting districts, recently met and voted on its candidates for the primary and presumably this fall’s general election. For the mayor’s slot, the vote was according to municipal Republican chairwoman Jane Frotton, tied between Fligor and Archibald. The lack of a decision resulted in Shaun Golden, the county Republican Committee chairman, who interviewed both candidates, ultimately deciding in favor of Archibald, with Frotton offering her support for Archibald, according to Frotton.
With the county organization decision, Archibald is secured the official party line on the June 2 primary ballot, running with the two GOP borough council candidates, France Karras and Jim Krauss.
Conventional political wisdom believes holding the party ballot offers an intrinsic advantage for the candidate, with primary voters inclined to go straight down the line.
Fligor, who has no running mates for the ballot, said he is challenging that decision believing, “Instead of having the local chair and the Republican club deciding who’s going to run for mayor, let the townspeople decide.”
If the vote was tied, Archibald maintained there were what he called “conflicted” votes, which probably should have been discounted and would have given him a majority among the remaining ballots cast. Archibald said he, Fligor and Fligor’s wife all serve as voting committee members and if there was an issue all three votes could have been disregarded, Archibald said.
“Ultimately,” Archibald countered, “It’s Shaun’s (Golden) (ballot) line. He’s going to want to put the candidate out there that he feels is the most electable.”
The local party split first spilled over into the public view at the borough’s Jan. 1 municipal reorganization meeting. There, Fligor moved to name incumbent Democrat Roy Dellosso to serve this year in the largely ceremonial role as council president. The president serves in the mayor’s absence officiating borough council meetings and at public appearances.
Fligor’s support of the Democrat won the majority of the 4-2 Republican-controlled council, with Archibald and fellow
Republican Peter Doyle casting the dissenting votes. After the meeting, Rast told The Two River Times he supported Dellosso as council president. “I think he deserves it,”
Rast said, calling Dellosso “a good man.” This week Archibald said that action, with Republican Lt.
Gov. Kim Guadagno in attendance at the reorganization meeting, showed “incredibly bad judgment” and a lack of party unity. He also intimated there was an “arrangement” between Fligor and Dellosso with neither opposing the other for mayor.
Fligor could not be reached on Wednesday to respond to Archibald’s assertions.
Frotton said, “I think Jack is more qualified than Lou.” But she also readily noted she considered the selection of Dellosso as council president, especially with Guadagno present, “a slap in the face.”
“You have four Republicans sitting up there,” on the borough council dais, Frotton said, “and you’re saying you’re (Dellosso) the best person to run the town in lieu of the mayor.
“That’s an insult,” Frotton asserted.
Adding injury to insult for Frotton was that Fligor, who also serves on the municipal harbor commission, nominated someone other than Frotton as the commission’s chair, a position she held for 12 years of her 24 years on the commission.
“They’re two big things,” Frotton offered.
“Jack has basically had the opportunity to run for mayor,” Fligor maintained as a motivation for seeking the nomination this year. “I have not.”
Archibald, 55, who is in the first year of his seventh council term, ran unsuccessfully for mayor as the party candidate in 2003.
“I felt I wanted a chance,” to run, said Fligor, 54, who has been on the borough council for 14 years.
“I feel I bring a lot to the table,” Fligor said, asserting “I take on the hard projects” such as overseeing the multi-year NJ Natural Gas contamination remediation project in the borough and the long – considered, dissolution of the Highlands/ Atlantic Highlands Regional Sewerage Authority, resulting in savings for both towns.
Archibald indicated his experience with municipal finances, experience and dedication do put him in good stead for the position. “I bring the right sense of judgment, the background to do a good job,” he said. “I’ve served on every committee in town.”
Both candidates said they are winning support from prospective primar y voters.
Running on the Democratic ticket without opposition will be incumbent councilmembers Dellosso and Robert Sutton, who have both served on the council for nine years. Topping the local ticket for mayor will be Rhonda C. LeGrice, who also serves as the party’s municipal chair.
