By John Burton |
This year’s primary ballot will have more than the party line of Republican candidates for GOP voters to select, not just for governor but for freeholders as well.
On June 6, those voting in the Republican primary will chose between the county organization’s selected candidates and two others who have opted to challenge the status quo.
In March the Republican County Committee, under its chairman, Shaun Golden, selected veteran incumbent Lillian Burry, this year’s freeholder director, to seek another term on the five-member board. Running with Burry is Pat Impreveduto, Holmdel Township Committee member and the current deputy mayor.
Facing off against the selected candidates are Bernard Dowd and Susan Ellen Metz.
Dowd and Metz have aligned themselves with state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, who represents the 16th Legislative District in Somerset County. Ciattarelli is taking on Monmouth County’s favorite daughter, current Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, a Monmouth Beach resident. He is seen as the leading contender among those jockeying to challenge Guadagno’s frontrunner status for the party’s nomination to run for Governor on the November ballot.
Dowd is a 57-year-old Oceanport resident and equine veterinarian. This is his first run for elected office.
Dowd was approached by a friend active in Republican politics about securing a slot on the ballot below Ciattarelli’s name. Dowd said he found Ciattarelli’s positions on the issues akin to his own and decided to join the race.
Dowd, however, doesn’t have real concerns about how the current exclusively Republican five-member Board of Freeholders is governing. “I think it’s run great,” he said. “There’s no malice or anything.”
But he felt the Republicans shouldn’t run unopposed; and besides, “I like change,” he said. “I like challenges to the political system,” with that competition ultimately benefitting the party. He sees it akin to medicine. “It’s like second opinions,” he said. “They make your opinion stand to be correct or you learn something from it.”
Dowd is running with Middletown resident Metz. Attempts to contact Metz were unsuccessful.
Burry was recovering from surgery and wasn’t available for comment. Burry, Colts Neck, was first elected to the freeholder board in 2005 and is now seeking her fifth three-year term and had previously served on Colts Neck’s governing body, including as its deputy mayor and mayor. “I would say after working in public service for 30 years,” Burry told the GOP county committee in March, “I’m not finished yet.”
Impreveduto, 64, had served on the Holmdel Board of Education before his time on the township committee. He had been an educator who currently works for Middle States Association, an educational accreditation organization.
“I feel I can add my level of expertise,” that he developed in local government to county government, including communication skills, Impreveduto offered as a motivating factor to his seeking the office.
As for facing a primary challenge, “I think it strengthens the party,” Dowd maintained.
“Everyone has the right to run,” Impreveduto offered about facing off against Dowd and Metz next week. He agreed with Dowd, comparing it to sports. “It’s the practice before the big game,” he offered.
Burry and Impreveduto will be on the ballot, just below Guadagno, who also received the county party’s overwhelming endorsement. Holding the party line in primary is seen as the desired spot, traditionally winning the support of party loyalists, who tend to come out for what is usually a relatively small voter turnout.
This article was first published in the June 1-June 8, 2017 print edition of The Two River Times.
