By Philip Sean Curran
Five Republicans are running for Township Committee in Holmdel, one of the few primaries in the Two River area that will be contested in June.
Mayor Eric Hinds and Deputy Mayor Michael Nikolis will be challenged by Chiung-Yin Cheng Liu, Kimberly LaMountain and Nicholas Teetelli. They were the only ones to enter the race by the April 1 filing deadline to be on the ballot for the primary June 4. No Democrats entered the race.
In 2019, the races for state Assembly will be at the top of the ballot, in an off- year election when voter turnout is generally lower than when there are national or statewide contests.
Monmouth County Freeholder Gerry P. Scharfenberger, a Republican, is on the ballot as he tries to win a seat in the Assembly representing the 13th Legislative District. He is running with incumbent Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso.
“We certainly have to get the turnout. That’s always the question mark,” Scharfenberger said. “Conditions are ripe. I think people are dissatisfied with the governor’s policies, so they may be willing to support us as a counter to that.”
Matawan-Aberdeen school board president Allison Friedman, a Democrat running against DiMaso and Scharfenberger, also pointed to voter turnout being key. She is running with Barbara Singer in the contest.
“Certainly, I expect Barbara and I to make a really strong race,” she said. “I think that us getting elected is feasible and I think that, given the issues that are present right now, we are the better candidates when it comes to public education and the environment.”
In the freeholder race, Republican Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone and Wall Township committeeman Dominick DiRocco are unopposed in the primary. Likewise, Democrats Michael Penna and Moira Nelson are running without opponents. Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden, a Republican, is unopposed in the primary. But he will face a different opponent in the general election than first thought.
Democrat Raymond Dothard replaced retired law enforcement officer Kevin Tuohy as the sheriff candidate. Neither man could be reached for comment this week.
Monmouth County Democratic chairman David Brown declined to say why Tuohy dropped out of the race. “It’s a matter that Kevin should address if he chooses to,” Brown said.
Candidates listed in boldface are incumbents. Every petition filed for the June primary was verified by the municipal clerk’s office in each municipality.
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS
Mayor:
Rhonda Le Grice (D)
Loretta Gluckstein (R)
Council, two seats:
Kendall Keelen (D)
Linda Peng-Grooters (D)
Stephen Boracchia (R)
Brian Boms (R)
COLTS NECK
Township Committee, one seat:
Sue Fitzpatrick (R)
No Democrat filed
FAIR HAVEN
Council, two seats:
Meghan Chrisner-Keefe (D)
Michael McCue (D)
Jonathan Peters (R)
Jacqueline Rice (R)
HOLMDEL
Township Committee, two seats:
No Democrat filed
Chiung-Yin Cheng Liu (R)
Eric Hinds (R)
Kimberly LaMountain (R)
Michael Nikolis (R)
Nicholas Teetelli (R)
LITTLE SILVER
Mayor:
Robert Neff Jr. (R)
Richard Brandt (R)
No Democrat filed to run
Council, two seats:
Donald Galante (R)
Corinne Thygeson (R)
No Democrats filed.
MIDDLETOWN
Township Committee, two seats:
Sean Byrnes (D)
Jeana Sage (D)
Kevin M Settembrino (R)
Rick Hibell (R)
OCEANPORT
Mayor:
Robert Proto (R)
No Democrat filed
Council, two seats:
Joseph Irace (R)
Stephen Solan (R)
Keith Salnick (R)
Thomas Porowski (R)
Michael DePonte (R)
No Democrats filed to run
RED BANK
Council, two seats.
Kathleen Horgan (D)
Erik Yngstrom (D)
Allison Gregory (R)
Michael Clancy (R)
RUMSON
Mayor:
Joe Hemphill (R)
No Democrat filed to run.
Council, two seats:
Laura Atwell (R)
Clay Kingsbery (R)
No Democrats filed to run
SEA BRIGHT
Mayor:
John Sanders (D)
Brian Kelly (R)
Note: Incumbent Mayor Dina Long, an independent, is not running for reelection.
Council, two seats:
Carol Murphy (D)
Samuel Catalano (D)
John Lamia (R)
Note: Independent Councilman Kevin Birdsall is running for reelection, but won’t be in the primary.
SHREWSBURY
Council, two seats:
Judith Kramer (D)
David Landy (D)
Deidre DerAsadourian (R)
Scott Gilbert (R)
Council, unexpired term:
Ina Kichen (D)
Brendan Gilmartin (R)
