County Republicans Nominate Candidates

Union County Republicans endorsed three incumbent state legislators, while backing challengers for several other legislative seats and county freeholder during a convention Thursday evening.

The party backed challengers in two Democratic controlled state legislative districts, along with backing candidates for two of three slots on the county freeholder board. The convention marked the Republicans making increased campaign inroads into the county’s urban centers, nominating three candidates from Elizabeth and two from Plainfield.

The convention featured some comedy, as the party dealt with a setting in Westfield High School, which was closed for spring break. Lights in the auditorium were not turned on, leaving the podium in the shadows and a microphone was not turned on, leaving speakers with the option of shouting or speaking into a megaphone.

21st Legislative District

Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. of Westfield, Assemblyman Jon Bramnick of Westfield and Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz of Summit were easily backed by Republicans for reelection. The newly drawn 21st district includes most of western Union County, along with parts of Somerset County and two towns in Morris County.

The easy renomination came after some tension earlier in the week when redistricting placed the Bernards Township home of Republican Assemblywoman Denise Coyle into the 21st district. Patch has learned that Coyle, a former Somerset County freeholder director and Branchburg mayor, had explored a challenge against Munoz in the primary. Coyle dropped the challenge and decided to move and run for reelection in the newly drawn 16th district.

County Republican Chairman Phil Morin joked about the challenge when asking for nominations for Assembly, asking if there was anyone from Bernards seeking to be nominated.

During brief speeches to the crowd, the three incumbents thanked the delegates for backing their candidacies and welcomed Kenilworth into their district. The three are favored to win reelection in the GOP dominated district. Democrats have historically not put up much of a fight in the district.

“Thank you for allowing us to fight against the status quo,” Kean said.

Kean is seeking his third term in the Senate; while Bramnick is seeking his fifth full term and Munoz her second full term in the Assembly. All three served partial appointed terms in their offices before their first election.

22nd Legislative District

Republicans nominated two Plainfield residents and a Middlesex County borough councilman to challenge three Democratic incumbents in the 22nd district spanning Union, Middlesex and Somerset Counties. The district, which maintained the same lines as the previous decade, including Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Clark.

Plainfield resident Shannon Wright will take on Democratic Sen. Nick Scutari of Linden, while Plainfield resident Joan Van Pelt and Middlesex Borough Councilman Jeffrey First are challenging Democratic Assemblymembers Jerry Green of Plainfield and Linda Stender of Fanwood.

The three said that they will run a competitive race against the three incumbents in a district that has trended Democratic since it’s creation in 2001.

Van Pelt , whose husband successfully sought the Plainfield mayor’s office, centered her remarks on attacks on Green and Stender, which generated cheers from the crowd. Stender’s name has long been considered almost toxic to local Republicans.

“We know Jerry Green and we want to take Jerry Green out of the Assembly,” Van Pelt said. “I would also like to get my high school classmate, Linda Stender, out of the Assembly.”

Union County Freeholder

In the race for Union County freeholder, Republicans nominated attorney Andy Smith of Summit and security company executive Edwin Ortiz of Elizabeth for two of the three seats. The convention gave Morin and his executive committee the authority to fill the third seat before the Monday afternoon filing deadline. Morin said he is looking at the possibility of putting forward a third candidate.

Democratic leaders Freeholders Angel Estrada of Elizabeth and Chris Hudak of Linden, along with retired educator Vernell Wright of Union Township for the three slots. Freeholder Nancy Ward of Westfield is seeking reelection. Republicans have not won a freeholder seat since 1994 and Democrats have held all nine seats since 1998.

In a speech to the convention, Smith, the Summit Republican vice chairman, stressed many of the same themes that his predecessors on the GOP freeholder slate have in the past.

“The reason I am running for freeholder is Union County needs fiscal responsibility,” he said. “It needs transparency and accountability.”

Smith cited such issues as the county budget and the freeholder board’s recent decision to award lifetime health benefits to retired non-unionized county employees.

“People are fed up with government,” Smith said. “They are fed up with their government taking too much and giving too little.”

Ortiz left before the start of the convention and did not address the delegates. In an interview with Patch before the convention’s start, Ortiz cited his past political experience and that he believes Republican representation is needed on the freeholder board due to tax and quality of life issues.

Ortiz unsuccessfully sought a seat on the New York City Council in a Bronx district in a February 2001 special election. Ortiz gathered 43-percent of the vote against City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera (D-Fordham) in the non-partisan special election. He also unsuccessfully opposed Rivera in the 2001 Democratic primary, unsuccessfully sought a New York State Assembly seat in 1998 and a Democratic district leader position in 1994, according to a 2001 voter guide issued by the New York City Campaign Finance Board.

“I find that the freeholder position has a lot of impact on property tax increases and the bulk of the people are tired of property tax hikes,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz said he will base much of his campaign on property taxes, an issue which has been the centerpiece of the Republican tickets in the last two elections.

“A lot of people feel the politicians are totally oblivious to the needs of the people,” he said.

In his remarks to the crowd, Smith said he believes he and Ortiz can win, citing the elections on the ballot this year.

“2011 is our year, 2011 is the year we can win,” he said. “We are looking at an election that is freeholders, local elections and Assembly.”

Traditionally election years featuring the state legislature at the top of the ticket have drawn the lowest turnout and Republican freeholder tickets have narrowed the gap with Democrats to the lowest margins. Smith also said he expects the ticket to bolstered by what he sees as a high turnout in Summit to help Republican mayoral nominee Ellen Dickson.

Dickson, a Summit councilwoman who unsuccessfully sought a freeholder seat in 2010, placed Smith in nomination for the freeholder seat.

“He is the next generation, who will spend his life here,” Dickson, said in brief remarks to the convention.

20th Legislative District

In the 20th district, Republicans put forward the Elizabeth Republican chairwoman for Senate and an Elizabeth Board of Education member for an Assembly seat.

Helen Rosales will challenge Democratic Sen. Ray Lesniak of Elizabeth, while John Donoso will challenge Assembly Majority Leader Joe Cryan of Union Township and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano of Elizabeth. The district consists of Elizabeth, Union Township, Roselle and Hillside. Republicans did not indicate if they will field a second Assembly candidate.

Donoso was unable to attend the convention and Rosales was not invited to address the convention.

In an interview with Patch, Rosales said that she believes Democratic powerhouse Lesniak can be defeated in the Democratic dominated district. Lesniak has been in the Senate since 1982 and served in the Assembly before that.

“He’s been there so many years. I think people are waiting for someone who is qualified,” she said. “The chances are there to win. Being Latina, I am counting on the Latino vote.”

Rosales noted that as a lifelong Elizabeth resident, she has made inroads with other communities in the district.