"Undeterred, I do remain a believer in miracles." ~ Chairman Adam Puharic

In his "Miracle at Airport Plaza" OpEd piece in the APP today, Chairman Adam Puharic has demonstrated that while many other Republicans are busy jockeying for tantalizing positions, he has his eye on the ball.

With wit and humour, Adam launched this year's campaign and skewered the Corzine administration, Democratic Chairman Victor Scudiery, Democratic Vice Chair and likely Freeholder candidate Rebecca Aaronson, and Freeholder-elect Barbara McMorrow.

My hat is off to the Chairman for his leadership in publicly pointing out the short comings of our true opponents.

Sadly, the events of the last several weeks have made it clear that we are still in need of a miracle in the Monmouth GOP. It is a miracle that Adam promised to produce when he ran for Chairman. It is a miracle that, today, he made me more of a believer in his ability to produce. Unity.

In order for this miracle to be produced, each of us Republicans will have to be willing for sacrifice some of our personal agendas and suppress our egos for the greater good of the citizens of Monmouth County. If that is not what we are playing for, the greater good of the citizens of Monmouth County, we are on the wrong team.

With that said, I humbly promote an agenda; By Laws. It is my opinion that By Laws will go a long way to producing the miracle of party unity.

After two decades of iron fisted leadership, it is not unexpected that we have experienced the Wild West atmosphere that we have over the last 2 1/2 years. Rules to the game would very likely bring some civility and transparency to the process.

For example, every now and then there are people who think an incumbent office holder should be challenged. In the not too distant past, those decisions were made in back room (or river front parlor, as the case may be) deals. More recently it has been attempted with needless character assassination.

If there were a process established for such a challenge, say 20% of county committee members signatures on a petition, for argument sake, to get on a convention ballot against an incumbent, we may all be better off.

Competition can be good. It can make us better public servants and stronger candidates. While rules to the game may never eliminate back room deals or character assassination, they could reduce the "need" for such tactics, and produce a stronger and more unified party.