Poltickernj, citing a press release from the Marlboro Democrats, reports that Jeff Cantor, the Marlboro Councilman and GOP Freeholder candidate in 2007 has registered as a Democrat.
Cantor was a last minute entry into the race for the GOP nomination to replace Anna Little on the Freeholder Board in 2007 when then Chairman Adam Puharic was forcing Little off the ticket. Cantor won the nomination at a GOP county convention by emotionally invoking Ronald Reagan in his address to the county committee. Cantor lost in the general election to John D'Amico.
GOP insiders have been expecting Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik to be a Democratic candidate for Assembly this year, challenging Declan O'Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande. The Poltickernj piece points to Hornik as a potential challenger to Senator Jennifer Beck in 2011. Don't be surprised if Cantor is a Democratic Assembly candidate this year.
Panter and Cantor. It's kind of catchy.
The Healey Mirage
1 day ago
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Look on the bright side, we can now call him Flippy Jr.
I'm sure this has nothing to do with Democrats now being in control of the county power or an assembly run, re-election campaign, or even another freeholder campaign run.
You know I'm reminded of Chris Christie's speech criticizing people who stick their finger in the wind and follow the direction it goes in. Cantor is guilty of this and it is sad. One can admire Hornik's work without switching parties.
Heck, I admire the work Corey Booker does but that doesn't mean I'm going to switch parties. To switch parties should entail a complete shift in ideologies.
Does anyone really think Jeff had that much of a swing of ideology?
This is nothing but opurtunism and this is bound to be proven sooner or later.
If it really was ideology, you'd think he would become an independent first.
so help me out here. Now that the GOP candidate is a Dem does that change anything? If the GOP leadership thought he was good for them then they will support him now right?
Eric, RE: swing of ideology - it's doubtful, but then hasn't that been the complaint many of us average voter types have had for years? "Republicans" who are just "Democrat-lites" running for office?
Just my $0.02 Federal Reserve note...in case it's worth anything.
Marlboro is Marlboro: always skirmishes and changes, with both parties, over many years..topped only by Howell and Manalapan: they eat their own, as they eat each other(politically).. Jon Hornik's dad was at times GOP, at times, Dem.. it's usually the local infighting that drives what they do, not a national party philosophy....fact remains, Jeff's an Iraq war hero, and am surprised he even has time to bother with politics any more!..and, watch out, Dist. 12: Hornik and Roth could both be tough future opponents!!
If cantor works as hard as he did while running for freeholder, then republicans have nothing to worry about with him running as a D.
What's wrong with swingers? I was a hardcore democrat up until 2000... dem-lite in 2001, Republican ever since 2002. :-)
The real question is why does anyone under 50 stay in the Monmouth GOP. Just look at the last Freeholder election. Rather then put up the most qualified candidates, the old corrupt regime puts up its buddies to line up jobs for each other. Once in awhile they put up one of their buddies kids. Anyone under 50 stands no chance unless they bring a ton of money to the table are run for a tough seat.
the GOP has serious problems right now, that's basically the truth. the national gop has become near socialist and if mccain opposed the bailout he would be president right now.
we can only hope that Roth runs for higher office. Given her record in Manalapan of doubling taxes and plunging the township into debt while spending taxpayers money on political vendettas and lining John Lynch's pockets, she isn't going to be that hard to beat if there's a republican party capable of running a campaign. Oxley hasn't shown that ability as chairman, so hopefully there'll be someone else by the time she runs.
You must know Marlboro politics as they are now this instant. A snap shot of the local parties are polar opposites of what was there 4years ago.
Then the Republicans were unstoppable, united and in control. Then the Democrats had thier revolt. The reform Democrats took over, build a solid party and swept out the GOP last November in a rout. Now the Republicans are split, there are three seperate republican factions vying for "power" and I beleive that there is an ideological shift here. Fiscal responsibility has been Hornik's mantra and he is really cleaning up the old problems in Marlboro. I would bet you the ranch that if Cantor was asked he would site the following for his switch:
1) National Republican philosophy is too far right and the party is in shambles;
2)the County party is not much better in the matter of unity and focus;and most importantly,
3) Marlboro's republican leadership (whichever one you look at) is more interested in thier own political internal power struggle than focusing on municipal issues.
So in fairness ask this, if the Dems are so strongly united and focused, why not join a team that will work on municipal issues 100% rather than spending your time fighting with egotistical local party hacks that can't come up with a unified municipal organization let alone a cogent, articulate policy on tough municipal issues like COAH, budget, layoffs etc?
As a Republican, I can't blame Cantor. Am I disaapointed? yes, Am I surprised? No. Does this help the Dems in Marlboro...Absolutley it sure makes Hornik and Sukel's job a heck of a lot easier this November for council elections.
I think you mean the national DEMS are socialist!!.-just look at the so-called simulus, depleting the military already, and rushing the biggest spend and gov't. expansion in history!!...and, here we go again with the complaints on the Monmouth GOP- if you're some angry R, step up and show you can do any better!-..since June, once again, you cannot ignore the facts that Joe has wiped out a large debt, offered local training, HQ spruce-up and free mtg. space to all, and local demographic and campaign help,did the best he could, with the result of another divided convention-pick, and nearly got the two seats, in a bad year..as for the jobs, haven't you been paying attention to the Dems' heavy-handed admin. code, trying to wipe out 6 top jobs from existing professionals whom both sides have kept, to put in their out-of-county hacks, and pretending to be "fair and open" and even with lawyers, then putting in 14 of their friends!.. stop- Monmouth R's built this county, grew it right, and will get it back, make no mistake, in short order!..
to anonymous: You may be right about Joe Oxley and I hope you are, but I am focusing on the Marlboro local scene most specifically. This GOP organization is in shambles and I feel that Oxley, Beck, Cassagrande and O'Scanlon MUST get over there and straighten these nuts out.
I will vote GOP in November as I always do but I refuse to get involved in this organization or donate hard earned money to any of them until its fixed.
Remember Marlboro is the largest municipality in Western Monmouth and they vote. Cantor lost the Freeholder election by some 600 votes, is it coincidence that he lost his own town by 600 votes? Not at all. He lost Marlboro and hence the election overall. The GOP part there were fractioned by Hornik supporters against Kleinberg and it cost us a freeholder seat. Now its time the County organization stepped in. Hey, the County Dems stepped in to help the Marlboro Reform Dems and look what happened. in 4 short years they won the Mayor's seat and as of today control the council. 4 years with a breakaway party started by Hornik, Sukel and a handfull of others, but with support from the County organization. Learn from the way they play.
A disorganized and fractionated local party will not work together to bring out votes we need to win county elections. I cite national and county problems as exemples of reaseons people are leaving the Republican ranks and may be why Cantor did so too. But as I state, we need local support to bring these people together and only sitting them all in a room with Beck and Oxley will remedy this before a primary in June. Republicans cannot afford to let a town like Marlboro just slip away without a fight. Art, I respect your opinion, your thoughts?
The local Marlboro Republican Club does not need Jennifer, Declan, and Caroline to clean up. It is they that need the Marlboro Republican Club. Marlboro right now is annoyed with them for failing to assist them in some local matters.
Don't be surprised if the "Republicans for Hornik" surface yet again.
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