Add Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini to the list of people considering a challenge to Congressman Frank Pallone.
Angelini gave the scoop to Matt Friedman at Politickernj, which was very foolish of her considering that I am a voter and a municipal chairman in her district.
As Friedman notes in his article about Angelini, the "experts", both in the GOP and and pundits like Monmouth University's Patrick Murray, generally feel as though Pallone can't be beat. Yet, the GOP wants to mount a credible challenge to make Pallone spend a chunk of the $4 million war chest, to weaken him should be seek a U.S. Senate seat and as payback for how he abused his office in attacking Chris Christie while U.S. Attorney and during the gubernatorial campaign.
Anecdotally, there is a great deal of anger at Pallone, at least within the Monmouth County portions of the district. The anger has been growing over the last couple of years. I first witnessed it at a FEMA flood insurance meeting in Keansburg during the summer of 2008. A resident saved Pallone campaign materials going back twenty years. He was quoting from them and challenging the congressman to account for his performance. Pallone called him "disagreeable."
Pallone's arrogance, and his declaration of loyalty to Nancy Pelosi and Henry Waxman, at his Red Bank Town Hall meeting last August has not been forgotten. The Asbury Park Press, which for some reason still likes Pallone called the crowd at the Red Bank Town Hall meeting "disgraceful and unsettling." If anything, the angry mood toward Pallone has increased as he has increased his public profile in defense of Obamacare.
Just yesterday while at a non-political fundraiser, two prominent members of the Monmouth County business community cornered me for a half hour and charged me to "tell your big shot friends that we need to get rid of Pallone this year."
OK. I told them.
I don't know if there has been any scientific polling of the district. I would guess not yet. However, I encourage the GOP powers that be to poll Pallone before deciding to mount a race to weaken him rather than a race to beat him.
The Legacy of Thomas Lifson
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Isn't Anelini that crazy lady who recently wrote an editorial in The Asbury Park Press opposing the medical marijuana bill because it would allow high school seniors to walk around carrying 240 joints? This lady is a nut. We deserve better in the Congress.
Awwww... Do you feel like she cheated on you with Friedman? :-) At least he gave you credit in the article, calling you an influential blogger.
don't show your ego art.
You have a few dozen readers on your site, politicker has thousands.
Mary Pat could have the nomination with or without your support. Why don't you get your ego in check, its sad.
She is the ONLY candidate who can beat Pallone in November. She can carry Asbury, Long Branch, Neptune etc. nobody else has a shot at Pallone.
Get your ego in check Art. your 4 votes in highlands are meaningless. Your only a legend in your own mind.
Like this option the best so far.
Angelini for me!
sorry, she won't know what hit her!..she's too "nice",frankly, inexperienced in street politics, and he plays dirty..it all depends on how much the D's will invest over and above his $4 mil. to save that 22-year seat, and WHETHER or NOT the R's will invest in the dist. at all, leaving Barham and Gooch, two millionnaires, deciding if they're bored enough to spend a LOT of their own change,just for the fun of it.. Flatfoot will probably get Obama and Acorn to help him squeeze it out once again, despite the current backlash: it's still so long to keep the anger going for the voters!!
Weak, naive,& hasn't got a clue.
two words
ANNA LITTLE
Hey ARt You have big shot friends? ;-)
Mary Pat Angelini has been pushing the liberal agenda for some time now. She is a RINO in the same mode as Tom Kean, Jr., Leonard Lance, etc. Why would Monmouth County, or Ocean County for that matter, have to field a RINO? Monmouth County can do a lot better.
sadly, 9:12, you are correct.. maybe we need to start making people get to know people, and reveal themselves through actually working and earning nominations again, oh, I forgot: we get Golden, again!!! guess NOT..
keep your eyes on vin gopal, hes a close scudiery ally who used to be the west long branch democratic leader but more importantly he raises a lot of money for democrats in monmouth county. he has been cursing off pallone in private. he was apart of that rally of over 50 first responders from 911 who protested outside his office on monday, see the asbury park press yesterday and greater media. he has openly supported rible and angelini in past assembly campaigns and has attended fundraisers for them. hes at war with pallone because hes holding the 911 bill, hes exchanged harsh words with him in public, we need to encourage the democrats to be dividied and sit on the sidelines, especially ones like gopal in pallones neck of the woods.
a lot of democrats dont like pallone this is a fact. if we can keep guys like gopal on the sidelines and make him not raise a penny or do anything gotv wise for pallone, it will help a lot. marypat is liked by dems. vin is even a facebook fan of angelini. she can win if these key dems sit on the sidelines. marypat is the only republican who can win, gooch and brahman would get slaughtered
Hey Art, what about Middletown Mayor Scharfenberger? Highlands Mayor Anna Little? Freehold Deputy Director Rob Clifton? Union Beach Councilman Charlie Cocuzza? Ocean Twp Chair Christine Hanlon? Assemblywoman 13th Amy Handlin? Senator 13th Joe Kyrillos? Senator 12th Jennifer Beck? I think this year the Dems are in trouble and any above can give Pallone a good run for his money. The Dems in D.C. are in big trouble and I can't imagine a scenario where Pelosi and Reid figure it out and save their party. What do you think Art? Just curious.
Hi Anonymous 12:32 am,
While I believe Pallone can be beat this year, I acknowledge his defeat would be an upset. The make up of the district outside of Monmouth County, the advantages of incumbency and his $4 million war chest are huge obstacles for any serious candidate to consider.
All of the people you mentioned would be good candidates and would serve with distinction in congress.
Each is popular in Monmouth County. Most of the D sections of the 6th district are in Middlesex, Union and Somerset counties where most of the names you mention are unknown.
Scharfenberger, Little and Clifton are each up for re-election this year for the offices they currently hold. There are strong political and personal reasons for them not to run against Pallone this year.
Cocuzza was just re-elected in Union Beach. He has a bright future if he wants it, but now is not his time for a serious congressional race. He has a young family and needs to work to support them. Taking the rest of the year off to run for congress is not in the cards for him. He is popular along the Bayshore, but not very well known throughout the rest of the district.
Christine Hanlon is extremely competent and well liked within the party, but not well known by the general electorate. She has not yet held elected office.
Amy Handlin is very engaged in her job in the Assembly and finds the job more significant given the shift in partisan control in Trenton. Republicans in the Assembly did not have much of a voice in Trenton under Corzine. Now they do. Also, while Handlin is very popular with the electorate in the 13th legislative district and has a "safe seat" she is not terribly popular within the party.
Kyrillos, who ran against Pallone a lifetime ago, would be the strongest candidate of those you mentioned. However, his position in Trenton and relationship with the governor are too important and demanding for him to wage a congressional race this year. He is the only person you mentioned with statewide name recognition. If he is to go to Washington, it is more likely that he will do so as a U.S. Senator than as a Congressman.
Most of Beck's base in the 12th legislative district is outside of the 6th congressional district. She is a formidable competitor in whatever race she takes on. Like Handlin and Kyrillos, her job in Trenton is more important and demanding now that we have a Republican governor.
A major flaw of our campaign finance system is that it favors the wealthy who can spend unlimited amounts of their own money while limiting the amount that that middle class candidates can raise from their supporters to a few thousand dollars each. If you or I wanted to give $10k to our favorite candidate, we couldn't do so legally. The contribution limits don't keep up with inflation.
To my knowledge, none of the people you mention can spend six or seven figures of their own money on a congressional race. Gooch can. Barham can. I don't know if Angelini can
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