Election Day 2023: Democrats retain control in Brick; Rabbi Avi Schnall wins
TOMS RIVER - In the reddest of New Jersey counties, Democrats will retain control of Brick, its third-largest municipality, and picked up a seat in a state legislative district that includes its biggest town.
In all other legislative, county and municipal races in Ocean County, the GOP dominated.
However, no race is poised to create more of an upset than the Republican loss of a state Assembly seat in the 30th District, where Lakewood voters and its majority Orthodox Jewish population demanded and at long last won real political power Tuesday with the election of Rabbi Avi Schnall, a Democrat, to the Legislature.
Schnall became the first Democrat since the 1990s to win a seat in a legislative district that included Ocean County. He defeated Republican incumbent Edward H. Thomson, whose GOP running mates state Sen. Robert W. Singer and Assemblyman Sean T. Kean were reelected.
School board races: NJ elections: Who won your local school board in Monmouth, Ocean counties?
Schnall won with 27,562 votes in both counties, compared to Thomson’s 9,545 votes. While Thomson won the portion of the district in Monmouth County (14,252 to 6,121), Schnall won Lakewood (21,441 to 3,424), according to unofficial results from the county clerks in both counties.
In Brick, Democratic incumbent Mayor Lisa Crate defeated state Assemblyman John Catalano, who gave up his safe seat in the 10th Legislative District to run against Crate — who was appointed mayor by the Township Council earlier this year, after former Democratic Mayor John Ducey resigned to become a state Superior Court judge. The vote was 11,054 to 7,700.
Democrats will also retain control of the Township Council, in which four seats were on the ballot this year.
Council members Vince Minichino, Derrick Ambrosino and Melissa Travers won re-election. Newcomer Steve Feinman was also elected on the Democratic ticket. They had been challenged by Republicans Mary Jonas Buckley, Theresa Gallagher, James Palmisano and Rocco Palmieri.
The unofficial results showed the vote for council was close, with a few hundred votes separating the Democratic slate from Republicans: Travers received 9,460 votes; Minichino: 9,412; Ambrosino: 9,384 votes; Feinman 9,103; Gallagher: 8,892; Palmisano: 8,698; Buckley: 8,651; and Palmieri: 8,628.
Before Election Day, Ocean County Republican Chairman George R. Gilmore said if Schnall was elected on Tuesday, the loss would belong to the Monmouth County GOP, for its failure to turn out enough Republican voters in its share of the 30th District, which includes Avon, Belmar, Farmingdale, Howell, Lake Como and Wall.
But in a pointed statement after the results were counted, Monmouth County Republican Chairman Shaun Golden suggested that the Ocean County GOP may be in need of a mirror.
“In LD30, Monmouth County proudly turned out Republican voters in Howell and Wall. For that reason, we were able to carry and hold on to Republican seats, including Assemblyman Sean Kean and Senator Bob Singer,” Golden said. “We look forward to collaborating with our Republican counterparts in better understanding the steep losses this ticket incurred in the Ocean County portion of the district, particularly considering Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli’s outstanding performance in Lakewood just two short years ago.”
In response, an amused Gilmore replied: “I’m a big boy, I can take it. … They obviously don’t understand demographics.”
This was also a night in which new faces were elected to legislative, county and municipal offices throughout Ocean County.
Ocean County winners: Ocean County election results 2023: Live county, municipal and school board results
Monmouth news: Monmouth County election results 2023: Live county, municipal and school board updates
Republican Frank Sadeghi of Toms River, a civil engineer and principal owner of Morgan Engineering in Island Heights, will succeed longtime Ocean County Commissioner Joseph H. Vicari — who will have served on the county governing body for 42 years when his current term expires on New Year’s Eve. Sadeghi defeated his Democratic opponent, Roxanne L. Barnes — 93,463 to 39,257, according to the unofficial results.
In Gilmore’s introductory remarks of Sadeghi after his victory was declared, he spoke of the fact that Sadeghi immigrated to the United States from Iran as a teenager at the behest of his sick father’s wishes that he make a better life for himself in America.
“Didn’t speak English, didn’t know how to contact the people from Iran that he knew in the United States,” Gilmore told a packed crowd at the Clarion Hotel & Conference Center in Toms River. “So, it took him a day or two to figure it out and get out of the airport. He then goes on and puts himself through college, engineering school.”
In his first public remarks, Sadeghi paid tribute to the man whom he is replacing on the Board of Commissioners and Vicari’s life of public service. The commissioner-elect declared that the county government “is in good shape financially” — the result of its past and current leadership, he said.
He pointed out that since Vicari took office in the early 1980s, the population of Ocean County had doubled to its current size of about 650,000.
In the county surrogate’s race, longtime GOP incumbent Jeffrey W. Moran defeated Democrat Charles D. Bauer, 95,514 to 37,913 votes.
With the exception of the 30th District, Republicans were successful in maintaining their grip on power in the 9th, 10th and 12th legislative districts.
9th Legislative District
Ocean County municipalities: Barnegat, Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Beachwood, Berkeley, Eagleswood, Harvey Cedars, Lacey, Lakehurst, Little Egg Harbor, Long Beach Township, Manchester, Ocean Gate, Ocean Township (Waretown), Pine Beach, Ship Bottom, Stafford, Surf City, Tuckerton
According to the Associated Press, Berkeley Mayor Carmen F. Amato (37,529 votes), a Republican, had won the state Senate race against Democrat Gabriel Franco (17,293 votes).
Incumbent Republican Brian E. Rumpf (36,976 votes) and running mate Gregory E. Myhre (35,771 votes), the mayor of Stafford, won their state Assembly races against Democrats Sarah “Sally” Collins (17,675 votes) and Joseph Atura (16,541 votes), and independent candidate Barry Bendar (959 votes).
Amato said Tuesday night that despite the district’s solidly Republican standing, he took nothing for granted and campaigned as if the 9th District was a competitive race.
“It was an opportunity of a lifetime to serve as my hometown mayor, I loved every minute of it,” Amato said. “But, I think I can do more.
“In the mayor’s office, we used to get a hundred calls a week,” Amato explained. “Seventy-five emails a week. So, (the Senate office) will be a little larger than that. But I’ve always prided myself on making myself available to our constituents. Ultimately, we serve them and we have to be responsive to their needs.”
10th Legislative District
Ocean County municipalities: Bay Head, Brielle, Brick, Island Heights, Lavallette, Manasquan, Mantoloking, Point Pleasant, Point Pleasant Beach, Sea Girt, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, South Toms River, Toms River
Republican State Sen. Jim Holzapfel (34,875 votes) was reelected after a challenge from Democrat Jeff J. Horn (17,252 votes).
Republican incumbent Gregory P. McGukin (33,908 votes) and his running mate, Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra (33,228 votes) defeated Democrats Emma Mammano (17,785 votes) and John Lamacchia (17,243 votes).
30th Legislative District
Ocean County municipalities: Lakewood
Republican State Sen. Robert W. Singer (36,156 votes) was reelected after a challenge from Democrat Stephen Dobbins (8,713 votes).
Republican Assemblyman Sean T. Kean (35,644 votes) was reelected to his seat. Rabbi Avi Schnall (27,562 votes), a Democrat, defeated Repubican incumbent Edward H. Thomson (17,676 votes).A second Democrat on the Assembly ticket, Salvatore “Sal” Frascino (8,456 votes) lost to Kean.
12th Legislative District
Ocean County municipalities: Jackson, Plumsted
Old Bridge Mayor Owen Henry (27,108 votes), a Republican, was elected to the state Senate, defeating Democrat Brandon A. Rose (15,113 votes) and independent candidate Nina Jochnowitz (761 votes).
Republican Assemblymen Robert D. Clifton (27,268 votes) and Alex Sauickie (26,247 votes) defeated Democrats Paul Sarti (15,551 votes) and Raya Arbiol (14,991 votes).
In Ocean County’s 33 municipalities, there were 17 contested elections and one public question on a local ballot. Here are the unofficial results:
Barnegat
Incumbent Republicans Joseph Marte (3,480 votes) and Alfonso Cirulli, (3,438 votes) were victorious in challenges for their Township Committee seats from Democrats Charles J. Cunliffe (2,174 votes) and Ronald J. Naples (2,218 votes).
Beach Haven
Incumbent Michael Battista (126 votes) was defeated by Michael McCaffrey (364 votes) for a one-year unexpired term in what was a non-partisan race for a seat on the Borough Council.
Beachwood
Republican Council President Bill Cairns (1,410 votes) was elected mayor without opposition and will succeed incumbent Mayor Ronald F. Roma Jr. on Jan. 1. For Borough Council, Republican incumbent Steven Komsa (1,240 votes) was reelected and running mate Thomas Prince (1,340 votes) was elected. A lone Democrat on the ballot, Jennifer McCave (713 votes), did not succeed in her challenge.
Berkeley
Republican John A. Bacchione (9,137 votes) was elected the township’s next mayor. His Democratic opponent was Kia C. Phua (3,099 votes). Republicans L. Thomas Grosse, Jr., (8,697 votes), Keith A. Buscio (8,830 votes) and Douglas Bowens (8,575 votes) defeated Democrats Mary K. Curtis (3,286 votes), Thomas J. White, Jr. (3,238 votes) and Frank D. DeMaio, IV (3,321 votes) for three seats on the Township Council.
Lacey
Republican incumbent Peggy Sue Juliano (3,932 votes) defeated Democrat Kaitlyn Triano (1,818 votes) for a seat on the Township Committee.
Lakewood
Township voters split their ticket for Township Committee: Democrat Ray Coles (18,210 votes), who is the appointed local mayor, won alongside Republican Deborah Fuentes (18,560 votes). Republican Bruce Stern (5,155 votes) and Democrat Jimmy Esposito (2,051 votes) were unsuccessful in their respective bids. An independent candidate, Hershel Herskowitz (2,438 votes), was also unsuccessful in his bid for a seat on the municipal governing body.
Little Egg Harbor
Republican incumbents Ray Gormley (3,053 votes) and John Kehm (2,990 votes) were reelected to the Township Committee. Democrats Lisa Stevens (1,555 votes) and Charles Griffin (1,488 votes) had challenged the sitting committeemen.
Ocean Gate
Republican incumbents Richard P. Zieser, Sr. (287 votes) and Mark Haug (312 votes) won their reelection bids. A lone Democrat, Dennis J. O’Leary, Jr. (249 votes), had mounted an unsuccessful challenge for one of the two seats in play for a full, three-year term on the Borough Council. Republican incumbent James Fry (357 votes) was unopposed for an unexpired one-year term.
Pine Beach
Republican Mayor Lawrence W. Cuneo (496 votes) was unopposed in his reelection bid. Republicans Richard “Ritty” Polhemus (416 votes) and Lori Ann McGee (424 votes) faced a challenge from independent candidate Eric Hess (315 votes) for one of two seats on the ballot for Borough Council.
Point Pleasant
Republicans Valerie Coulson (2,482 votes) and Joseph Veni (2,517 votes) were successful in their contests for Borough Council against Democrats Michelle Viggos (1,294 votes) and Wayne Martiak (1,267 votes), and independent candidate Michael S. Permuko (174 votes).
Point Pleasant Beach
Borough Council President Douglas Vitale (1,220) was elected mayor without opposition. Republicans Arthur Gant, Sr. (921 votes) and Caryn Byrnes (802 votes) won their contests for Borough Council against Democrat Lawrence Schwartz (703 votes), who was seeking one of the two seats in play on the council.
Seaside Park
Republican Mayor John A. Peterson, Jr. (523 votes) was reelected after a challenge from Democrat Philip M. Nufrio (193 votes). In the Borough Council race, Republicans Joe Connor (500 votes) and Gerald S. “Jerry” Rotonda (470 votes) won their contests against Democrats Thomas R. Joseph (206 votes) and Michael Spadafino (231 votes). Republican Bill Kraft (520 votes) was unopposed for an unexpired, one-year term on the council.
Ship Bottom
A public question on the ballot to establish a dedicated trust fund for the preservation of open space, parks and historic sites at a rate of one cent per $100 of assessed value, was approved by a vote of 280 to 129 in the borough.
South Toms River
Republican incumbents Ed Murray (295 votes) and Sandford Ross (304 votes) won their Borough Council contests after challenges from Democrats Gigi Esparza (139 votes) and Robert L. Hailey (122 votes). Republican Kayla Rolzhausen (322 votes) was unopposed for an unexpired, one-year term on the council.
Toms River
Republican Councilman Daniel Rodrick (13,510 votes) defeated Democrat Ben Giovine (5,833 votes), a former Toms River Regional Board of Education president, in Tuesday’s race for mayor of the county seat. Rodrick’s running mates Craig Coleman (13,089 votes), Thomas Nivison (13,220 votes) and Lynne O’Toole (13,281 votes) were elected to the Township Council. The Rodrick slate defeated Democrats Ruby Franco (5,276 votes), Rhetta Jackson-Fair (5,061 votes) and Michele Williams (5,553 votes),
Tuckerton
Republican Councilmen Brian Martin (457 votes) and Keith Vreeland (477 votes) were reelected to the Borough Council. Democrat Robert Challender, Jr. (245 votes), was unsuccessful in his bid for one of the two seats. Republican Councilman Michael E. Dupuis, Sr. (512 votes) was unopposed in his bid for an unexpired, one-year term on the council.
Waretown (Ocean Township)
Republican Mayor Kenneth Baulderstone (1,874 votes) was reelected to the three-member Ocean Township Committee, following an unsuccessful challenge from Democrat Rita Ann Kopacz (734 votes).
Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or elarsen@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Brick NJ elections: Rabbi Avi Schnall earns surprise win
