May 13, 2008 - 12:46pm
News

Morrell campaign fights Page power on the streets

Morrell campaign manager Peter Learmont, left, and Morrell supporter Royland CainMorrell campaign manager Peter Learmont, left, and Morrell supporter Royland Cain 

ORANGE - In front of the Love of Jesus Church, Peter Learmont, campaign manager for Janice Morrell, urges a Donald Page supporter to abandon her backing of the long-serving councilman and side with the Morrell campaign.

He meets resistance.

"When they tried to raise my taxes, Donald Page voted 'no,'" Ollie Marshall-Rico says.

With finality she adds, "That's good enough for me."

Learmont tries in frustration to budge her.

"Donald Page votes 'no' on everything, just to vote 'no,'" he says. "What's the alternative for him?"

Marshall-Rico shakes her head, and pulls up her stocking to show her bandaged leg.

"I shouldn't be out of the house, I've got a bad leg, but I'm out here anyway to support Donald Page," she boasts.

Learmont moves off. 

"I've lived in this city for 32 years, and I think with Janice we finally found a candidate who would do things right," he says of the long-serving zoning board chair who entered the race late.

Later he complains when he sees high school-age children waving campaign signs, sporting either the yellow colors of the Page campaign or the orange of the Hawkins camp.

"Those kids," Learmont says, "should be in school. Today is a school day."

  

Max Pizarro is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at max@politicsnj.com.