Aubrey Fenton

Democrats Chris Brown and Maryanne Reinhart have ousted Republican Freeholders Aubrey Fenton and Stacey Jordan in Burlington County, and Democrat Timothy Tyler defeated Republican Gary Woodend in the race for County Clerk by a 54%-46% margin.  The GOP majority on the Burlington Board of Freeholders is now reduced to 3-2, and Democrats now have a County Clerk and Surrogate.

A summary of daily newspaper endorsements in local races:

Democrats stormed Burlington County Republican headquarters in Mount Holly earlier today, demanding to know how Freeholder Director Aubrey Fenton and Freeholder Stacey Jordan are funding their campaign with one week to go before Election Day.

Evesham Deputy Mayor Chris Brown and Shamong Committeewoman Mary Anne Reinhart wonder how Fenton and Jordan can pay for a barrage of Philadelphia network television advertising when the GOP candidates reported just $44,000 in the bank in their latest ELEC report.  

Endorsement lauds Freeholders' record of cutting taxes and controlled spending

Ask Voters to Reject GOP Scorched Earth Campaign; Fenton Has Well Documented History of Running Malicious, Bush-Rove Campaigns

Former Gov. Thomas Kean and Scott Morrison of Camden County at the Hilton: Politicker photo

MINNEAPOLIS - From Hurricaine Gustav, to the Labor Day late night cruise with the Crowleys, to Bush cringe, to the Sarah Palin story, to the Blue Grille Bar in the Hilton, to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) and back to the Blue Grille, and back to the East, New Jersey Republicans led by State Chairman Tom Wilson forged a convention of small but diehard members. 

Not long ago, State Sen. Diane Allen thought she would be headed to St. Paul.

According to Allen (R-Burlington), she informed the leadership of the Burlington County Republicans that she would like to attend early this year.

“I was led to believe that would occur.  But in the end, the leadership of the Burlington County Republicans I guess went a different way because my name didn’t turn up on the ballot,” she said. “I called Bill Layton a week before (the filing deadline) and asked what I needed to do.  He said ‘Don’t worry about it, we’ll take care of it’ And indeed he did.”

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Much has been made of just how white the New Jersey Republican delegation is. But Burlington County Freeholder Aubrey Fenton, who sticks out as one of only two black New Jersey Republicans who have traveled to the Twin Cities to attend the Republican National Convention, said the party is on the right track in recruiting a diverse base.

“It’s improving, and as you see more and more examples of the inclusion it will continue to advance. I’ve been surprised with the percentage of minorities and women that I’ve seen at the national convention at large,” he said. “I think it’s a lot better than it was, and it will be a lot better than it is.”

GOP State Chairman Tom WilsonMINNEAPOLIS - A floor blanketed with white faces at the Republican National Convention doesn’t mean the GOP - or their presidential nominee - lack a universal message, argues State Republican Chairman Tom Wilson.

Coming off their convention in Denver last week, Democrats urged observers to note the contrast between their ethnically diverse party and the Republicans.

"When you have a quota system, it guarantees the result you saw in Denver," Wilson shot back. "Look, you have one million Republicans in New Jersey, and 52 New Jerseyans sitting on the floor, representing them. These 52 people are there day in and day out doing the hardcore party activism.

"Our hardcore party activists are predominantly middle class, white New Jersey," Wilson added.

It’s getting acrimonious in what Democrats hope will be Battleground Burlington.

The minority party in that county today stung their rivals with a video on their website detailing what party chairman Rick Perr says is a misuse of taxpayer dollars to further a bloated and beleaguered Republican Party.

"There is one fact that is undeniable," said Perr. "Taxes and spending in Burlington County have risen dramatically in the past five years. It is unacceptable that while Burlington County residents continue to pay more in taxes, these insiders are living off of the public trough."

In less than a year, 19 or 20 of what Perr calls "Paulsen’s 20 Republican Investment Team" (a nod to former Burlington County Republican Chairman Glen Paulsen) have each guaranteed $30,000 in campaign loans to the Burlington County GOP, according to the Democrats.