Burlington

Ocean County Clerk Carl Block

In Ocean and Burlington Counties, Republicans have all held the county clerk seats for as long as anyone can remember.  This year, buoyed by the surge in Democratic registrations, Democrats have a crack at both of them.

Among the most surprising competitive races this cycle is in Ocean County - one of only six New Jersey counties where there are still more registered Republicans than Democrats.

Five year incumbent Carl Block is fighting to win his second full term against Berkeley Mayor Jason Varano in a place where no Democrat has won county-wide since 1989.  But Varano has seized on expenditures Block made from the county clerk's trust fund, which is drawn from fees from mortgage, deed and passport applications.  He's even up on cable television and radio with advertisements - unusual for an Ocean County Democrat.

Varano has hit Block on his office's expenditures of nearly $25,000, on trips to several locales across the country, during which Block was often accompanied by his deputy and a confidential aide.  He's also gone after him on an overpriced framed picture of Freeholder Jack Kelly, an expensive clock repair bill and a plasma screen television in the main office.  Block has been bloodied in the local press for these expenses, with the Asbury Park Press writing several articles on the subject.  The paper endorsed Varano, saying that block's "self-interest, partisanship, entitlement, slackness with tax dollars and violation of the public trust" make him unfit for another term.

Still, Block has spent three times the amount of money Varano has to date.  In solidly Republican Ocean County, he remains the default favorite, and rather than argue against the charges one-by-one, he faulted Varano for what he characterized as a completely negative campaign.

The New Jersey Immigration Policy Network objects to a recent campaign flyer that was distributed in Burlington County, New Jersey in October 2007.  The flyer makes an inappropriate portrayal of immigrants and perpetrates the “big lie” that immigrants are criminals or terrorists. 

Burlington County Democrats have picked their candidates for 2007:  Benjamin Braxton, Jr., who spent the last thirteen years as Willingboro Public Safety Dircector, will challenge Sheriff Jean Stanfield, and Dr. Thomas Bader, a Moorestown Civic leader and University of Pennsylvania professor, will run for the open Freeholder seat being vacated by Vincent Farias.  

GOVERNOR CORZINE FILES JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS

TRENTON – Governor Jon S. Corzine submitted the following judicial nominations to the State Senate. The nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

GOP presidential candidate Duncan Hunter will have at least one supporter in New Jersey: his friend, Jim Saxton, a thirteen-term Congressman who serves on the House Armed Services Committee with Hunter. Saxton has led GOP leaders in Burlington and Ocean counties know of his support for Hunter, but understands that they will not follow him in supporting the long-shot bid of the Congressman from San Diego.

GOVERNOR CORZINE FILES NOMINATIONS

TRENTON – Governor Jon S. Corzine today submitted the following nominations to the State Senate. The nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

In the part of the state that could become a battleground in the 2007 mid-term legislative elections, Governor Jon Corzine's approval ratings are upside-down.

In Atlantic, Monmouth and Ocean counties, which includes the 2nd, 11th and 12th legislative districts, Corzine's job approval is at 37%-46%, with his handling of the property tax issue at 32%-47%. In Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties, which includes the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 7th districts, the Governor is at 39%-46%. On property taxes, Corzine is at 26%-51% in the region.

GOVERNOR CORZINE FILES DIRECT APPOINTMENTS

TRENTON – Governor Jon S. Corzine today announced the following direct appointments.

GOVERNOR CORZINE FILES JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS

TRENTON – Governor Jon S. Corzine submitted the following judicial nominations to the State Senate. The nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

CONNERS RESPONSE TO GOVERNOR'S STATE OF THE STATE

(TRENTON) -- Assemblyman Jack Conners (D-Pennsauken) released the following statement on Governor Jon S. Corzine's 2007 State of the State address: