David Wolfe

The Asbury Park Press has endorsed incumbent GOP legislators for re-election in Districts 10 and 12, supporting the re-election of David Wolfe (R-Brick), James Holzpapfel (R-Toms River), Caroline Casagrande (R-Colts Neck) and Declan O'Scanlon (R-Little Silver).

Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany) named Assemblyman David Wolfe (R-Brick Township) to the Budget Committee today.

Wolfe replaces state Sen. Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan), who was elevated from the Assembly earlier this month to replace U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Clinton) in the state senate. 

State Sen. Kip Bateman (R-Somerset) helped the former Somerset County Democratic Chairman win Senate confirmation as an Administrative Law Judge.

Ethics complaints he filed against seven Republican legislators in 2007 – all subsequently dismissed – came back to haunt former Somerset County Democratic Chairman Elia Pelios today, but with the help of a home county Republican it didn’t matter and the State Senate today confirmed his nomination as a state Administrative Law Judge.   Despite strong opposition from several key Republicans, including Joseph Kyrillos and Kevin O’Toole, Christopher Bateman, a Republican Senator from Somerset County, signed off on Pelios’ nomination and voted for his confirmation.

There is considerable speculation in Ocean County that Andrew Ciesla, a six-term Republican State Senator from Brick, will not seek re-election in 2011 – and some GOP sources say they wouldn’t be surprised if Ciesla stepped down before the expiration of his current term.  Apparently Ciesla, who turns 55 next week, is burnt out after nearly seventeen years in the Senate.

Assemblywoman Alison McHose and Assemblyman David Rible today in Trenton. 

TRENTON - A day after Gov. Jon Corzine and the Democrats launched what had the vibe of a pre "overwhelming victory" party, Republicans attempted a low-key, state-level counter-offensive here this afternoon at the height of the budget season.

While Democrats may be in the throes of Obama fever, "Jon Corzine is not terribly popular now," said Assembly Whip Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), referring to the governor’s 38% job approval rating, according to Quinnipiac University.

Battling for some GOP respect, Bramnick announced the formation of the New Republican Policy Committee, which he hopes will be one of the features of a new-face Republican party. The move comes in an atmosphere in which the departing Republican president’s job approval rating is 22% and Obama leads presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain by six points.

ROBERTS & WOLFE: KEANSBURG PRIME EXAMPLE OF NEED
TO MOVE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. and Assemblyman David Wolfe  today said the firestorm surrounding the contract of Keansburg's outgoing school superintendent is a prime example of why board of education elections should be moved to November, when voters are most engaged and can hold board members accountable for their actions.

ASSEMBLY CLEARS BILLS TO MOVE SCHOOL ELECTIONS,
SLASHING SCHOOL OVERHEAD COSTS CLEAR COMMITTEE
Bipartisan Measures Aim to Enhance Accountability at School Board Level,
Clamp Down on Non-Classroom Administrative Costs

(TRENTON) - The General Assembly today passed two bipartisan measures Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. championed to enhance local voters' ability to hold elected school board members accountable for their fiscal and policy decisions and to slash inefficient non-classroom administrative spending in public schools.

BIPARTISAN BILLS FOR NOVEMBER SCHOOL ELECTIONS,
SLASHING SCHOOL OVERHEAD COSTS CLEAR COMMITTEE
Measures Aim to Enhance Accountability at School Board Level,
Clamp Down on Non-Classroom Administrative Costs

(TRENTON) - Two bipartisan measures Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. is championing to enhance local voters' ability to hold elected school board members accountable for their fiscal and policy decisions and to slash inefficient non-classroom administrative spending in public schools were released today by the Assembly Education Committee.

BIPARTISAN BILL TO MOVE SCHOOL ELECTIONS
TO NOVEMBER INTRODUCED IN ASSEMBLY
Speaker Aims for June Vote on Measure          

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. today formally introduced legislation first proposed last month to eliminate the state's April school elections and to move school board member elections to the November ballot.

The Ocean County Observer has endorsed the three Republican incumbents in the 10th district. READ