Declan O'Scanlon

The 12th district Republican candidates really would prefer to be in a “Clean Elections” district.

That’s because, had the 12th district been chosen, the Republican and Democratic candidates would almost certainly have gotten equal funds. But since it wasn’t, the Republicans are trailing in fundraising – badly.

Three districts were chosen to participate in the Fair and Clean Elections Pilot Program for the 2007 election: one Republican dominated, one Democrat dominated and one competitive. The 12th was a prime candidate for the “split” district, but it lost out to the 14th in a decision made by a panel headed by former Governor Jim Florio.

“There is absolutely no question that if we spend the same amount of money as our opponents, we will unquestionably beat them,” said Assembly candidate Declan O’Scanlon, who lost his bid for an assembly seat two years ago by under 100 votes. “If this were a fair election from a financial perspective, we’d clean their clocks. It’s only by ensuring that the financial playing field is grossly skewed do they have a shot.”

12th District Republican legislative candidates Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck, Declan O’Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande said today that by voting for a budget which paves the way for the sale of New Jersey’s toll roads, their opponents, Ellen Karcher and Mike Panter, had once again failed their district. O’Scanlon and Casagrande also echoed Beck’s call for Governor Jon Corzine to line item veto the asset sale language in the budget until public hearings were held on the issue.

The 12th district Republican candidates issued a press release today warning that their Democratic opponents were going to conduct an “unprecedented” level of dirt digging.

Republican Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck is facing one-term incumbent Ellen Karcher for the State Senate seat on a slate with assembly candidates Declan O’Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande. Democratic Assemblyman Mike Panter, who beat O’Scanlon by less than 100 votes in 2005, is also running for reelection in what is expected to be a highly competitive race.

The state’s most competitive legislative race is in the twelfth district, where Democratic State Senator Ellen Karcher faces a challenge from GOP Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck.  Karcher has $41,077 cash-on-hand, while Beck has $16,636.  Democratic Assemblyman Michael Panter has $98,251 in his account, while Republican challengers Declan O’Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande have just a little more than $10,000 combined.

In the first district State Senate race, Republican incumbent Nicholas Asselta has $255,256 cash-on-hand.  His opponent, Democratic Assemblyman Jefferson Van Drew, has $89,098 in his account.  Van Drew has an additional $59,767 in a joint account with the Democratic Assembly candidates.

In District 2, incumbent James “Sonny” McCullough, a Republican who won a Special Election Convention last February, has $115,665 in his account.  His Democratic rival, Assemblyman James Whelan, has just $7,460 in a joint account with his running mates.

In the 39th district, first-time candidate Joseph Ariyan has raised $140,981 against veteran GOP Senator Gerald Cardinale, and has $133,329 in his account.  Cardinale has $242,245 in his warchest.

The state Division of Elections has updated their website to reflect that 12th district Assembly candidate Declan O'Scanlon has filed petitions with 393 signatures.  As of yesterday, their records indicated Scanlon having submitted petitions with just 104 signatures.

With Jennifer Beck giving up her Assembly seat to challenge Ellen Karcher for State Senator, insiders say that the two leading GOP candidates to run for the State Assembly on Beck's ticket are Little Silver Councilman Declan O'Scanlon and attorney Caroline Casagrande. O'Scanlon came within 73 votes of ousting Democratic Assemblyman Michael Panter in 2005, the same year Beck unseated incumbent Robert Morgan. Casagrande, 30, is the Manalapan Municipal Attorney and has strong connections to the Monmouth GOP: her father, Chuck Casagrande, is the Spring Lake GOP Municipal Chairman and a business partner of former Monmouth GOP boss Benjamin Danskin, and her law firm, Cleary Alfieri Jones & Hoyle, is headed by Marlboro GOP Chairman Sal Alfieri.

PANTER WINS A SECOND TERM

DEMOCRAT VOWS CONTINUED FOCUS ON PROPERTY TAXES,
ANTI-CORRUPTION REFORMS, ENVIRONMENT

Almost a sure thing is that after losing his '05 bid for the State Assembly by a mere 73 votes, Little Silver Councilman Declan O'Scanlon will run again in 2007. It is a "pretty safe bet," says a campaign staffer, that he will mount a second challenge to Democrat Michael Panter. O'Scanlon's running mate, Red Bank Councilwoman Jennifer Beck, defeated Assemblyman Robert Morgan. Senate Republicans are already trying to recruit Beck to take on freshman State Senator Ellen Karcher in two years; if Beck declines, they could turn to O'Scanlon.

There will likely be some strong competition for the Democratic nomination to run with Karcher and Panter in 2007; possible candidates include Morgan and two Democrats who nearly won election to the Monmouth County Freeholder Board last month: former Freehold Borough Councilwoman Barbara McMorrow and former Manalapan Mayor Rebecca Aaronson.

O'SCANLON STATEMENT AS RECOUNT ENDS

With the Monmouth County portion of the 12th District recount nearly complete, 12th District Assembly candidate Declan O'Scanlon issued the following statement:

"The results of the recount show that Assemblyman Michael Panter has won by 73 votes. This is about as close a margin as you can get in a race where almost 70,000 ballots were cast.

MORGAN CALLS ON O'SCANLON TO CONCEDE

Says the Voters Have Spoken