Jack Kelly

Jack Kelly welcomes his presumptive rival from across the county line to address the crowd of Ocean County GOP delegates.

U.S. Congress candidate Jack KellyShortly after accepting the support of the Ocean County Republican Organization in his bid for U.S. Congress in the 3rd district, Freeholder Director Jack Kelly welcomed an unassuming man onto the platform to stand beside him in a display of GOP unity.

The man was Chris Myers, Kelly's primary election adversary from Burlington, who attended the event along with a small contingent of party operatives from across the county line.

"Despite any attempt of the press to make this a county versus county primary battle, I will do all in my power to make sure any primary challenge will be the one that seeks to elect the very best Republican countywide... because that is our common goal," said Kelly, a 56-year old former mayor of Eagleswood for 11 years and 15-year veteran of the freeholder board.

He yielded the microphone to Myers, 43, Medford Township's deputy mayor, a vice president at Lockheed Martin, and decorated combat veteran of the Gulf War, who kept the line of fire trained on next November's Democratic opponent, state Sen. John Adler of Cherry Hill.

Ocean County Freeholder Jack Kelly is expressing interest in the open State Assembly seat in the ninth district, and insiders say that he would be the front runner for the job if he decides to enter the race. Ocean Township Mayor Daniel Van Pelt, who was edged out for an Assembly seat by Brian Rumpf in 2003, is expected to run. If Kelly decides against a legislative bid, Freeholder John Bartlett, a former Pine Beach Mayor who has spent more than twenty years in county government, could enter the race.

State Senator Leonard Connors announcement that he will not seek re-election to a ninth term is expected to result in an open Assembly seat. His son, Assemblyman Christopher Connors, is viewed as the leading candidate to replace his father in the Senate.

Look for some Republicans to advocate the nomination of a woman for the Assembly or Freeholder in 2007: the Ocean County GOP has not sent a woman to the Board of Freeholders since Hazel Gluck more than thirty years ago, and has not run a woman for State Assembly since Virginia Haines won a second term in 1993.