Jennifer Beck

The Republican Party on Thursday united behind state Sen. Thomas Kean, Jr., as its new Senate Minority Leader, while state Sen. Leonard Lance stepped aside in the face of a torrent of young blood.

Descendent of the state's first governor, son of a former two-term governor, and with a failed U.S. Senate run behind him and still only in his late 30s, Kean sees last Tuesday's election results as a rejection of Democratic leadership over the course of the last six years.

"Today there are more Republicans in the State Legislature, more Republican freeholders than before, more mayors than there were and more council seats," says Kean.

The South Gate Manor in Freehold resembles a mausoleum but inside on Tuesday night, the mood was far from dead as the competitors and operators and Republican revelers joyfully watched the Democratic Party sink inch by inch into oblivion.

Tom Fitzsimmons becomes the first Republican campaign manager in ten years to oust an incumbent Democratic State Senator with Jennifer Beck’s defeat of Ellen Karcher. The last one was Michael DuHaime, who managed Anthony Bucco’s campaign against Gordon MacInnes in 1997. DuHaime is now the National Campaign Manager of Rudy Giuliani’s White House bid.

2007 was a Republican year in New Jersey, thanks to some significant local gains, a well played game of defense, the defeat of two ballot referendums, and the growing insignificance of Governor Jon “Hold Me Accountable” Corzine. It is arguably the first Republican year in New Jersey, albeit marginally, since 1997.

Republicans ousted State Senator Ellen Karcher in the 12th, has a net gain of two Assembly seats – defeating two-term Democrat Michael Panter in Monmouth County and winning back the 8th district seat they lost earlier this year when Francis Bodine switched parties to run for the Senate. The GOP won both Assembly seats in District 2, holding Frank Blee’s seat and picking up the one Jim Whelan vacated.

If it were a Lex Luthor-lookalike contest between the campaigns' respective leading men it would be difficult to pick a winner, but it is not that in the 12th district, though the chief handlers of two proud and competitive women here are not unaware of their own head-to-bald-head rivalry.

Tom Fitzsimmons, campaign manager for Republican Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck, likens the Democrats to the out-of-sorts and ultimately out-of-their-element Hessians on the eve of the Battle of Trenton. Mike Premo, campaign manager for Democratic Senator Ellen Karcher, chooses another metaphor - but he sticks with the military imagery.

Voting at Seton Hall Preperatory School in West Orange, Senate President Dick Codey was the center of attention, drawing a small media contingent to watch him enter and leave the booth.  Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance, on the other hand, didn’t get much attention. 

It was a contrast in celebrity.

“Tell Senator Codey I’m envious,” joked Lance.

But the two have one thing in common – there’s been speculation that they could lose their leadership positions in the Senate.

In the hard-fought 12th district, Democratic Senator Ellen Karcher worked the Route 9 diner circuit this afternoon with Senate President Richard Codey. Her Republican challenger, Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck, went door-to-door in Tinton Falls with one of her running mates, Declan O'Scanlon, then fell back to headquarters to make phone calls.

The GOP team, which also includes Caroline Casagrande, was planning to work the train stations in Red Bank and Little Silver in the early evening hours before rendezvousing in Freehold to brace for election results later tonight, according to campaign spokesman Tom Fitzsimmons.

(FREEHOLD) – Karcher for Senate Campaign Manager Mike Premo announced the twenty-fifth installment of “Ask Jennifer Beck.” Over the last twenty-four days, the campaign has asked Assemblywoman Beck a series of questions.

(FREEHOLD) – Karcher for Senate Campaign Manager Mike Premo announced the twenty-fourth installment of “Ask Jennifer Beck,” where each day between now and the November 6 election the campaign will ask one question of Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck.