John Curley

FREEHOLD – A squat drab building on the side of a highway could describe a lot of places in New Jersey, but this one warrants a double take because a state trooper stands out front, and operatives come and go, frantically talking on their cellphones in the rain.

It’s two days after Election Day, but there remains a political war going on in Monmouth and here at the Clerk’s Office on Halls-Mill Road represents ground zero.

In a fight to secure a second seat on the Freeholder Board, Democratic candidate Amy Mallet leads Republican candidate John Curley by 18 votes, 135,688 to 135,670 as representatives from both parties jockey in the background for position in case a legal challenge goes down.

With 99% of the vote counted, Democrats narrowly lead in their bid to win control of the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders with Amy Mallet leading John Curley by 26 votes, 135,337 to 135,311. Republican incumbent Lillian Burry (136,521) is the top vote-getter, and Democrat Glenn Mason (127,367) is running 4th.

In the contentious race for two seats on the Monmouth County Freeholder Board, the Democrats have mostly trained their sights on incumbent Republican Freeholder Director Lillian Burry, but today they went after her running mate, former Red Bank Councilman John Curley.

The mailer Democrats sent to voters accuses the former Republican councilman of dereliction of duty in his post on the council, which, Democrats said, eventually sparked the rest of the governing body to fire him.

As chairman of the local finance committee, “he failed to supervise the chief financial officer, causing overspending of $400,000,” reads the flyer, which also charges  that Curley voted to increase property taxes during each of his years in office.

In Monmouth County, every town comes intriguingly into play on some level, several more critically than others.

Republicans have owned the Freeholder Board for over 20 years, but in the last two elections Democrats picked up two seats to bring them to within one of county control.

A profusion of newly registered Democratic voters have boosted the party’s confidence heading into Nov. 4th, and now Democrats Amy Mallet and Glenn Mason are ready for that 11th hour jolt of cash from the Democratic State Committee.

State Party Chairman Joseph Cryan wants to win here.

He wants it more than he would like to pick up additional warm bodies in the Assembly next year, where his party’s already built a comfortable majority.

A victory by either Mallet or Mason would make a Democratic Party statement.  But neither is a name candidate running against incumbent Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and auto dealer vice president John Curley, an intensely focused campaigner who served as a Red Bank Councilman and has close political connections to state Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth).

John Curley and Freeholder Director Lillian Burry: Politicker photo 

MANALAPAN - The debate is underway here between the Democrats and Republicans in this down-ballot battleground for two seats on the Monmouth County Freeholder Board, and Democrats have opened by going after the incumbent.

Republican Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and her running mate, former Red Bank Councilman John Curley, sit at a table in the Monmouth County Library's main branch, alongside their Democratic rivals, reitred Hazlet Police Detective Glenn Mason and Fair Haven businesswoman Amy Mallet.

Taking a question about transparency in government, Mallet immediately goes after incumbent Burry.

"We recently learned there was a house tour in Colts Neck, put on by the Historic Preservation Committee," says Mallet. "She used her business as a primary outlet for purchasing the tickets (to the tour)."

Democrats Amy Mallet and Glenn Mason: Politicker photo 

RED BANK/ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS - If Monmouth County Democrats don’t believe in trickle down economics they definitely don’t have a problem with getting some top down love from the campaign of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.).

The Democratic presidential nominee appears to be on cruise control in New Jersey, receiving a boost on Sunday from an unlikely source in this battleground county where the number of registered Dems grew considerably since last year’s primary. 

"The Asbury Park Press endorsed Barack Obama," announced Democratic County Chairman Vic Scudiery, who sported a tie pin in the shape of the state of New Jersey with an Obama logo emblazoned in the center. 

"Obama has the intellect needed to comprehend the complexities of the times and the ability to articulate his positions clearly and eloquently," the paper’s Sunday editorial read in part. "He can inspire, and we believe he will be able to bring out the best in the American people at a time when our best will be needed...

In the much-watched Monmouth County Freeholders contest in which Republican control is at stake, incumbent GOP Freeholder Director Lillian Burry leads all candidates in the individual money race.

However, her general election report, filed separately this week from running mate John Curley, also underscores how the two Republican candidates aren’t running a coordinated campaign.

Their separate efforts contrast with the joint report filed by their Democratic rivals: Amy Mallet and Glen Mason, who also regularly make the rounds together to public events, unlike Burry and Curley.

GOP Freeholder candidate John Curley: Politicker file photoIt’s been labor by slow degrees.

Aided by Bush fatigue nationally and the Operation Bid Rig scandal locally, Democrats chipped steadily away at the Freeholder Board in Monmouth, foregoing potential Assembly gains elsewhere to focus on trying to build a majority in this longtime Republican stronghold.

Relying heavily on state party funds, they elected Barbara McMorrow two years ago and John D’Amico last year to get them to within one seat of swinging control of Monmouth in their favor.

Now with newly registered voters bolstering their numbers beyond the GOP’s - 99,282 Democrats to 86,992 Republicans - Democrats hope Amy Mallet and Glen Mason are poised to become their party’s next freeholders here. Freeholder Barbara McMorrow, left, stands with fellow Democrats, candidates Amy Mallet and Glen Mason.: Politicker file photo

In arguably the most consequential freeholder showdown of the year, those two must get past veteran Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and her running mate, Red Bank Councilman John Curley.

"As far as I can tell, it’s the premiere down ballot race in the state," State Party Chair Joseph Cryan said.

Although Democrats gleefully claim momentum going into this one, it will be no walk over for them.

MINNEAPOLIS - The Monmouth and Ocean County Central Labor Council (CLC) has endorsed Democratic freeholder candidates Amy Mallet and Glenn Mason, who are running against incumbent GOP Freeholder Lillian Burry and her running mate, Red Bank Councilman John Curley.

Mallett and Mason hope to be able to ride post Feb. 5th voter registration, which favors Democrats in the traditionally Republican Monmouth County. Registered Democratic voters now outnumber Republicans in Monmouth by 10,000.