John Devlin

Atlantic County Democrats have a chance to take control over the freeholder board this year, but they'll have to defy expectations to do so.

The nine member board - under Republican control since the 19th century with the exception of a brief period in the 1970's - has three seats up for re-election that are currently held by Republicans.  If Democrats can sweep the election to join their two Democratic colleagues on the board, they can take a 6-3 majority. 

But that is unlikely. Although elections are typically competitive in Atlantic County, which is split roughly equally in party registration, two of the three seats up this year - District 2 and 5 - represent traditionally Republican areas.  The other seat up in November is at-large and belongs to incumbent Frank Giordano, who was elected three years ago as a Democrat but switched sides and became a Republican in early 2008. 

Angelo DeMaio, a 42-year-old fire captain, is challenging the 51-year-old Giordano for the at-large seat.  For District 2, where Republican incumbent Thomas Russo is retiring, Atlantic City School Board member John Devlin is running against bakery owner Frank Formica, 57.  And in District 5, Freeholder Chairman James Curcio - on the board since 1994 -- is up against 38-year-old blueberry farmer Salvatore "Sam" Mento III. 

In this case, the traditional campaign roles are reversed, with Democrats taking Republicans to task over county spending and taxes. 

"I think we need some young, new leadership that has some independent thinking, that is willing to work together to resolve our tax issues and our spending policies in Atlantic County and try to curb the spending," said DeMaio.

Earlier this month Freeholder Candidate Frank Formica called on his Democratic opponent, John Devlin, to give full disclosure to the voters of Atlantic County about his membership on the oftentimes unruly, high taxing Atlantic City School Board.

Converting Kessler Hospital to a VA facility would bring needed health care services to the veterans community, while employing hundreds of area workers

“People are fed up with the tax and spend policies of the incumbent Republican Freeholders. That is why a firefighter, a cop, and a blueberry farmer have three times as much as their Republican opponents." -Patrick D'Arcy, Atlantic County Democratic Party Chairman

In response to a recent request by Atlantic City School Board member John Devlin for greater budget transparency, Keith Davis, Atlantic County Republican Party Leader, issued a challenge of his own to Devlin: don’t issue bold statements when you have a record of inaction and playing politics on your own school board.

Atlantic County Democratic Candidates Believe a More Open Process Would Yield Greater Cost Savings and Efficiencies

Possible Democratic Freeholder candidates in Monmouth County, where control of county government is at stake this fall, include: Wall Mayor John Devlin, former Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Robert Honecker, and former Neptune Mayor Michael Beson.  Freeholder Director Barbara McMorrow, who has enjoyed a tumultuous relationship with her two Democratic colleagues and a cordial relationship with the Republican minority, announced yesterday that she would not seek re-election to a second term.

In the Matawan Borough Council race, Republican Thomas Fitzsimmons and his running mate, Joseph Urbano, defeated their Democratic Party rivals. Fitzsimmons ran state Sen. Jennifer Beck's (R-Monmouth) victorious 2007 campaign over Ellen Karcher and remains a Republican Party Trenton insider and Beck confidante.

In Middletown, Republican Deputy Mayor Pam Brightbill and her running mate, Tony Fiore, defeated their Democratic Party rivals to maintain a Republican majority on the Township Committee.

In Wall Township, a ginned up McCain-Palin effort overseen by state Sen. Sean Kean (R-Monmouth) may have contributed to the loss of Democratic Mayor John Devlin. Republicans George Newberry and Ann Marie Conte defeated Devlin and his Democratic running mate Joseph Tonzola to strengthen GOP cntrol of the Towship Committee.  

Wall Township Mayor John Devlin would just as soon not have to brave the wildcard impact of a national race.

A Democrat in a Republican town – the first Democratic mayor, in fact, in town history, he says voters know him locally as a nonpartisan elected official.

Although he prefers to run in non-presidential election years, his record is 1-1.

“I won when I ran in 2000, the year Bush beat Gore,” says the mayor. “Then I lost in the 2004 election, when Bush beat Kerry. That was a large turnout election. The Republican community came out in droves."

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).