Keith Davis

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.

“It is no wonder the Democrats running for Freeholder would sign on to a study that extols the benefits of property taxes. When you run with Jon Corzine, you have to be a cheerleader for higher property taxes.”

“This financial crisis in Atlantic City, caused by Jon Corzine’s Wall Street shell game policies, will hurt the taxpayers in Atlantic City. And it will hurt the entire region, because if critical City services like police, fire and public works cannot be funded by Council next year, Atlantic City’s appearance and safety will suffer as a tourist destination. We cannot afford to let that happen as we all know that the key to job creation in our region is having a thriving gaming destination in Atlantic City.

“On every major initiative put forth by Jon Corzine, Nelson Albano and Matt Milam have walked lock-step,” said Davis.  “Milam’s comments to PolitickerNJ that he and Albano do not have a strong relationship with Governor Corzine are a complete fabrication and a futile exercise in revisionist history.  Their record shows they’ve been so close to Corzine that you might think they’ve been sleeping on the futon in the Governor’s high rise apartment in Hoboken.

Former assembly candidate Norris Clark has not completely ruled out running to fill a vacancy in the 1st Legislative District, but he acknowledged facing several serious obstacles to making another go for it.

Citing business obligations, Upper Township Committeeman Frank Conrad dropped out of the race over the weekend, leaving Dennis Township attorney Michael Donohue, who ran with Clark in 2007, as the only remaining candidate in what is expected to be the most competitive district in the state.  Although Clark talked to Cape May County Republican Chairman David Von Savage about running after hearing of the vacancy, Ocean City GOP Chair John McCann had already started rolling up support and important endorsements.  

“I have never stopped considering another run for Assembly, as I am very interested in public service, and I believe the Democrats are taking us in the wrong direction at the state level,” said Clark, who had set up an exploratory committee leading up to the election.

Clark said that there are four factors that tend against him mounting an internal campaign: his own work commitments; the lack of interest shown by Donohue in running with him again; that McCann is already “in sync” with Donohue’s campaign; and that he is interested in running for Cape May County freeholder the next time the all-Republican board has a vacancy.

The Republican organizations of Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties each have just over a week to pick a new running mate for assembly candidate Mike Donohue.

The organizations have set a deadline of Friday at 4:30pm to receive letters of intent from interested candidates, and each will vote separately on a candidate before by 4:30pm on Wednesday, July 1.  

It remains to be seen if it will be a contest.  Former candidate Frank Conrad dropped out over the weekend, leading Ocean City Republican Municipal Chairman John McCann to immediately start campaigning to replace him.  McCann wrapped up an endorsement from Donohue and party officials from the district’s towns in Cumberland and Atlantic Counties, but there have been some rumblings of interest from Norris Clark, who ran in 2007.

Despite expressing interest to party leaders in Cape May, Clark has not yet filed any letters of intent or contacted officials from the other two counties.  He could not immediately be reached for comment.

“Corruption has swirled around Atlantic City for decades and honest government has been an elusive concept in the resort community. But a tough ordinance modeled on the Atlantic County pay-to-play ordinance is exactly what will deliver clean and good government to the taxpayers of Atlantic City. They deserve nothing less.”

Just when we thought the Callaway machine was dead, it reared its ugly head yet again in this past primary in the Atlantic City mayoral election.

Last night more than fifty Atlantic County Young Republicans packed Mangia by the Green in Egg Harbor Township for the organization’s annual reorganization meeting. Rising Republican star Manny Aponte, a prominent Latino financial advisor and former freeholder candidate, was unanimously elected to lead the Young Republicans through the 2009 election.

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.