Mike Beson

Middletown Committeeman Sean Byrnes, right, defeated former Neptune Mayor Mike Beson

RED BANK - Middletown Committeeman Sean Byrnes defeated former Neptune Mayor Mike Beson here today at Local Carpenters Union 2250 for the backing of the Democratic Party to run for Freeholder this year.

The county committee vote tally was 147 votes for Byrnes and 41 votes for Beson.  “We have a candidate for freeholder who wins in Middletown, and who has a great background – check his resume,” Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Victor Scudiery said of Byrnes, a Georgetown University-educated attorney, father of five, retired Coast Guard Commander and Red Bank native.

Byrnes will run against Republican John Curley of Middletown to try to succeed Freeholder Director Barbara McMorrow. Curley last month won his party's backing in a 36-27 matchup against former Atlantic Highlands Borough Councilwoman Kim Spatola.  

“My background is strong,” admitted Byrnes, 46. “I did a lot of strategic planning in the Coast Guard, which I introduced on the Middletown Township Committee. I would like to introduce (and see passed) more efficiencies at the county level. What happened here is the Republicans controlled county government for so long, they got lackadaisical and inefficient.”  

Calling him an "outstanding choice to serve the Jersey Shore families," U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) today endorsed former Neptune Mayor Mike Beson for the Democratic nomination for Monmouth County Freeholder. 

Beson and Middletown Committeeman Sean Byrnes will face off at a Democratic convention on Saturday for the chance to run for the Freeholder seat currently held by Democrat Barbara McMorrow.  McMorrow is not seeking re-election to a second term, and Democrats must hold her seat to retain control of the Board of Freeholders.

"Throughout almost 20 years that I have known Mike, he has demonstrated constant dedication and commitment to protecting and defending the public interest," said Pallone, the senior Democrat in the New Jersey congressional delegation.  "In recent years, Mike has become a local small business owner who sees first-hand the struggles that hard-working families face in this economic climate.  He will undoubtedly combine his decades of public service with his experience in private sector businesses to be a strong representative for Monmouth County."

Beson was Pallone's district director from 1990 to 2000.  After serving a Mayor of Neptune, he moved to Ocean Township and now serves on the Board of Education.  He is also a prominent Democratic operative, and ran Howard Dean's New Jersey campaign in 2004.  He was the PolitickerNJ.com Politician of the Year in 2003 after Dean locked up the endorsements of most of New Jersey's Democratic establishment.

"It is an honor to have the support of Congressman Pallone not only as a candidate but as a friend for many years.  His leadership and tenacity to represent our state in Washington has served us well in fighting for quality health care, preserving and cleaning up our waterways and open space, and advocating for working families," said Beson.  

"While we are well represented in Congress, it is important that we have strong countywide representatives that will be independent in pushing for our residents and ensuring that our voices are heard," Beson said.  "Every day, I see the frustration felt by residents given the challenges facing our state and nation.  I will work as hard as they do to make the choices necessary to move our County forward."

Rep. Rob Andrews is making calls to top Democratic officials to gauge potential support for a primary challenge against four-term incumbent U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, according to highly placed Democratic sources. Andrews has received calls from some North Jersey Democratic officials encouraging him to enter the race. An announcement from Andrews regarding his statewide intentions could come as early as today. There is speculation among Democratic insiders that former Democratic State Chairman Tom Byrne, who said today that he would not enter the race, may have been a stalking horse for Andrews, a ten-term Congressman from Camden County.

Monmouth County Democrats lost a strong candidate for Freeholder today with Michael Beson’s decision not to run in Saturday’s mini-convention.  With control at stake, some Democrats were excited about the prospect of Beson, an Ocean Township school board member and former Neptune Mayor, as their candidate.  Beson, who has played key roles in two presidential campaigns and was a top aide to Rep. Frank Pallone, was the PoliticsNJ.com Politician of the Year in 2003.

Several candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination for Monmouth County Freeholder, where the GOP’s 3-2 majority is at stake this November. The Democratic candidates at a convention this Saturday include Ocean Township Board of Education member (and former Neptune Mayor) Michael Beson, ’07 Assembly candidate Amy Mallet, and Hazlet police officer and school board member Glen Mason.

Barack Obama may have gotten the support of Dick Codey today, the most popular politician in New Jersey, but two other prominent Edwards supporters have gone the Clinton route.

Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney and State Sen. Joseph Vitale announced their support for Clinton in a conference call today, burnishing their respective organized labor and health care credentials. They were joined by Mike Beson, the Edwards campaign state director

Vitale, who chairs the Health and Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, said that Clinton has the best plan to provide universal health care.

“I find her approach to helping solve this issue not just inspired but informed. I’m pleased to join her campaign,” said Vitale.

Obama Campaign State Director Mark Alexander

On the day of the Iowa caucuses, the New Jersey state director of Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has one immediate strategy, win or lose: on the next morning he’s going to stand up volunteers at different locales: the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, Newark Penn Station, Jersey City. They will be out there waving "Obama" signs, staying visible, shouting, working.

"We were always the candidate talking about change, that message hasn’t changed," says Mark Alexander, 41, seated in his West Orange office on Thursday, composed - given the stakes. Obama’s wife said if they didn’t win Iowa, the campaign would be finished.

"Fundamentally," says Alexander, "we are content that we are offering something the American people really want."

As Obama resists the Tom Cruise temptation to leap out of Oprah's stuffed chair in excitement over Iowa poll numbers that show him with a slight lead, and establishment darling Clinton searches for a way to generate vitality beyond the marble pillars of officialdom, former Sen. John Edwards remains a statistically relevant presence, at least in Iowa.

"Edwards is not done," insisted Peter Woolley, executive director of Fairleigh Dickinson's PublicMind poll. "The fat lady hasn't sung. He's still running third. If one month before the Iowa caucus, it's as close as it is, you're doing very well. But the bad sign about Edwards is his level of support has been pretty static. He's not moving the needle."

In the Northeast, Edwards' presidential campaign ravenously pursues good news, and finds little. The fact that the one-term senator and former vice-presidential nominee emerged the winner at an informal caucus in Roselle Park on Friday belies the fact that Clinton's supporters bolstered Edwards rather than get seared by the victory chants of their prime tormentor, Team Obama, which placed second.