Sean Kean

State Sen. Sean Kean (R-Monmouth) with a framed photograph of his father, Thomas J. Kean, and JFK. 

ASBURY PARK - As the son of a WWII infantryman who also served in the Korean War, state Sen. Sean Kean (R-Monmouth) found himself drawn to the presidential candidacy of U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

"You know more about a guy because of what he’s able to endure," said Kean, a New Jersey co-chair of the McCain Campaign.

When McCain’s most senior supporters in the state talk about going after "Reagan Democrats," they’re describing voters with backgrounds not dissimilar from Kean’s.

ASBURY PARK - A supporter of Sen. John McCain’s since the Arizona senator’s first run for president in 2000, state Sen. Sean Kean (R-Monmouth) said he believes Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Jr., would be a good running mate for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

"Florida’s an important state and Crist is popular," Kean told PolitickerNJ.com.

He also likes the fact that Crist is a governor, which adds an executive dimension to the candidacy of McCain, who has served in the U.S. Congress for two decades.

Kean personally likes former Gov. Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania, but acknowledges that Ridge’s pro choice views might alienate critical base Republican voters.

Freeholder Barbara McMorrow, left, stands with fellow Democrats, candidates Amy Mallet and Glen Mason.

In Monmouth County, registered Democrats now lead Republicans by 10,000 voters, according to the County Board of Elections’ registration report, which positions the shore county once again for a likely battle come November.

And finally it’s a battle at the county level, where gleeful Democrats see an opportunity to gain control of this traditionally GOP stronghold.

But while the Democrats want to use those Board of Elections numbers to trampoline their pair of Freeholder candidates onto the board to at last seize the majority, GOP leadership feels confident that a John McCain presidential candidacy will play to their party’s root strength here.

"Obviously a vast majority of voters are overwhelmingly unaffiliated in a county that leans Republican," said state Sen. Sean Kean (R-Monmouth), a longtime McCain supporter.

Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMasoMonmouth County Republicans face an important decision at their convention on Wednesday night. In danger of losing control of the Board of Chosen Freeholders, GOP committee people have to decide whether Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso or Red Bank Councilman John Curley is the candidate who can win in November.

The Republicans have watched their rivals chip into their turf over the last two election cycles. Democrats edged one seat closer to seizing a majority in 2007 with John D'Amico's win.

There are two open seats this year, but Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, also a Republican, has the advantage of incumbency, meaning either DiMaso or Curley also needs to win to keep the GOP majority.

Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo, one of the sponsors of the Assembly version of paid family leave, which came out of committee today. 

The lobbyists' feeding frenzy continued in Trenton today as representatives from both the business and labor communities zeroed in on lawmakers in the hallways of power and attempted to elicit the promise of a yes or no vote on the issue of paid family leave.

The measure would extend state liability insurance to employees for up to six weeks, enabling workers to care for themselves, a newborn or a sick relative. Funding would come from the workers contributing on average a dollar a week from their salaries.

Just a few months ago, New Jersey’s presidential primary – moved up to February in a quest for national political relevance – was looking like a non-event. Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani had considerable leads; in the case of the GOP, the winner-take-all primary meant that there were no delegates available to the other contenders.

It was a rather noteworthy site: Joseph Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic nominee for Vice President, at a Republican campaign rally in Hamilton Township, sharing a stage with New Jersey’s Republican elite.  Lieberman was there in support of John McCain’s campaign for the presidency; still, his appearance with some young GOP rising stars, like State Senators Bill Baroni, Tom Kean, Jr., Kevin O’Toole and Sean Kean makes for an interesting photo. 

And from the irony department: two years ago, Kean, Jr. stayed far away from Lieberman’s Republican rival, Dick Cheney, claiming traffic problems on Route 1.

Perhaps it wasn’t the best strategic campaign stop for John McCain, but he came to Hamilton today anyway accompanied by an entourage of nationally prominent Republicans and even one former Democratic vice presidential candidate.

Joining McCain today at the Colonial Volunteer Firehouse were Rudy Giuliani, Sen. Joe Lieberman [I/D-CT], Sen. Phil Graham [R-TX], Sen. Lindsey Graham [R-SC], Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Rep. Vito Fossella [R-NY].

It was also a time to shine for McCain’s tried and true New Jersey supporters – especially those who backed the candidate even when his campaign was hobbled by low cash and low poll numbers: State Senators Bill Baroni, Kevin O’Toole and Sean Kean; GOP State Chairman Tom Wilson; Morris County Freeholder John Murphy; former 9th district congressional candidate Vincent Micco and Bergen County Clerk Kathe Donovan. 

Bill Baroni will head John McCain's presidential campaign in New JerseyState Sen. Bill Baroni has been named State Chairman of John McCain’s presidential campaign in New Jersey, and Rick Mroz, a former Chief Counsel to Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, will serve as State Campaign Coordinator. Former Gov. Tom Kean is the Honorary State Chair and former Rep. Dick Zimmer is the Honorary Vice Chair.

Corzine Must Provide Complete Information To The Public

Senators Jennifer Beck, (R-12), and Sean Kean, (R-11), called on Governor Corzine today to release all of the information collected over the past two years related to the monetization of New Jersey’s highways.  To date, the only information that the Corzine Administration has released is contained in a power point presentation, the Governor’s “State of the State” message and a heavily edited and sanitized version of the Steer, Davies and Gleave transportation study.  The Senators also announced that they will file an appeal of Judge Feinberg’s decision to allow data and information to be withheld from the public in Appellate court today.