October 9, 2008 - 8:22am
News

As goes Middletown, so goes the 13th

Keep an eye on the hotly contested race for Middletown Township Commission, since it is a precursor to the campaign for State Assembly in the 13th district next year.  If Democrats win the local race, they will be more inclined to fund challengers to Republican incumbents Samuel Thompson and Amy Handlin in 2009.  And if the GOP takes the Middletown race, state Democrats will be hesitant to fund a campaign in a district they haven't won since 1983.  

Without popular State Senator Joseph Kyrillos on the ticket (unless he emerges as the GOP candidate for Lieutenant Governor), Thompson and Handlin are considered to be slightly vulnerable. 

Wally Edge can be reached via email at politicsnj@aol.com.