Monmouth County Republicans took a dominant 5-0 control of the county freeholder board with the defeat of incumbent Democratic Freeholder Amy Mallet last week, winning by over 8,000 votes in a historically low turnout election.
Democrats had control of the freeholder board for one year during the past thirty, in 2009, but slowly watched that evaporate with back to back defeats three years in a row. To add insult to injury, the Democrats’ lone freeholder director Barbara McMorrow became a Republican in 2010 and won a seat to the Freehold Township Committee.
Thanks to redistricting, Freeholder Director Robert Clifton (R-Matawan) will head to the State Assembly in the 12th District, winning a safe seat last week. Monmouth County Republicans will appoint Clifton’s successor. Candidates on the short-list include Howell Mayor Bob Walsh and Wall Township Mayor George Newberry.
There is also a major push to get Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore on the ticket, and Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso is probing again.
Deuputy Freeholder Director John Curley, often known to battle with his fellow Republicans, has announced he will run for Freeholder Director at the January re-organization, likely against Freeholder Lillian Burry.
