Old Bridge
Mayor One 4-Year Term
Patrick M. Gillespie (D)* 4,505
x Owen Henry (R) 5,057
Old Bridge
Council-At-Large Three 4-Year Terms
Edward Testino (D)* 4,160
John F. Gillick (D) 4,121
Kelly Ellis-Foster (D) 4,104
x Brian J. Cahill (R)* 5,232
x Eleanor "Debbie" Walker (R) 5,035
x James H. Anderson (R) 4,955
A surprise in Old Bridge and a narrow victory in Franklin highlighted Tuesday’s election results.
It was a sweeping victory for the Republicans in Old Bridge.
Republican mayoral candidate Owen Henry received 5,330 votes, defeating Democratic Mayor Patrick Gillespie, who received 4,780.
The Republicans also will take control of the Township Council. Republicans James H. Anderson, Eleanor “Debbie” Walker and incumbent Brian J. Cahill defeated Democrats John F. Gillick and incumbents Kelly Ellis-Foster and Edward Testino.
Henry said the Rebublicans are thrilled with the election results.
“The Democrats have been in control for 14 years and now the Democratic octopus has been broken,” Henry said... .The residents came out and spoke loud and clear. We had a tremendous amount of support....
“We were on the right side of the issues and ran a clean campaign and I think people saw that. We came with a simple message that we were business people and would take a commonsense approach to government. I am ecstatic and honored to be part of the process.”
What lessons can be applied nationally here?
-Voters understand the facts - perhaps the biggest issue in the campaign was the recent vote by the Democratic mayor and Council to give full pension and retirement benefits to any municipal employee who works a mere 15 years for the Township, down from 25. That's a bribe to the municipal employees that will come out of the townspeople's pocket, and everyone knew it. Pensions as an electoral game-changer? Uh-huh...
-Thuggery doesn't scare off honest Americans. You can shatter windows, abuse women, and engage in childish vandalism as the Old Bridge Democrats did, but it is a useless tactic against a free and strong people. Worse - it is counterproductive. Are national Republicans still too scared to tie the Democrats to their beloved "Occupy" movement yet?
-inspire the grassroots. I am a grass root. So root, that I have no dealings with my local Republican party whatsoever. I just talk to my friends and neighbors about the importance of voting and why I vote Republican, and how their choices affect their own lives. Personally, I likely got 10-12 people to the polls, maybe more. A lot in an election decided by 500 votes.
Which is why, if the Republicans nominate a wishy-washy compromiser to run for President in 2012, one who is afraid to point out the thuggery of the Left, one who vows not to tear down the system but to work within in, one that does not excite the ever-growing Republican base - Obama could win re-election. Without a clear, distinct choice, folks will go for the one they know - the one that carries their party affiliation.
The national Republican party ought to look at my little town in Jersey to see how it is done...
More "upset" Republican victories in Jersey here and here...
if old bridge is willing to give a 15 year pension package to it`s workers that town must be extremely corrupt!!
ReplyDeleteYes it is. This township is very anti-resident. It is for the very few. It starts at the top and works its way down everywhere even to the detriment of the children.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you keep your promise now of lowering our tax`s and making Old bridge a place where people can say its a great place to live.
ReplyDeletethe tax freeze signs in old bridge are for 65 years and older i guess they did not tell you that!!
ReplyDeletewhere are all the police when people are drinking and doing drugs on the laurence harbor boardwalk it`s disgusting!
ReplyDeletei live in bridge point and they told me when i moved here that they were going to get rid of all them awful looking homes in the harbor and build new town-houses i hope it comes soon !
ReplyDeleteThis town has been anti resident for decades. This mayor and the council members "on the left side" (Green, Cahill Mollis et all) have made this town worse than ever. Mayor Henry claimed not to be a politician but that's not what I see. If you ever attend a council meeting, you'll see how condescending and bullying they are. They have no interest or concern about the quality of life in Laurence Harbor letting the hills along the presidents' section grow wildly inviting ticks, mosquitoes, poisonous ivys, etc., not to mention the disgraceful appearance due to lack of Maintenance. Most people I talk to complain about lack of police so if there are no police how can drugs and underage drinking be controlled not to mention other offensive behavior. I find used condoms, tampons, ladies undergarments just thrown anywhere along the park. The "do nothing/know nothing" fishermen, some residents and visitors to the park think it's ok to just dump all their garbage because there isn't anyone to stop them. The other police complaints I hear usually are about the police not doing anything when you call them. I live in Laurence Harbor and it's the condos, townhouses and other massive developments are ruining this area of OB. We don't need these kinds of housing. We don't need low income housing developments because the homes here are already low income for the most part. Yes, there are some home that need fixing up but I would rather see some broken down single family houses that can be refurbished than another Bridgepoint. All these massive developments do is create traffic and an already ridiculously high tax burden.
ReplyDeleteYou made a choice to live in Bridgepoint and if you don't like it, I suggest you move back to Staten Island or wherever else you came from instead of disparaging the hardworking middle-class residents of Laurence Harbor proper.
I'd like to elect politicians who listen to the people who have spent years and years living and working in NJ. I'd like those few town council members who are more worried about making more money than they can spend in a lifetime to get the hell out of OB. We have good people in this town like Walker, Dr. Greenberg and others (who sit to the right of Cahill). This town needs a big change and we are not going to get it unless we get out and vote - vote for a change.