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ELECTION RESULTS

As we all know, Senator McCain and the McCain-Palin ticket did not carry New Jersey. According to still unofficial results reported by the New Jersey Division of Elections, Senator Obama garnered 2,070,662 votes, (57.28% of the two party vote), while Senator McCain received 1,544,097 votes, (42.72% of the two party vote), for a difference of 14.56%. Despite this headwind, we did surprisingly well in our local races.

Assuming the provisional ballots still being processed do not change the results, this is the story:

In Cranbury, Republican Municipal Chairman, Win Cody won a seat on the Township Committee, retaining what had already been a Republican seat.

In Dunellen, the Republican administration continues to roll along - maintaining control, where Republican Kevin Bayer was elected to what had already been a Republican seat, beating back a challenge from someone who was the Democrat Municipal Chairman.

In Metuchen, (where, for many years there were no Republicans on the governing body and where we picked up two seats last year), assuming the provisional ballots don't break radically the wrong way, Justin Manley, who had briefly served as Republican Municipal Chairman, defeated an incumbent Democrat, turning the Metuchen council into a 3 Democrat - 3 Republican operation.

In Middlesex Borough, where there have been no Republicans in office for a number of years, we now have two newly elected Councilmembers-Elect: Michael Class and Debra DeVuyst, taking what had been Democrat seats.

In Milltown, as long as the provisional ballots don't affect the results, Republican Larry Citro was elected to the Milltown Council, to what had already been a Republican seat, maintaining Republican control of Milltown.

In Sayreville, the election of Republican, Kenneth Kelly to what had been a Democrat seat, (except in the very unlikely event the provisional ballots change the results), puts Sayreville under Republican control, where Republican Mayor Kennedy O'Brien will be able to break what will be a 3 Republican - 3 Democrat council split. Sayreville will become the largest Middlesex County municipality under Republican control.

Unfortunately, election day was not all sweetness for Republicans on a local level in Middlesex County. In addition to those Republican candidates who, despite valiant efforts were not able to oust Democrat incumbents or take over Democrat seats, we lost 4 fine Republican Council incumbents.

In South Plainfield, two incumbent Republican Councilmen, Matt Anesh and Rob Bengivenga, were not able to keep their seats.

In South River, Councilman John Krenzel lost his bid for re-election and Councilwoman Suzanne Buffalino, who had been appointed to fill the council vacancy created last year when Republican, Ray Eppinger, was elected South River Mayor, also lost her election bid. However, South River will remain under Republican control, with Mayor Eppinger breaking what will become a 3 Republican - 3 Democrat tie on the council.

All the statistics are not in and I have not had time to fully analyze those that are in, so that I may be able to give you further thoughts or analysis down the road.

Congratulations to all our winners and condolences to all of our Republican candidates who did not win. Thank you for carrying the Republican banner in this election, with special thanks to our county Freeholder candidates, Lynda Woods Cleary, Daniel Kerwin and Robert Thuring.