Though close, the outcome was worth a shared high-five between running mates Art Murphy, right, and Mike DuPont, with back to camera. (Click to enlarge)
The Democratic faithful who gathered in a failed West Front Street spa on election night were so subdued they might as well have had cucumber slices on their eyes.
Results from eight of Red Bank’s nine polling districts were in, and incumbent councilmen Art Murphy and Mike DuPont were trailing a pair of Republican unknowns by about 50 votes.
But former Mayor Ed McKenna was unfazed. He guesstimated that absentee ballots would break in the Democrats favor enough to put them slightly ahead, and that the tallies from the ninth — the area west of Shrewsbury Avenue and south of River Street — would ensure a comfortable win.
Well, he got the overall result correct, if not the details, if unofficial figures are reliable. They showed margins of just eight and 21 votes, respectively, for Murphy and DuPont over first-time Republican challenger Kim Senkeleski in what Mayor Pasquale Menna saw as a replay of former Gov. Jim Florio’s disastrous re-election try in 1992.
“There’s not much you can do at the bottom of the ticket when you have such an avalanche at the top,” Menna said, referring to GOP Chris Christie’s thrashing of incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine.
Things didn’t look so rosy for Murphy, DuPont and former Mayor Ed McKenna, right, before results for the reliably Democratic ninth voting district came in.
When the results from the ninth came in, showing the Democrats had a combined 354 votes to just 95 for Senkeleski and running mate Rob Lombardi, the mood at the Democratic HQ lifted considerably. It preserved the all-Democratic governing body for another year.
But it didn’t entirely dispel the feeling that Murphy and DuPont had dodged an electoral punch — one they said was really aimed at Corzine.
“The top of the ticket — I think that had an impact on this race,” DuPont told redbankgreen. “Quite obviously, Jon Corzine did not help us at all.”
“I’m disappointed in the vote,” said McKenna, the local party head who hosted Corzine at his home this summer. “There’s a lot of angry people out there. The people I talked to who voted for Christie were really voting against Corzine.”
Menna, meanwhile, attributed the narrowness of the win to a combination of “a governor who does not have that much traction” and low voter turnout, which he estimated at about 50 percent of registered voters, compared to a normal turnout of about 65 percent.
Umm… our votes were also aimed at the bs that has been taking place at the municipal level. Don’t try to scape goat this onto Corzine, RB council. People are just as fed up with what has happened here as we are with what has happened at the state level. The fact that they are looking to place blame elsewhere proves how out of touch they are.
Don’t blame it on Corzine, Dems. I voted for Corzine yet felt very strongly that the Senkelenski / Lombardi ticket was a much better choice for Red Bank - and voted as such. This close race was a result of RB residents being sick of having the good old boys run our town. The only reassuring thing about this “victory” is the knowledge that Senkelenski has vowed not to give up.
Corzine only lost by 4%. You can’t blame the top for this. Kim was what we needed for this town. There are going to be a lot of bummed out Red Bankers this morning.
There’s a typo in the title - it should read “Dems to Continue Dragging Red Bank Under”.
How much did those west side votes cost (me) this year?
Kim and Grace in 2010…….
Good bye Lee & the other girl…
Funny how the most neglected part of town always seems to pull the rabbit out of the hat for these guys.
rbforever-You are absolutely right. The clowns would not stand a chance against Kim and Grace.
Add me to the list of bummed out Red Bankers. I knew exactly who I was voting for and why. Corzine had nothing to do with it. How convenient for Murphy and DuPont that Corzine lost - I wonder what they would be saying about the narrow margin by which they won if Corzine had taken the election?
Well i heard that some of the absentee votes where made up votes can someone look in to this. people may have been deceased recently.Someone look into that
ugh more of the same old bs one party rule for RBank
Eileen, I agree that Kim is what Red Bank needed, she’s also what we STILL NEED.
Let’s not claim defeat and crawl back into our caves until next year, let’s stay supportive and get involved. Now is when our candidate needs us most. Now is when the town needs us the most. The Dems have been wrecking this town long enough. Do they need an angry mob to stop it? So be it. Count me in.
Go to meetings, sign petitions, educate your neighbors, and demand the town you want. This fight is far from over.
do a recount! I would not trust the Tomatocrats with a 50″ pole.
Oh I’m sorry… you can’t do recounts with the voter machines used in Red Bank…how convenient. I guess the *dead* have spoken.
“The top of the ticket — I think that had an impact on this race,” DuPont told redbankgreen.
I think your record had a bigger impact. Too bad some still turn a blind eye.
Congrats to AV and Mike. I think it is silly to say that the top of the ticket has no impact. Democrats lost across Monmouth County, including assembly, freeholder and other towns.
and also, I like Grace, but before you annoint her as unbeatable keep in mind she has lost 2 of the 3 elections in Red Bank that I am aware of.
Oh Carl G, how right you are. I have observed the Republican “strategy” in Red Bank for many years. Other than Jennifer Beck (and John Curly for as long as he was an R.), the party heads disappear for the entire year and then wheel out candidates that no one in town has ever heard of (including me many years ago)at the filing deadline. They also have no machine to bring money into their campaigns (except the extra cash the candidates are willing to cough up), and then they complain when they lose. Frankly, I believe it shows how much the general population of R/B is against the Democrat machine when heretofore unknowns can come so close to winning.
Lack of 12 month leadership by the opposition is the real problem. And I have no idea where to expect that to come from. Maybe Grace, Rob and Kim (and whomever) can find a way to overcome that history.
Why do I have a picture in my mind of Murphy and DuPont taking care of themselves,and doing absolutely nothing for anyone else?????? I’m sooooo tired of “good ol’ boys”!!!!
Padrone has an interesting point here…perhaps its best for independents to fill the gap… most jersey folks I know are more or less centrists, so the GOP in its current form and with its current leadership is a far right cry from where we seem to be as a polity… and independent (along the lines of Bloomberg views) seems a better way to go than a GOP candidate… just saying
Congratulations Art Murphy and Mike DuPont
How utterly disingenuous on the part of the Democrates to lay blame for their slap in the face poor showing on Jon Corizine . . . as if Corizine had been the one running RB all this time and not them. At least a polite nod to Kim and Rob for almost upsetting the applecart is more than appropriate from the “winners”. But what can you expect from the only “game in town” mentality. Maybe the only thought for their opponants and the rest of us is a quote from the long ago past. . . “Let them eat cake.”
At least the Dems didn’t echo the GOP comment from last election, that people who voted for Dems were uneducated and followed the Obama line.
I think it was the year before that when McKenna referred to the GOP candidates as “bums.”
Alas, there don’t seem to be many gracious winners or losers in politics these days.
Message to Michael and Art is that both of you were DAMN lucky! Wise up and support all of us like Independents!
If not for the “way too many Red Bank employees” whose votes you received, you both would be on the outside now! Without the RB employees’ votes you would have lost this election! GET THE MESSAGE FROM ALL THE VOTERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just wanted to let everyone know that there are still votes to be counted. We are waiting to hear from Freehold about all provisional ballots.
Message to Michael,
Most of us live out of town and cant vote.
Maybe what you meant to say was, that some of the hired and retired help here in town,go out and pull all the strings on the Westside and hand over the votes to the Dems.
Look in the picture, right behind Art’s armpit. That’s Stan Sickles, isn’t it?
Somehow, that doesn’t seem right.
Or maybe what you meant to say was that some of the Democrats do not COMPLETELY ignore the west side as if they do not exist and as if their needs are not valid.
Perhaps, if the Republican candidates spent just a little bit of time trying to get to know and understand ALL of the RED BANK residents concerns and not just those that live EAST of the TRAIN TRACKS, they would have been more successful.
I am no fan of all RB Democrats, but at the very LEAST they acknowledge that the West Side does exist…….and yes we too want our voices heard.
Republicans if you had taken the time to care about the folks on Leighton Ave, like you did for the people on John Street then you MIGHT have been able to obtain the 9 votes that would have put you over the top.
“NotRight” Of course that is Stan Sickles in that picture he always is at the Democratic party’s ,. If Republicans get in Stan would be in line at the Soup Kitchen everyday
Art has a mandate, the people have spoken and now Art can redevelop the West Side. With such a large mandate eminent domain can be used, starting at the train station right on up to Tinton Falls leaving those people to take care of their own.
That’s not Sickels… that’s McKenna!
Look under ARTS ARM PIT THAT IS SICKLES
alot of complaining going on above .one question besides whining what are you doing to help Red Bank?
Paying HIGH TAXES
Who cares who is at the after party ?
Stan or any other can be present for a celebration of this kind.
I am sure over the years Stan has become somewhat friendly and obediant to the BOSSES……
Who knows maybe he would visit the after party for the GOP had they won.
Say what you want, but maybe he is a unbias servant.
And yes, he does need his job just like the rest of us, so bust his chops for the right reason, not because he may have been paying respect to the BOSSES.
outsider,
I think you meant to use the plural of job which is jobs and from I understand it is 3 jobs plus I recommend him for the 4th job of planting seeds at $10k per year in replace of the arborist they just fired at $20k per year thus saving the taxpayers $10k. Thank you.
Sheep do not whine. Americans whine until they rebel. The whining is getting louder and your reputations precede you.
…its only a matter of time now before news of the monorail line and the Rt.520 extension into downtown hits the airwaves…..
The redevelopment of Red Bank may get slowed down now that Corzine is leaving office. Hopefully, our new governor will remove McKenna from his position of Chairman of the NJ Planning Commission and that may help to brake the link, however, it is the good people of Red Bank that don’t want this to happen to their town that will have to come out and voice their opposition.
well, redevelopment of RB also greatly impacts surrounding towns… I submit these towns folk need to get themselves mobilized as well…. and those of us remaining here in RB, we need to bet belligerent….just like Eddy’s occasional shouting matches – we need to shout right back….
So, will we see you at the next Mayor & Council meeting Cap.?
Padrone is right about the GOP leadership in Red Bank.
see McKenna in the back with a smile on his face and his 8th beer in his hand?
Hope he wasn’t driving on front street looking for people to mow down.
…Cindy, I am rearranging my work schedule…..but I also need a babysitter, know any good ones?
Are you sure McKenna is drinking a beer? At a political rally, I would expect them to be serving Kool-Aid.
Cap, I can help you out.
To “The Other Side”,
Can you please elaborate the ways in which the Democrats address the west side, and how the GOP is failing? I’m sure it’s not from lack of trying or lack of concern.
It seems that all the incumbents wish to do is turn the west side into an inner city, while overdeveloping the downtown on it’s coattails. COAH obligations are one thing, kowtowing to private commercial interests while we ruin what charm is left of the town is quite another.
In a 1.75 square mile town, I should have friends from all corners, and I do to an extent. I am not the least bit ostentatious, am very into diversity, and am involved in numerous affairs that have me on both sides of the tracks. I want to reach out, but in many cases I don’t think the feeling is mutual.
So what does the west side need? What do you want? What are your concerns? Can you generate more involvement from your contingents in the discussions here? I’m sincerely interested in hearing, because when I read comments like yours, I feel like I don’t have the big picture.
I would like to formally announce my candidacy for Mayor of Red Bank, as a Democrat, in next year’s primary.
I believe the people of Red Bank would be greatly served with my leadership as their mayor.
I will be challenging Pasquale Menna for ther nomination. I am thrilled to announce my candidacy here on Red Bank Green.
Please review my resume.
Truly yours,
Mo
——-
DOB January 15, 1950
EDUCATION:
* Graduated from Middletown North High School on June 24, 1968.
* 1976 to 1980, Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Richard Stockton College
1984 to 1987, Masters in Arts in Criminal Psychology from Rutgers University, Camden Campus
EMPLOYMENT
1969 to 1983
United States Army
(69-76 — Active Duty)
(76-83 — Reserves)
Lieutenant Corporal (75-83)
* Fought in combat in Vietnam, stationed from 69 to 74, Earned two silver stars, numerous awards and honors. Joined a 8 member special investigations unit team in 1970. Served as 2nd in Command from 1972 to 1975, served as Command head for last 4 months in 1976. Only member of 8 person team to be alive during the entire 5 year period, all new faces when I left in 76.
1976 to 1985
Metropolitan Museum of Art
(1976-1978 - Security Guard)
(1979-1981 - Assistant to Curator)
(1982-1985 - Head of Security)
1986 to 1996
Mo Security, LLC
Private Security and Detective Agency
President
1986-1996
Brookdale Community College
Lincroft, NJ
(1986-1995 - Deputy Security Director)
(1995-1996 - Security Officer)
1997-2000
J.L Stein Law Firm
Jersey City, NJ
Private Detective
2000 to 2003
Unemployed
Collected Benefits
2003 to 2005
Part-time security office, Monmouth Mall
2007-Present
Head of Security
East Brunswick Mall
2007-Present
Waiter
Ruby Tuesday
Toms River, NJ
2008-Present
Private Detective
LV Murray LLP Law Firm, Philadelphia PA
* Handle 5 to 10 files per month for 2 member law firm.
RESIDENCE
Born, 1950 in Livington, NJ
1950 to 1968, grew up in Livingston
1969 to 1975, lived in Vietnam during war
1976 to 1980, lived in Guttenberg, NJ
1981 to 1988, lived in Morristown NJ
1988 to 1995, lived in Freehold, NJ
1996 to 2000, lived in Howell, NJ
2000 to 2001, lived in Neptune, NJ
2001 to 2002, lived in Ocean Grove, NJ
2002 to 2003, lived in Asbury Park, NJ
2004 to 2006, lived in Eatontown, NJ
2006 to Present, lived in Red Bank, NJ
PARTY REGISTRATION
1968 to 2008, registered independent
2008 - registered Democrat to vote for local candidate but still supported John Mccain for president.
1968 voted for Richard Nixon
1972 voted for Richard Nixon
1976 voted for Jimmy Carter
1980 voted for John Anderson
Did not vote in 1984
1988 voted for Michael Dukakis
1992 voted for Patrick Buchanan
1996 voted for Patrick Buchanan
2000 voted for George W. Bush
2004 voted for George W. Bush
2008 voted for John McCain
I voted every presidential year except 1984.
I humbly ask Red Bank voters for your support in June of 2010 for Mayor of Red Bank. I will lead us to victory.
Mo Alim
Mayor McCheese never disappoints. I love how is red drinking cup matches his red face.