By WIL FULTON
Suzanne Viscomi, who last week quit-without-quitting the Red Bank council race, confirmed Thursday that she won’t run as either a Republican or an independent.
Viscomi told redbankgreen by phone that she would officially be dropping out of the race as a Republican. That leaves ex-running mate Cindy Burnham alone on the GOP ticket against Democratic incumbents Kathy Horgan and Sharon Lee.
“There were reports I might run as an independent,” Viscomi said, “but I’m not going to run this year. I wanted to serve on the council as a member of the Republican party, but that didn’t work out. I still want to be a watchdog for the community, though.”
Two days after the Asbury Park Press reported on May 15 that she had quit the race, Viscomi said she had not, in a web posting that teed up Burnham for running a campaign based on “a personal vendetta and to appease her ego.”
But Viscomi declined to say at the time whether she was still in or might run as an independent. She said she would answer that question at Wednesday’s meeting of the borough council.
She made no comment on her candidacy at the meeting, however. Instead, she addressed the all-Democrat governing body during the public comments portion of the meeting, asking them to be up-front about rumors regarding the selling of the Maple Cove property to a private owner.
Horgan replied that rumors of a sale weren’t true in 2008, and still weren’t true.
Before she left the floor, Viscomi reiterated her wish to remain a “voice, advocate and watchdog” in Red Bank.
Asked Thursday about her decision to abandon the race altogether, Viscomi said she had no comment other than the official statement she posted on her website. A statement there reads, in part:
I stated from day one, regardless of the party, anyone who runs for any office should do it with the right intentions. Cindy did not like that I wanted this campaign to have a positive message, one about the voters and address the issue of rising taxes. She is making it a personal vendetta and to appease her ego. She still can’t even find a treasurer because that someone will be responsible and liable for her campaign, which puts that person at risk.
For my own best interest and the betterment of the overall Republican Party, I will now step aside.
Viscomi, who serves on the borough school board, said she will continue to videotape the bimonthly council meetings, post them on her website and provide those who can’t attend the meetings what she calls an “up-close and honest” view of them.
Burnham declined to comment on Viscomi’s departure from the race.
