Candidate: Democratic Party In Ocean County Is 'Severely Fractured'

LITTLE EGG HARBOR - The number of Democratic candidates in municipal races in Ocean County has dropped by another two.

Former Little Egg Harbor Township Committee candidate Sommer Fairl withdrew from the November race on Sept. 1. Fairl wrote to the Ocean County Clerk's Office that she had been pressured to withdraw by local Democratic leaders, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press.

"The Democratic Party here in Ocean County is severely fractured," she continued. "The organization is disorganized and lacks the support and manpower to properly run a campaign. Disagreements and secret closed door meetings with Republican lawyers (behind my back) and the lack of support from the Great Bay Democratic Club was highly disappointing."

Almost half of the municipal races in Ocean County will go unchallenged in the November election, since no Democrats filed, according to the Ocean County Clerk's Office.

Fairl's running mate, John Hobler, withdrew his own candidacy earlier this year. He and Fairl would have faced Republican incumbents Ray Gormley and John Kehm in November. Hobler cited "unforeseen circumstances."

The lack of leadership and financial resources in the Democratic Party is an old complaint that dates back to at least the 1980s. It's long been rumored that past and present party leadership consults regularly with GOP party leaders, including Ocean County Republican Party Chairman George R. Gilmore who has an iron grip on Ocean County and doles out plenty of money to GOP candidates.

Back in the 1990s, Ocean County voters elected Republican Franklin Fischer to another four-year term as county surrogate. Fischer had been dead for several weeks, but he won anyway.

Ocean County Clerk Scott M. Colabella said Tuesday that the Democratic Party has until the close of business on Thursday to name replacement candidates.

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Image: Patch