Obama Win Bitter-Sweet for Dems In Middletown

History was made last night, Democrat Presidential candidate Barack Obama, an African -American was elected President of the United States. This victory however is bitter-sweet for Democrats in Middletown.

While Obama was being declared the winner of the New Jersey presidential election, winning the State by 15% overall, his numbers and those of Frank Lautenberg in Monmouth County and Middletown were horrendous.

Obama lost Monmouth County by 12,000 votes while Lautenberg lost by over 18,000 votes. Both lost Middletown by similar margins which proved to be a drag on the local ticket of Pat Walsh and Jim Grenafege.

Presidential election years never bode well for Democrats in Middletown it seems, and while I was retrieving poll numbers from my district, it immediately became apparent that this year, unfortunately, would be no different.

Al Gore and John Kerry both lost in Monmouth County and Middletown by similar margins in 2000 and 2004 respectively, as Obama did and as a result the local Middletown tickets lost big as well.

Pat Walsh and Jim Grenafege ran a good, clean and above board campaign that focused on the issues that have effected Middletown like the 16% increase in property taxes over the last 3 years, the lack of transparency down at Town Hall and the cover up of the ground contamination at the Arts Center and Town Hall, that has already cost the Township $100,000 to date. 

I am proud of their efforts during this campaign, both are valuable and concerned citizens of Middletown that will not be going away any time soon. I am privliaged to have known and worked with both of them during this campaign. 

The Republicans on the other hand ran a negative, win at all costs campaign, slinging mud and making slanderous accusations against their opponents.

As mayor Scharfenberger said himself, at this past Monday night's Committee meeting when confronted by Democratic Committeemen Short and Brynes about the negative, win at all cost tactics. He said that the "Costs where to high" to play by the rules.

I would have expected nothing less from this sorry excuse that we have to call Mayor. 

While Democrats may have lost in Middletown this year they have gone on and won nationally. 

Next year in a non-presidential year, Democrats in Middletown will be looking to re-elected Patrick Short to the committee and make no mistake, if you think that this year was ugly locally, next year will be worse by far.