Dems celebrate; GOP

Dems celebrate; GOP

Edward Testino

prepared to move on

BY SUE M. MORGAN

Staff Writer

OLD BRIDGE — Two "Laurence Harbor boys" returned to their old stomping grounds Tuesday night, each to celebrate their respective political victories.

James T. Phillips

One, Councilman Edward Testino, entered the fellowship hall of St. Lawrence’s Parish Center on Laurence Parkway at about 9:10 p.m. to thunderous applause from about 300 supporters, marking his re-election to an at-large seat on the Old Bridge Township Council.

The other, Mayor-elect James T. "Jim" Phillips, entered the church hall about 10 minutes later to a similar reception as he finally won the mayoral office once held by his late father many years ago.

Of no less importance, however, were the two candidates’ running mates, Councilman Dennis Maher, originally from the Madison Park section of town, and Patrick Gillespie, who grew up in the Lakeridge development.

By the end of the night, all four Democrats had swept the election for the mayor’s office and three at-large council seats.

Dennis Maher

Phillips, who is the Middlesex County treasurer, told a roomful of family members, colleagues, friends and campaign workers that he could not have won his long-sought victory without the help of Laurence Harbor and Cliffwood Beach voters.

Ward 1, which includes both Laurence Harbor and Cliffwood Beach, delivered 1,263 or nearly a quarter of Phillips’ total 5,029 votes.

"Laurence Harbor and Cliffwood Beach carried the day for me today," a beaming Phillips, age 50, told supporters.

The tallies gathered from all of the township’s six wards sealed his victory over the Republican candidate, Ward 5 Councilman Richard Greene, and Independent candidate Camillo Vitale, a former Ward 1 councilman.

Patrick Gillespie

Greene, who did win his home ward, placed second with 4,156 votes while Cliffwood Beach resident Vitale garnered 1,097 votes.

Phillips expressed gratitude to­ward all the township’s voters and promised to "hit the ground run­ning" when he takes office in January.

"We ran on the concept of a team effort," Phillips said. "We’re going to work for a better Old Bridge."

The mayor-elect encouraged residents to bring their concerns forward.

"I will work with anyone who will work with me," he said.

Testino thanked those present as well as voters throughout the town­ship for the 5,246 votes of confi­dence that carried him to his third council term.

Testino rallied his supporters to cheer for "Team Old Bridge," the name for the Democratic ticket.

"Let me hear a cheer for Team Old Bridge," yelled Testino, an at­torney who practices in the town­ship.

Both Gillespie and Maher, who arrived later, shared Phillips’ and Testino’s enthusiasm.

Together Testino, Maher and Gillespie held off a Republican challenge from three political newcomers, Robert Sucarato, Amelia Mannino-Pellicone and Peter Trabucco.

Testino, 45, a resident of Lakeridge, led the pack of six council candidates with 5,246 votes. Gillespie, 37, president of the township’s Economic Development Corporation, came in second with 5,057 votes while Maher, an inde­pendent telecommunications con­sultant, garnered 4,949 votes.

Mannino-Pellicone, 37, a life­long township resident, led the Republican slate of council candi­dates with 4,511 votes.

Both originally from New York City, Sucarato, 34, and Trabucco, 42, followed with 4,426 and 4,371 votes, respectively.

In his prepared victory speech, Gillespie chronicled the obstacles that he overcame on the road to victory. The candidate actually got a late start, entering the race in April after council Vice President Lawrence Redmond withdrew his re-election bid.

A heavy workload at his job as deputy director with the New Jersey state Senate and subsequent illnesses also cut into Gillespie’s campaigning time, he said.

Tuesday morning’s drizzly con­ditions further worried the candi­date, who previously ran unsuc­cessfully for the state Assembly.

"Every time I run for office, it rains," Gillespie joked, noting that his losses usually coincided with wet weather.

Gillespie thanked the voters for the victory and pledged his coop­eration.

"I personally consider elected office to be a great honor," Gillespie said. "We’ll move Old Bridge forward in a team effort."

Maher acknowledged all of his running mates and pledged to sup­porters that they would "see good government at work.

"I’ve never been involved with such a talented team," he said. "I thank you all from the bottom of my heart."

All four victors thanked their wives and families mainly for be­ing tolerant when they had to forego family gatherings in order to campaign.

In the same manner, Greene thanked his family, calling them his "biggest supporters" during a long and sometime contentious po­litical campaign.

"Right now, I’ll be able to take a step back and do things with them," Greene said. "I love the fact that I’ll be able to do things with them."

Greene, 57, who will remain in his council seat for another two years, wished Phillips "the best of luck" and acknowledged the vot­ers’ decision.

"The voters chose and that’s the way it is," he said.

The Democrats were able to out-spend the Republicans, Greene admitted. Nonetheless he and his own team gave it their best effort, he said.

"I gave it 1,000 percent," he said. "We were out-spent more than 10 to 1."

For now, Greene will continue carrying out his own commitments even though he is one of only two Republicans on the nine-member Township Council.

"The fight is not over," Greene said. "We’re going to still continue promoting the Republican philoso­phy. We’ll try to do good things for Old Bridge and the right thing for Old Bridge as it continues to grow."

Trabucco promised that he will continue to be active in the local Republican Party and might con­sider seeking office again.

"I will be an activist," said Trabucco, a regional director for the American Heart Association, said.

"If I feel the council is not do­ing their job, I will let them know," he added.

Like Greene, Trabucco ac­knowledged his party’s lack of campaign funds. He also attributed the Democratic sweep to residents’ satisfaction with the status quo in Old Bridge.

"The voters are happy with the way things are," he said.

Vitale, 48, wished Phillips luck as well, but promised that he would keep tabs on the new mayor.

Vitale, a special police officer in the township, took the loss in stride and praised the voting pro­cess.

"[The candidates] spoke, the people listened and they chose Jim," he said. "I still had a good time."

Phillips will succeed outgoing Republican Mayor Barbara Cannon who chose not to seek re-election after serving three consec­utive terms.

All four victors will be sworn into office Jan. 1.