Rough campaigns ahead

The stage has been set for what promises to be some heated election campaigns in the months ahead, particularly when it comes to Old Bridge.

No fewer than six seats on the nine-member Township Council will be up for grabs, and the Democrats and Republicans have each fielded full slates of candidates for the November election. At stake is the control of the governing body, which has long been held by the Democrats.

In Sayreville, two of the Borough Council’s six seats are up for grabs. The two political parties each hold three seats.

But no local storyline carries more intrigue than Joseph Azzolina’s decision to defy Monmouth County GOP brass and oppose Amy Handlin in a primary to keep his Assembly seat representing the 13th District, which includes Old Bridge. Although an underdog, Azzolina can’t be counted out, and his candidacy will certainly divert efforts and resources that might have been saved for the later fight against the Democrats.

The gubernatorial primary will bring out more voters than usual, many of whom are not as knowledgeable about the Assembly race. In such cases, voters are more likely to pull the lever for the name they know, which puts a square advantage in the corner of longtime incumbent Azzolina.

District 13 can be broken down into three parts: Old Bridge, Middletown and the conglomeration of smaller towns along the Bayshore. Azzolina has the clear name-brand advantage in Old Bridge, which saved him from near defeat in 2003, but where Handlin is an unfamiliar freeholder from another county. Handlin should win her native Middletown, where Azzolina lost two years ago. In the end, the two heavyweight towns may cancel each other out, leaving residents of Aberdeen, Keyport, Keansburg, Holmdel, Hazlet, Matawan and Union Beach as crucial swing voters.

For Handlin to get the nomination, she’ll have to work for it more than some planned. And if the campaign goes negative, the Democrats, in this case Old Bridge resident William Flynn and Middletown’s Michael Dasaro, can sit back comfortably and reap the rewards.