|
ACROPOLIS WINS
Republican Sweep Signals Major Shift In Post-Scarpelli Era
By Eric San Juan
Council President, and now Mayor-elect, Stephen Acropolis opened up an early lead when Tuesday's election results began to roll in. He never looked back, coasting to a nearly 2,000-vote win over Mayor Dan Kelly.
With all four of his council running mates also winning on Election Day, for some, the results signal a final end to the Scarpelli era in town hall.
Now, Brick Republicans control the mayor's seat for the first time in well over a decade, and also have 6-1 control of the township council. Kathy Russell will remain the lone Democrat on the township's governing body.
In a race that at times became contentious - but never quite as bare-fisted as 2005's Acropolis/Scarpelli race - Acropolis and Kelly debated fiscal policy, the proposed purchase of the Ocean Ice Palace and the legacy of Joseph Scarpelli.
After coming just 200 votes shy of knocking out then threeterm Mayor Scarpelli, Acropolis garnered just over 10,000 votes this year, easily outpacing Kelly's 8,100.
Acropolis will serve two years, filling out the remainder of what would have been Scarpelli's fourth term in office.
Republican council candidates enjoyed a winning evening, too, outdistancing Democratic challengers by better than 1,000-vote margins.
Re-elected to the council were Ruthanne Scaturro, Michael Thulen and Anthony Matthews. Joining them is board of education member Brian Deluca. All received over 9,000 votes, with Scaturro, the top vote getter, at nearly 9,700 votes.
Trailing were Democratic candidates Paul Panuska, Anthony D'Elia, Michael Mauro and Anthony Lazroe. Panuska was the top vote getter on the slate with over 8,100 votes, while Lazroe garnered the fewest at around 7,300 votes.
Overall turnout in Brick Township was about 30 percent of registered voters.
Republicans enjoyed victory at the county and state
levels, too. Freeholders John Kelly and James Lacey each won easy re-election to
the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders, while 10th District Lawmakers
Andrew Ciesla cruised back to his seat on the state Senate, and Assemblymen
David Wolfe and Jim Holzapfel did the same. State races in the 9th and 30th
Districts, also representing portions of Ocean County, also went to Republican
candidates.
| 
