TOMS RIVER, NJ – Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra went home from Wednesday night’s Ocean County GOP convention the clear winner across the board after he secured the party’s nomination to run for state assembly.
The well-liked and popular mayor is one of the Ocean County GOP’s rising stars in a stable filled with aging baby boomers and seniors.
In a vote amongst Ocean County GOP council members, including mayors, local club presidents, party chairpersons, and elected officials, Kanitra, along with his running mate Assemblyman Greg McGuckin won the vote by a 2-1 margin.
McGuckin, the top vote-getter had 63 votes. Kanitra had 50.
“The results of last night’s Ocean County GOP Convention have truly humbled me in so many ways. Other Mayors, Councils, Municipal Chairs and Club Presidents from the towns of the 10th District chose me to represent them in the New Jersey State House as their next Assemblyman in the upcoming primary election. The shoes being left by my great friend, John Catalano will be huge ones to fill,” Kanitra said. “The faith my peers put in me will certainly never be forgotten and is now a charge to keep as I head into this different direction.”
Their opponents, Ruthanne Scatturo and Ashley Lamb, had 35 and 25 votes, respectively.
District 10 now enters the November election cycle with a solid slate of candidates that can easily defeat most any Democrat challenger.
Kanitra is a conservative firebrand who intends to shake up the Democrat controlled assembly when he is eventually seated after a likely election victory in November.
“As Mayor of Point Pleasant Beach, the only negative part of a dream job, has been the horrendous policies coming out of Trenton that have continually harmed our Shore communities,” Kanitra said. “Unfunded mandates have cost our taxpayers dearly, weak kneed laws have made our streets less safe, a lack of focus in education and an erosion of parental rights have harmed our children. And that doesn’t even touch on the corrupt money grab that is this offshore wind project. I feel compelled to do my part to try and stop all of it.”
The party is now waiting to see where GOP Chairman George Gilmore stands. Gilmore unsuccessfully opposed the nominations of Kanitra and McGuckin. Meetings to be held today will determine whether or not Gilmore continues his scorched-earth political strategy to rid the party of his opponents or if he will support the party-endorsed candidates in June’s primary election.
George Gilmore did not respond when asked last night about his future plans in Ocean County.