Freeholder Jerry Thornton’s attack against fellow Freeholder E. Marie Hayes has created a scenario where Hayes has become the only Cape May County freeholder in history to be sanctioned.
Thornton has been facing an unexpected surge of condemnation from his actions. Fellow Republicans are distraught with their freeholder director publicly sanctioning another Republican freeholder, especially his running mate in a re-election campaign.
Thornton is perhaps making history as well, with such an unprecedented maneuver.
Thornton is hoping his longtime supporters will have a “senior moment,” and forgive him for his trespasses. Thornton figures, if he had the opportunity, he would surely beat Hayes in a primary election.
He is confident he will have the Republican votes to win in the general. He is hoping he has damaged Hayes enough to get her off the Freeholder Board, as a bonus.
Hayes sees herself as the victor in the Republican split. She is betting party loyalists will blame Thornton for the tumultuous blowup, and give him a retirement party in November. She is counting on votes for a new freeholder director next January.
The problem for Hayes is that Thornton is one of four freeholders that have sanctioned her, so she is far from a safe landing. Hayes’ plan for re-election is to keep pressing that Thornton’s nepotism and conflicts are worse than hers, and have the women’s vote overlook her transgressions.
Another problem for Hayes is that candidates win elections with talent and passion, and there are two independent thinking women with unblemished records running against her.
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