Parties Elect Chairs, Vice Chairs June 12

COURT HOUSE — Reorganization of Cape May County’s political parties took place June 12, a week after the Primary Election.
Cape May County Democrats voted to retain attorney James Pickering Jr. as chairman, and Suzanne Paisley as vice chair. The party held its reorganization in the American Legion hall here.
The Cape May County Regular Republicans Organization, with nearly 200 in attendance, also decided, via unanimous vote, to keep attorney Michael Donohue as chairman and Kristin Gabor as vice chair. The part held its reorganization in the historic County Courthouse. Both will serve four-year terms in the newly-organized Cape GOP.
Both parties are preparing for the contest in November that, being a presidential election, is sure to bring out more voters than off-year elections.
On the county level, Republican freeholder M. Susan Sheppard and Democrat Jeffrey H. Sutherland will vie for the surrogate’s job, held since 1972 by W. Robert Hentges, the state’s longest-serving surrogate, who is retiring.
Republican Freeholder Leonard Desiderio is seeking reelection to his board seat. Democrat Walter Deegan is challenging him for the post.
The Cape GOP has elected two new freeholders in Gabor and running mate Will Morey. Republicans were also successful in 2011 in taking control in Dennis Township for the first time in nearly 30 years and in Middle Township for the first time in over 50 years.
“We have candidates running on the local level in Middle Township, Dennis Township, and Upper Township,” said Pickering. “I am sure the part will work hard and support them all 100 percent,” he added.
“When we took over in 2010, we promised that we would open up the process,” Donohue stated. “We promised that we would have voting booths for the committee people to select their candidates and their chair and vice chair. We followed through on that and today we have a much stronger and energetic Republican organization as a result.
“Let the naysayers sit around in their sad little circle and say ‘nay.’ We say ‘yes.’ Yes to supporting candidates who believe in smaller government and lower taxes. Yes to fighting this year to put Mitt Romney in the White House. Yes to growing the Republican grassroots. Yes to practicing the positive politics of addition and not the harsh and petty politics of subtraction,” Donohue continued.
“We are looking forward to a great year,” said Pickering. “Our surrogate candidate, Jeff Sutherland, is going to work hard to show the voters of Cape May County what a great candidate he is. He has experience in the area that a surrogate works in (wills and estates). He has the right temperament to do the job,” Pickering said.
Pickering said Deegan is “working hard as a freeholder candidate. His main issue is bringing good, quality year-round jobs to Cape May County. He thinks our county government could do more to do that.”
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com