Dems win mayoral race in Oceanport
Republican incumbents prevail in Fair Haven, Rumson, Shrewsbury Boro
Amajor upset was scored in the borough of Oceanport's municipal election, where incumbent Mayor Lucille Chaump, a Republican, lost her bid for a second full term to her Democratic challenger, Michael J. Mahon.

Michael J. Mahon

In a hotly contested election, Chaump drew 1,110 votes, despite last-minute campaign strategy that saw her go to Washington to stump for Fort Monmouth. Mahon, a former councilman, drew 1,144 votes to win the seat.

Two incumbents, Democratic Councilman Joseph A. Irace, with 1,164 votes, and Republican Councilman Gerald J. Briscione, with 1,158 votes, won re-election to three-year terms, fending off challengers by a comfortable margin.

In Fair Haven, three Republican incumbents were returned to office. Voters re-elected Councilmen Jonathan Peters, 1,015 votes, and John M. Lehnert, 1,003 votes, who ran unopposed, to three-year terms, and incumbent Councilman James P. Banahan, a Republican, 996 votes, to fill a one-year unexpired term.

Rumson voters also returned incumbent Republicans to office. Running unopposed, Rumson Mayor John E. Ekdahl drew 1,230 votes to win another four-year term, while council incumbents Joan P. DeVoe, 1,167 votes, and Joseph K. Hemphill, 1,237 votes, won re-election to three-year terms, also without any challengers.

Lucille Chaump

Voters in the Borough of Shrewsbury returned Republican incumbents Kevin Murphy, 711 votes, and Thomas Menapace, 748 votes, to office for additional three-year terms. They outdistanced Democratic challengers by 200 or more votes.

Commenting on his election win, Mahon credited the Democrats' focus on the issue of future development in the borough, specifically the Oceanport property that lies within Fort Monmouth.

"The issue we focused on really made a clear distinction for voters in terms of choice," he said. "What we focused on, and we thought drew a clear line between our opponents and

us, was that we came right out and opposed the draft plan in its present form, which was calling for almost doubling the size of our community.

Our opponents never were able to create any distance between them and the plan.

John E. Ekdahl

"Voters, more than anything, spoke out loudly as to what the proposed future of town would be."

Mahon said the development plans will be the major issue his administration tackles.

"The first thing we need to tackle is to take a hard second look at what the Oceanport proposal is for reuse of the Fort Monmouth property that lies within our boundaries. We're taking steps right now, making calls, speaking to the right people to change that plan in a direction we'd like it to go in. We will restart that process that reflects the will of the people."