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ATLANTIC CITY - The resort's Republicans on Tuesday produced arguably their best showing since partisan elections began in 2001.

Mayoral nominee Jesse O. Kurtz collected 22 percent of the vote, finishing second in a four-man race. He lost to incumbent Democratic Mayor Lorenzo Langford (59 percent) but defeated independents Joseph Polillo (13 percent) and Dennis Mason (5 percent).

Democrats also defeated Republicans for the three at-large City Council seats.

In last year's mayoral election, Republican John McQueen collected 9 percent of the vote, well short of Polillo's 23 percent and Langford's 68 percent. Kurtz raised and spent considerably more money than McQueen had, though still significantly less than Langford.

No Republican ran for mayor in the 2001 and 2005 general elections; Councilman Tim Mancuso dropped out of the 2005 race after beating Mason and McQueen in the primary.

Mancuso and Mason have since switched their party affiliations, creating an all-Democratic council in a city where 60 percent of the voters are Democratic, 33 percent are independent and 7 percent are Republican.

Kurtz, however, sees momentum for Republicans.

"I think we've definitely established ourselves as a voice. I only see us getting stronger," said Kurtz, who is considering seeking Mancuso's 6th Ward seat in two years.

Republicans also had the up-ticket advantage this year, with Chris Christie facing unpopular Democratic incumbent Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

"He definitely helped us," Kurtz said of Christie. Last year, then-Sen. Barack Obama's candidacy for president spurred huge turnout for resort Democrats.

Kurtz said he and Langford shook hands after the election and that Langford said he might implement some of Kurtz's ideas.

"I can just hope for the best, because he's my mayor now," Kurtz said.

Contact Eric Scott Campbell:

609-272-7227

ECampbell@pressofac.com

7 comments:

• weisenthal (293) posts 1:51 am

  Good showing by Kurtz. It seems the principal of the thing he did was to present the people with an obviously 100 percent opposite candidate from the bumbling thief who is destroying their city in so many ways, and giving them a chance to make a choice for realistic good government by an honest, intelligent person, and they blew it. It certainly wasn't Kurtz's defeat, it was the defeat of the very voters who decided to let the city slowly implode, by consciously, physically putting a mark, or whatever, next to langford's name, knowing what a thief, liar, racist, and perhaps mentally unbalanced, delusional, parinoid idiot he is, the personal embodiment of the opposite of a public service career person that one would want to handle their home city's affairs, and to represent the city in business negotations and media. His being mayor of Atlantic City automatically makes the city a joke, a laughing stock. Aside from that sad fact, one of the most notable shortcomings about mr. langford's handling of his "job", besides his ability to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars right in front of everybody's face, as has the "president" of council (am I dreaming?, this is real!) is absolutely no growth, building, or investment happening for the city, and so, as things aren't going too well in general, langford's going to take the city downhill for the next 4 years, that much is guaranteed. The fbi should be grinding their axes now, they have work to do.

• Bobstake (246) posts 12:07 pm

  A White Republican/Independent can't win a majority of votes in AC until blacks stop voting for blacks only. They need to vote for the best man regardless of color. Langford is not the best man for the job. Kurtz & Polillo did a pretty good job considering the reality of the situation.

• American_Gaming_Guru (242) posts 9:58 am

  Well done Kurtz. Keep it going!

• Republican4Mayor (212) posts 7:51 am

  Considering all of the obstacles in your path, and absolutely no help from the county republicans, you did a FINE JOB and should be very proud of your running! As an African American I can tell you that you were the light that shined on our community, most where just too blinded to see it. Unfortunately, they will experience 4 more years of suppression with exception of a select few that are given political patronage jobs by this Mayor.

• BernieSchwartz (645) posts 10:59 pm

  Keep plugging kid, you'll be Mayor one day.

• Samurai Warrior (187) posts 7:08 pm

  I agree! Kurtz held the corrupt hacks' feet to the fire. I'm sure he engendered many Ambien scrips for insomnia among legions of Lord Langford's hacks. [P.S.: Rozerem works better than Ambien; it was designed specifically for sub-par-IQ zip codes like 08401 - per Doc Holland.] Thanks for the hard work, Jesse. You have a bright future locally.

• OLSSpal (0) posts 6:33 pm

  I think Jesse did a wonderful job running for mayor. He and his ticket showed AC that the Republican Party is not dead, as they had hoped, but alive and growing. He and his team should be proud of all their hard work paying off. Until next election Jesse, I vote for you again!!!

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