Brick Pair Among Hopefuls For Wolfe's 10th District Assembly Seat

Who will replace David Wolfe when the longtime assemblyman officially closes his career representing New Jersey's 10th District at the end of 2019?

So far, there are four Republicans who have officially spoken up and said they want to run for the seat, and two Brick Township residents are among them.

Ruthanne Scaturro, a former Brick Township councilwoman, confirmed Tuesday that she has put her name on the list of Republican candidates.

Also seeking the 10th District seat are John Catalano, president of the Brick Republican Club; and Republican Stephen Reid, the mayor of Point Pleasant Beach. D’Arcy Rohan Green, the chair of the Mantoloking Republican municipal committee, also is seeking the seat, the New Jersey Globe reported.

Vincent Barrella, the former Point Pleasant Beach mayor, announced his candidacy, seeking either of the seats as Assemblyman Greg McGuckin's seat will be up as well. Barrella is the lone Democrat so far who has announced a desire to run in the 10th District.

Wolfe announced in January that he would not seek re-election to the seat he has held since 1992.

"Yes, I’ve thrown my name in the mix to go before the screening committee," Scaturro said by email. The Ocean County Republican committee will screen the candidates before voting at the county convention to choose the Republican candidate.

Scaturro has sought to run for the state Assembly previously, when James Holzapfel sought (and later won) the district's Senate seat that had previously been held by Andrew Ciesla. Ciesla retired 2011. She later backed out of the race, endorsing fellow Republican McGuckin of Toms River. She had been out of active political office for a few years but re-entered the fray in 2017, running against John G. Ducey for mayor in Brick after fellow Republican Domenick Brando left the race due to personal reasons.

Catalano, who owns Country Store Jewelers in Brick and has served on the township's Planning Board, Housing Authority and on the municipal utilities authority, told the New Jersey Globe he was filing to be considered the day after Wolfe announced his planned retirement. "I know the ropes. I’ve done a lot of good in Brick," he said.

Green was a councilwoman in Bay Head for 10 years before moving to Mantoloking. She also serves on the Pinelands Commission and was a key vote opposing a controversial gas pipeline through the Pinelands.

Reid, who was elected mayor in the 2015 election, said he has received support from Ciesla and seven fellow Republican mayors, including Toms River Mayor Thomas Kelaher and Manchester Township Mayor Kenneth Palmer. Read more: Mayors Endorse Point Beach Mayor Stephen Reid For Assembly

Palmer quelled rumors of a run by announcing he would not be seeking the seat. Read more: Manchester Mayor Staying Out Of 10th District Assembly Race

Barrella served as Point Pleasant Beach mayor from 2008 through 2015, when he decided not to seek re-election. He twice foughrt off challenges from Reid, in 2010 --in am effort that failed by a large margin. and I won the popular vote over Reid. He tried again in 2011 and once again, running as an independent, 6revailed, despite the fact that the Democrat in the race withdrew and endorsed Reid.

Barrella served as secretary and 1st Vice President of the Ocean County Mayors7 Association. He was active in both the New Jersey Conference of Mayors as a member of its Board of Directors and the New Jersey State League of Municipalities as a member of the Legislative committee and its Taxation and Finance subcommittee, he said. Read more: Former Point Beach Mayor Vincent Barrella Running For Assembly

The Globe report noted Republicans from Brick and Toms River have represented the 10th District since Ciesla, Virginia "Ginny" Haines and Wolfe were elected in a landslide in 1991. Haines, of Toms River, now is the Ocean County Board of Freeholders' first female freeholder director.

The 10th Legislative District consists of 10 towns in Ocean County: Bay Head, Brick, Island Heights, Lakehurst, Lavallette, Manchester, Seaside Heights and Toms River.

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