Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 4

A4 Asbury Park Nov. 6, 1983 Record is set for spending From page Al mm mm Senator S. Thomas Gagliano of Holmdel didn't bother to vote for you. Al Lehrer used this law to keep the criminals behind bars. Bill A-738-Revised the State Criminal Code.

Mandated tougher criminal penalties. Gagliano didn't bother to vote for you. Al Lehrer kept going to the N.J. Supreme Court to keep convicted murderers behind bars. Parole Act of 1979- Made parole for convicted felons almost mandatory.

Bill S-885-Raised drinking age to 21. Gagliano voted no. He voted against you. Al Lehrer formed the Monmouth County Drunk Driving and Death by Auto Task Force to protect the lives of our youth. Gagliano didn't bother to vote for you.

Al Lehrer used the full force of the law to put the drunk drivers behind bars. Bill 1042 Increased criminal penalties for drunk driving. Kean, who doesn't want to be the first governor in nearly 30 years to be saddled with a Legislature totally controlled by another party during his entire first terra, knows he has a stake in this year's election. So he has hosted posh fund raisers to raise money for GOP legislative candidates and has appeared on a series of television commercials urging the voters to send Republicans to the State House. If the strategy works, Kean should have a considerably easier time pushing his programs through the Legislature.

And that will mean the governor, who is already doing well in the popularity polls, will be in an even stronger position to win a second term in two years. But if the strategy backfires, the Democrats would be able to control the legislative agenda right through the gubernatorial election campaign. They could take credit for the passage of popular programs, pirate any bill pushed by the administration they like and block those they dislike. And that would not only spell trouble for Kean, the candidate trying to compile a record, it would boost the visibility of at least one of his potential Democratic challengers in 1985, Assembly Speaker Alan J. Karcher, D-Mid-dlesex.

This is an off-year election. There isn't a presidential, congressional or gubernatorial race at the top of the ballot to lure voters to the polls. A total of 3.669,753 residents are eligible to cast ballots on Tuesday. This is the largest pool of potential voters for an off-year election in the state's history. But election officials expect more than half of them won't vote.

The turnout has been dropping with each election since 1963. Jane Burgio, the secretary of state, estimates only 43.7 percent of the registered voters will bother going to the polls Tuesday. Although the number of registered Democrats far exceeds the number of registered Republicans, more Republicans make a point of voting than Democrats. So a light turnout could help Republican candidates. But it will depend upon how many independent voters, those affiliated with neither party, go to the polls and whom they decide to support.

Independent voters outnumber the combined total of all registered Democrats and Republicans. THERE IS something else worrying the GOP. In recent years, the party that controlled the governor's office has lost seats in the Legislature during off-year elections. That was the case under former governors William T. Cahill, a Republican, and Brendan T.

Byrne, a Democrat. But they had a Legislature controlled by their own party at the time. Since Kean doesn't, he is hoping the pattern won't hold. Local concerns, not state or national politics, are usually uppermost in the minds of -the voters when they pick their assemblymen and senators. Only a handful of legislators face some difficulty, and their races are the ones to watch on Tuesday.

Sens. S. Thomas Gagliano and John P. Gallagher, both R-Monmouth, are running hard because they are pitted against two well-known challengers. Assemblyman Richard Van Wagner, D-Monmouth, a veteran of the lower house, is trying to unseat Gallagher, while Democrat Alexander D.

Lehrer, a former county prosecutor, is opposing Gagliano's bid for a third term. Attention has been focused on Assembly Majority Leader John Paul Doyle's re-election campaign in Ocean County because the Democrat is in a split district. Sen. John F. Russo, D-Ocean, who tops the ticket and is being challenged by Republican Robert A.

Fall, a Point Pleasant lawyer, is expected to win another term easily. But the remaining member of the Tenth District delegation, Assemblyman Warren H. Wolf, is a Republican who outpolled Doyle two years ago. This time around, Wolf is running with Lawrence L. Mclver, a former Point Pleasant councilman, against Doyle and his teammate, Marlene Lynch Ford, the municipal prosecutor in Jackson Township.

Senate President Carmen A. Orechio, D-Essex, who has received fewer votes every time he has sought re-election and won only narrowly in 1981, is trying to be toppled by Republican Ralph Salerno, a Bloomfield lawyer, who has waged an expensive radio campaign. SENATE MAJORITY Leader Joseph Hirkala, D-Passaic, is having a tough time of it because part of his district has been moved into Bergen County and the GOP has tapped Joseph F. Job, a well-known former Bergen County sheriff, to oppose him. Another Democratic senator who may be in trouble is James W.

Bornheimer in Middlesex County. He is opposed by Peter Garibaldi, a former Republican assemblyman who chaUenged Bornheimer unsuccessfully two years ago in a close race. Sen. Joseph Bubba, R-Passaic, faces a formidable challenge from Democrat James W. Roe, a popular county freeholder and the brother of Rep.

Robert A. Roe, SEVERAL ASSEMBLY races also are hotly contested because the incumbents are considered vulnerable. Republicans are hoping to score upsets against Assemblymen Joseph D. Patero, D-Somerset; Joseph L. Bocchini, D-Mercer, and Thomas A.

Pankok, D-Gloucester. Meanwhile, the Democrats have their eyes set on the seats now held by Assemblymen S.M. Terry LaCorte, R-Passaic; Guy F. Muziani, R-Cape May; John V. Kelly, R- Gagliano didn't bother to vote.

Al Lehrer created the Monmouth County Violence and Vandalism Task Force to return order to our schools. Bill A-1564 Requires the State Commissioner of Education to monitor violence in the public schools. Gagliano didn't bother to vote for you. Al Lehrer created the Monmouth County Toxic Waste Task Force to put the polluters and dumpers where they belong behind bars. Bill S4300 Permitted establishment of high technology disposal systems for deadly toxic waste.

LRJ Essex, John A. Rocco and Thomas J. Shusted, both R-Camden. Both parties are concentrating on the Assembly seat being vacated by Atlantic City Mayor Michael Matthews, now the only Democratic member of his district's delegation. Aside from the possible outcome of the Gagliano, Gallagher and Doyle contests, political observers don't foresee a major surprise in any of the remaining legislative races in Monmouth or Ocean counties.

Even if Lehrer beats Gagliano in the District 12 Senate contest, Republicans John 0. Bennett and Marie S. Muhler are expected to retain their Assembly seats. Their Democratic opponents are Manalapan Township Mayor George Spodak and Marlboro Township Committeewoman Sally Mollica. IN DISTRICT 13, where Gallagher is pitted against Van Wagner, Assemblyman William E.

Flynn, D-Mon-mouth, is expected to keep his seat. His running-mate, Jacqueline Walker, a former Matawan Democratic chairman, is vying for the seat Van Wagner is vacating. The Republican challengers are Thomas Powers, a former Aberdeen Township councilman, mayor and county freeholder, and Herbert J. Kupfer, a former Hazlet Township mayor. Sen.

Brian T. Kennedy and Assemblymen Anthony M. Villane Jr. and Joseph A. Palaia, all R-Monmouth, are the favorites in the 11th District.

Kennedy's Democratic opponent is Long Branch Councilman Frank Pallone Jr. The Democratic Assembly candidates are Martin Chomsky, a health official in six coastal towns, and Cornelius V. Kelly, a councilman in Spring Lake Heights. In Ocean County's 9th District, Sen. Leonard T.

Connors and Assemblymen John T. Hendrickson and Jorge Rod, all Republicans, are considered to have an edge over their Democratic opponents. Connors is being challenged by Anthony M. Sellitto, a Lacey Township lawyer. Island Heights Mayor Joseph Bloom Jr.

and Lawrence Reynolds, a former Beachwood THE CHOICE IS CLEAR. On Election Day, elect AL LEHRER Senator. Al Lehrer for Senate, because with Al Lehrer in Trenton, you won't have to keep score. Al Lehrer will keep working for you and he'll be voting FOR Monmouth County. TOGETHER, WE'LL GET THINGS DONE.

ELECT AL LEHRER SENATOR. NOVEMBER 8th. Paid for by Lehrer for Senate. Rudolph J. Borneo Treasurer.

4 East Main Street, Freehold, N.J. 07288 municipaWudge, are opposing Hendrickson and.