Michael Kafton

The two possible ’09 gubernatorial candidates were on the campaign trail yesterday, both attending the swearing in of the recently elected members of the Jackson Township Council.  Governor Jon Corzine administered the oath of office to Michael Kafton, and U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie swore in Michael Reina.  While Jackson holds non-partisan elections, Kafton is a Democrat and Reina is a Republican.

JACKSON - An Election Day sweep by a bipartisan ticket led by Jackson Mayor Mark SedaDemocrat Michael Kafton propelled citizens to the microphone at a Thursday night council meeting to complain about Mayor Mark Seda’s efforts to privatize the city’s building department.

At the head of the charge was the newly victorious Kafton, who called on Attorney General Anne Milgram to investigate Seda’s efforts even as the mayor’s father faces a $30,000 building department fine.

He also chastised the council for failing to join him.

"The council is either closing their eyes or not strong enough to stand up to him," said the councilman-elect and former mayor. "I demanded the council get to the attorney general’s office."

JACKSON - Former Mayor Michael Kafton and his team beat incumbent Councilwoman Emily Ingram and her team by a margin of 2-1.

JACKSON - Team Kafton figured if they kept hitting the Council candidate Michael Kaftonopposition with gypsy moths, taxes and Mayor Mark Seda's salary increase, they could beat incumbent GOP Councilwoman Emily Ingram and her running mates on Election Day.

In a few hours, they will learn the effectiveness of their repeated mail attack pieces coupled with five debate forums in which former Democratic Mayor Michael Kafton and his running mates kept pointing to Ingram's alliance with Seda.

"He's working the senior communities hard," campaign spokesman Pat Politano said of Kafton. "He's wandering everywhere. Mike's been all over town."

JACKSON - Team Ingram braced for a last weekend hit from the Council candidate Todd PorterKafton campaign, which came in the form of a mailer depicting Councilwoman Emily Ingram and her running mates as the puppets of Mayor Mark Seda.

Seda's unpopular in town at the moment owing to property taxe hikes.

Former Mayor Michael Kafton and his running mates, Bobbie Rivere and Mike Reina, see an opportunity to bump the mayor's ally, Ingram, off the town council, while also denying her running mates, Charles Garafano and Todd Porter.

Democrat Michael Kafton at tonight's debate in Jackson. 

JACKSON - After a mild-mannered opening presentation by Democrat Michael Kafton, Republican Councilwoman Emily Ingram savaged Kafton’s record in their fourth and last debate at a Jackson senior citizens’ complex tonight.

Her opening salvo provided only temporary cover from Kafton’s return fire, which the challenger appeared to relish - and which also appeared to galvanize Ingram - sparking a charged-up back and forth that a fatigued senior citizen at the microphone finally called disappointing.

That prompted applause from the crowd of 50 seniors.