Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, November 9, 2006 OUR 116th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 45-2006 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS Incumbent Menendez Maintains Seat, Kean Loses Senate Race By MICHAEL J. POLLACK AND entrusted in me tonight.” age. I’m 53. When you’re 38, there’s MARYLOU MORANO Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Mr. Kean made his concession a lot of opportunity. Prior Keans have speech at approximately 10:22 p.m. lost and then become very well known TRENTON – Incumbent United and spoke for less than five minutes. and successful. States Senator Robert Menendez re- He told his constituents, “You were “When you have somebody with tained his seat over Westfield resi- with me when things looked up. You the depth of Tom Kean, Jr. and the dent and State Senator Tom Kean, Jr. were with me when things looked humility of Tom Kean, Jr., it takes a on election night. down. Thank you for your passion long time to get to know somebody As of 8:30 p.m., CBS News called and your dedication.” like that,” he added, saying that Mr. the election for Mr. Kean is “truly special” Menendez. Vote tallies as and “like a fine wine of press time Wednesday that gets better with showed Mr. Menendez age.” won by eight percentage In New Jersey, the points – with 1,127,847 GOP has not held a individuals (53 percent) seat on the U.S. Sen- voting in his favor and ate in 34 years and 945,334 (45 percent) hasn’t won a statewide choosing Mr. Kean. vote in nine, when Mr. Menendez, who Christine Todd took the podium shortly Whitman defeated after 9 p.m. with his son, James McGreevey in Robert, daughter, Alicia, the gubernatorial race. and Senator Frank In a year in which Lautenberg, told sup- Democrats took con- porters at the East trol of the House of Brunswick Hilton cam- Representatives for David Samsky for The Westfield Leader paign headquarters, BITTERSWEET VICTORY...Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-7) thanks supporters after winning his fourth term in Congress in the first time since a hotly contested race against State Assemblywoman Linda Stender of Fanwood. At left, his wife Maureen looks on. “Only in America, and 1994 and remain com- especially in New Jer- Mike Pollack for The Westfield Leader petitive in the Senate, sey, could the son of a DIFFICULT NIGHT...State Senator Tom Kean, Jr. (R) of Westfield former Governor seamstress and a carpen- and his wife Rhonda prepare to address supporters following his U.S. Whitman said to re- Ferguson Edges Stender in Race ter, the first of his family Senate loss to current U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-Hudson). porters that the na- to go to college, be cho- He congratulated Mr. Menendez, tional environment “creates an echo sen by his neighbors to be their voice who he said ran a “spirited race.” He chamber effect.” in the United States Senate.” told the audience at the Bridgewater While “delighted” at the voter turn- For 7th District Congressional Seat Mr. Menendez alluded briefly to Marriott that, “I join all of New Jer- out, she said that for voters, “it wasn’t By TED RITTER AND WAYNE BAKER Fanwood. “Together, we really fought for his opponent, saying “New Jersey sey in wishing him well. We have about the race they were voting in, Specially Written for The Westfield Leader In the election night race that nearly change in this country. We stood up rejected the politics of personal de- hard work to do on a bipartisan ba- but more about a national picture.” AREA — In a night that saw Demo- didn’t end, Mrs. Stender initially de- and we talked about the issues; we struction.” sis.” She added that Mr. Kean “ran a crats take control of the House of layed conceding the closely watched made people think about where we “I will wake up every morning and “I’m not going away,” he said, to very strong race. He didn’t take any- Representatives for the first time in Congressional District 7 contest to were going as a nation, and that’s not work as hard for you as I possibly can the applause of the capacity crowd. “I thing back into the dressing room. He 12 years, Republican Rep. Mike Mr. Ferguson. This was despite the over,” Mrs. Stender said. “[Demo- in the New Jersey Senate for the next intend to continue working in the left it all on the playing field.” Ferguson of New Providence was re- fact that Mr. Ferguson had already crats] have taken back the House from six years,” he added. “Everyone in New Jersey Senate to change the way She said it was “just a very tough elected to a fourth term by a razor thin delivered his victory speech after Republicans.” New Jersey should know this about the public’s business is conducted.” year” because in most elections, margin, 49 to 48 percent or 95,739 to broadcast news networks projected Mrs. Stender, a former Union me. I will dedicate myself to earning Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (LD- Democrats identified themselves by 92,480, over Democratic state As- him the winner. County Freeholder of Fanwood your trust for the confidence you have 21, Westfield) said, “He’s 38 years of CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 semblywoman Linda Stender of Mr. Ferguson’s speech came at (where she previously served as 11:10 p.m., with 72 percent of elec- mayor), ran her campaign on the slo- tion precincts reporting, indicating gan “Common Sense Change” and Westfield Man’s Death he was leading Mrs. Stender by sev- had attempted to closely link her op- eral thousand votes or about four per- ponent to President George W. Bush. centage points. “So, while the outcome here in the Remains Under Investigation “Sorry for the late night,” said Mr. 7th District isn’t what we had all WESTFIELD – Authorities are still where he was unresponsive. CPR was Ferguson — who ran his campaign hoped and prayed and worked so hard investigating the cause of death of a started and he was transported to on his record, positioned himself as a for, we did give it a good run,” said 35-year-old Westfield man who died Muhlenberg Hospital where he was moderate Republican, and labeled his Mrs. Stender, who won Union County Monday night after police responded later pronounced dead,” the press re- opponent as a “tax-and-spend Demo- by the count of 35,905 to 35,188, and to a call for assistance from lease stated. crat” — spent most of his surpris- Middlesex, 18,176 to 13,210. Mr. Muhlenberg Regional Medical Chief Parizeau told The Westfield ingly short victory speech thanking Ferguson won Hunterdon, 19,160 to Center’s mental and psychiatric Leader Mr. Villane lost conscious- his family and supporters. 13,450, and Somerset, 28,181 to screening outreach program. ness “somewhere between the front “We had a lot of hurdles to over- 24,949. According to a Westfield Police yard and the ambulance.” come this year; we had as tough a Pointing to the delay in conceding Department press release, police re- Five police officers were trans- political climate as we’ve ever seen,” the race, Mrs. Stender said: “We sponded to the 11:50 a.m. call in the ported to Muhlenberg and treated for the Congressman said at a victory waited to make sure that every vote 400 block of West Broad Street, where trauma and elevated blood pressure celebration at the Bridgewater was counted [and] we came within 2 Robert Villane had reportedly locked due to the struggle, police said. The Marriott. “We won, and we did it percent. It’s been a long, difficult himself in his second-floor apartment. officers have been released from the because we stand for the right things.” night, but it was for a worthy cause…I Three members of the Muhlenberg hospital but are currently on sick leave However, as Mr. Ferguson was still think we still have challenges in front program were at the scene with Villane from the police department. speaking at the Bridgewater Marriott, of us as a nation that we all need to when police arrived. The man let of- Chief Parizeau told The Leader that Mrs. Stender’s spokesman Mike Pa- continue to be part of solving. I’m not ficers and one of the psychiatric a counselor would be made available gan came into the packed main ball- going away; I hope you’re not,” she Anthony Santilli for The Westfield Leader screeners enter his apartment after they for the officers if they needed to talk TRICKLING IN…As election results find their way to L’Affaire in Mountainside, room – adorned with Stender signs finally exclaimed. talked to him for a “short period of to someone about the incident. Union County freeholder candidate Alexander Mirabella, center, his wife, Phyllis, and decorations – at the Crowne Plaza At Ferguson Headquarters Frank time,” police said. The Union County Prosecutor’s and County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich study the board to make sure no vote goes Hotel in Clark and said: “It’s not over Quinn of Westfield indicated that his “Because of Mr. Villane’s actions Office, with the assistance of the unnoticed. yet,” after previously indicating the support of Mr. Ferguson was driven by and his mental condition, the psychi- Westfield Police Department, is in- campaign was “going to sit tight” his stances on taxes and abortion.