Shore area business leaders are connected to political candidates who could be representing them on Federal and County levels. Over 140 guest filled a banquet room at the Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune Township Friday for the Monmouth Ocean Development Council's (MODC)  annual Candidate's Luncheon.

Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornick,
Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik (Rosetta Key, Townsquare Media NJ)
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Those who attended were able to mingle with 4th District Democratic Congressional Candidate Brian Froelich, Incumbent Republican Freeholders John P. Curely and Serena Dimaso, as well as County Clerk Claire French and her Democratic Challenger Michael Steinhorn. However, U.S. Senate Candidates, incumbent Bob Menendez and Republican Joe Kyrillos pulled out at the last minute.

Instead of each candidate taking the podium, both parties selected a single spokesperson to make the case of why shore area business leaders should vote for their party's candidate this November.

Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik, offered compelling reasoning for why people should vote for

Democrats, which he says boils down to economic philosophy.

Hornik says both parties are calling for tax cuts. The difference is who's getting the tax cuts, the top 1% or the middle class? Hornik says the Democratic view is to provide those in the Middle Class with a good paying job and tax cuts. "And the economic model behind that, is if people in this room got a tax cut, you'd be more likely to go out and spend it on consumer products and drive the economy."

Hornik also says the Democrats with the help of Senator Robert Menendez, prevented the country from falling off an economic cliff during the worst U.S. fiscal crises since the Great Depression. "Are things great? Absolutely not! Are we hanging over a cliff like we were in 2007 and 2008? Absolutely not!

State Senator Jennifer Beck,
State Senator Jennifer Beck (Rosetta Key, Townsquare Media NJ)
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Monmouth State Senator Jennifer Beck made the case for Republicans. She touted U.S. Senate Candidate Joe Kyrillos' resolve in pushing through Teacher Tenure Reforms and State Worker pension and benefits reforms in his role a State Senator even though both initiatives were unpopular. Beck says Kyrillos was willing to do what was right for the state and the taxpayer. She says "you know we need someone who's going to go down there and stand up for us and our businesses and our residents and fight the fight."

Those who attended the luncheon say the economic climate in New Jersey under Governor Chris Christie has been improving and they're experiencing growth. However, they say in order to increase hiring they need to see more stability and less partisan bickering on state and federal levels. They also need the Feds to reduce some of the regulations that make it more difficult for them to compete.

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