Councilman clarifies endorsement in freeholder primary

If you believe campaign press releases, then Washington Township councilman Gregg Forsbrey supports four candidates for three seats on the Morris County Board of Freeholders.

Incumbents Doug Cabana, Kathy DeFilippo and Tom Mastrangelo issued a press release on Friday claiming Forsbrey’ s endorsement.  So did their Republican primary opponent, Donald Dinsmore.

“I read the endorsements too,” Forsbrey told the New Jersey Globe.  “It’s an interesting thing. I’m not against any of those candidates.  I don’t want to choose sides.”

Forsbrey said he had no problem with either side using his name on their endorsements.

“In order to be effective, you have to network through your party,” Forsbrey said.  “They’re all quality candidates.  It becomes complicated.”

The councilman says that Dinsmore is his first choice – “I want to see him have a shot, he said —- and that he was not given the option of backing just two of the three incumbents.

Forsbrey says he will vote for Cabana and Mastrangelo.

“I don’t know Kathy. I don’t have a relationship with her,” Forsbrey said.  “She hasn’t come to me.”

Still, all the candidates remain at risk of losing Forsbrey’ s support – if they don’t behave over the next few months.

“I will not support a candidate who is going to attack another candidate in my party,” Forsbrey said.