Kelly 'leaning' toward mayoral run this year Acropolis is most likely Republican choice BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer BRICK TOWNSHIP - Local Democratic Party leaders are set to screen candidates tomorrow night to run for the seat vacated by disgraced former Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli. Mayor Daniel J. Kelly said Monday he still hadn't decided whether to run for the remainder of Scarpelli's term. "I still don't have a definite answer," he said. "I'm leaning to it, if the party asks me." One other Democrat did express an interest in running for the mayor's seat, but wishes to remain anonymous until the party makes a decision, said municipal Democratic Chairman Michael Blandina. "I have to honor that request," he said. The GOP-dominated Township Council tapped Kelly to replace Scarpelli, who resigned suddenly on Dec. 8. Scarpelli pleaded guilty in federal court on Jan. 8 to accepting bribes from an unnamed developer. Kelly, a political newcomer, has done a good job, Blandina said. "I think he's a great person," he said. "He's had some resistance that is unwarranted from the other side." The Democratic candidate will most likely face Republican council President Stephen C. Acropolis, who has already screened for the mayor's position with the local Republican club. "The primary is not until June," Acropolis said. "But we have so much work to do, honestly it's the last thing on my mind right now, to worry about an election and a campaign that will start in September. We have a lot of unfinished business to do as a council." Republican Councilman Daniel Toth picked up two petitions recently - one to run for mayor as an independent and one as a Republican on the secondary line. While Toth didn't entirely rule out a mayoral run, he said if Acropolis was the Republican club's choice, he would support him. The GOP screened for both mayor and council candidates recently, Acropolis said. Eight Democrats have come forward and expressed interest in running for the four council seats up this year, including those who were interested in filling in as mayor back in December, Blandina said. "We are asking the same questions as back then, reaffirming their interest," Blandina said. "There are four Republican seats that are up. We are looking to fill those four seats with Democrats and the mayor's seat." Blandina doesn't think the fallout from the Scarpelli resignation should affect the races. "I would think our opponents would be foolish to tag everybody as a Scarpelli person," he said. "We are our own people. I think the people in Brick Township deserve better than that. Scarpelli is now out of the picture as far as the Democratic Party is concerned. We are going to move forward with a positive message."